Fall 2023 IT & Cybersecurity Externship
The Virtual IT & Cybersecurity Externship continues to be a paid, structured two-week program. In partnership with the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, Arizona employers will host online sessions to teach a cohort of externs industry knowledge on cybersecurity topics, required skills, and career pathways. We invite individuals with diverse educational and workforce backgrounds including high school, community college, and university students, military, military spouses, reentering mothers, and career changers to participate in the externship.
We are excited to share that several previous externs were able to secure internships and jobs with participating employers!
Goals Achieved:
- Expose members of our workforce to Arizona’s technology ecosystem, career pathways, and required skills
- Foster meaningful relationships between talent and employers
- Develop talents’ skills through team research projects, mentorship, mock interviewers, and resume/LinkedIn workshops
Our externship program is currently accepting applications, deadline to submit is Sunday, Oct 8th at 8PM MST. Click here to learn more about eligibility requirements and apply.
Building a Diverse and Inclusive Technology Talent Pipeline
(2022 Technology and Cybersecurity Externs)
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Hear what externs and employers are saying about their experience!
Employers
“Innovative workforce initiatives are required to address the nearly 600,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs across the country today and create pathways for talent from diverse backgrounds and experiences. The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s Virtual Cybersecurity Externships does just that. By connecting employers directly to the workforce to teach them industry knowledge and required skills, externs graduate from the program with a better understanding of how to secure our infrastructure and navigate the constantly evolving threat landscape. On top of that, the Arizona Department of Homeland Security has hired an extern for our internship program. We are a proud partner and would recommend this to any employer.” – Director Tim Roemer, Arizona State Chief Information Security Officer and Director, Arizona Department of Homeland Security
“Having a goal to provide real-world experience to the externs is so valuable. You can only read and learn about Cybersecurity theory. You won’t learn until you apply those theories in real-time. That is what the externship provides.“ – Adam Pena, SOC Manager, Cyber Command, Arizona Department of Homeland Security
“Giving back to the society is an important task where it vitalizes growth on every level. It was a pleasure to be part of this program, in which, it is an amazing way to give back to the community. “ – Mohamad Ghannoum, eBacon, 2021 & 2022 Cybersecurity Employer
“It was a pleasure working with the externs. They are an extremely bright group with a promising future in Information Technology and Cybersecurity. I look forward to seeing them succeed in the community!” – Jeremy Mills, CommonSpirit Health, 2021 & 2022 Cybersecurity Employer
“This is a great program. The group was very engaged, and I am sure they gained valuable information from it.” – Itzik Kotler, CTO and Co-Founder, SafeBreach, 2021 & 2022 Cybersecurity Employer
Externs
“The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s Virtual Cybersecurity Externship was one of the best programs I had the pleasure of being a part of. It offered me guidance, insights into my future career pathway, and invaluable connections and networking. I had the opportunity to speak with very knowledgeable industry leaders, gain hands-on experience through teach projects and presentations. This program truly is a gift and golden ticket for those that want to step into a world that requires insider help and proper networking. Ngan and everyone involved have the best interest of every extern and go above and beyond to make sure we take advantage of all the opportunities available to us. I would recommend and encourage any who is interested in cybersecurity to apply and take advantage of such a great opportunity!” – David Aberle, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“Engaging and impactful infosec sessions during the externship taught me the importance of creativity and leadership in the technical realm of cybersecurity. Through the team research project, I strengthened my communication and collaboration skills while engaging on a team with diverse perspectives. Thank you Ngan, employers, and my fellow externs for a wonderful learning experience! Looking forward to a career in cyber!” – Kavya Bhatt, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“I knew I wanted to be a part of this program because it promised networking opportunities with current industry professionals. This externship provided that and so much more. I met other like-minded individuals who all had their own unique journeys, learned resources I didn’t know existed, and as promised, NETWORKED. Don’t let the time commitment scare you away from applying. Every minute of the sessions is worth your undivided attention. From this program, I was able to interview for an internship with one of the companies that presented to us before the listing was posted publicly. While I didn’t get it, I have a strong feeling one of my fellow externs did or at least made it to the final selection process. My interviewer even told me to reach out if I ever wanted to chat more about the field or just need advice. How awesome is that? Anyways, do yourself a favor and apply! I have no background in tech and am currently pivoting my career towards this field. That goes to show that you don’t need to be a prodigy to take advantage of this FREE and PAID experience. Good luck!”– Paul Choe, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“This externship was an eye-opening experience. It gave externs insight into the process of becoming a cybersecurity analyst, including what soft and technical skills to improve upon. The chance to network with career professionals and listen as they describe their experiences allowed me to learn how to break into the field and thrive. It inspired me to learn how I could become a cybersecurity analyst. Additionally, the resume workshop, mock interviews, and presentations were an excellent opportunity to learn what employers look for in candidates. I learned many valuable skills from the externship, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in pursuing the field of IT security.” – Jason Gounder, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“This externship was truly a life-changing moment in my career path and professional development. Coming into 11th grade, I never would’ve expected that I would be able to work with industry professionals in cyber security/infosec. I was provided with the opportunity to perform a real-world penetration testing project and present it live to experts. Ngan has been both a mentor and a friend, personally going above and beyond, and guiding me through mock interviews and aiding in my professional development.” – Mars Kapadia, 2021 Summer Extern
“Participating in the externship and working with the mentors/industry partners helped me gain insight into different roles and built my confidence to network with employers. The program offered opportunities to develop relationships that led me to interview and accept a job offer with one of the employer partners. Thank you to the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation!” – Michael Marshall, 2021 Extern
“The Cybersecurity Externship helped me understand what I’m trying to achieve and the paths that I can take. The program not only gave me valuable information but also direct connections to support my career.” – Yuri Song, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“Since I completed the Academy in 2020, this has been the only opportunity where I got to network and meet others who share the same interests. I learned that I’m not alone in the arduous process of applying for entry-level cybersecurity jobs. It was an experience unlike any I’ve ever had before – listening to representatives from such big-name companies sharing their personal experiences and opening my eyes to just how many roads there are available for me to go down in this career field that I previously had no idea existed! The resume workshop and mock interviews were a huge help and the “revamp” of my resume restored some of my confidence in submitting job applications. I’m grateful that this is paid opportunity and was afforded the experience.” – Cody Trimmell, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
“The Cybersecurity Externship is an amazing and eye-opening experience that has helped me get a jump-start on my learning path. I loved getting to meet current industry professionals as well as the other externs of all ages throughout the entire program. The advice that everyone offered was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the opportunity!“ – Branden Yang, 2022 Cybersecurity Extern
Celebrating our externship family for our first in-person networking event at Rocket Mortgage!
Thank you to our Community Partners!
Thank you to our guest speakers!
Have a resource to share? Email it to workforce@phoenixchamber.com