DHS Opens 100+ Cyber Internships to College Students
National Park Service
Applications are due by Jan. 3.
The Homeland Security Department has opened up more than 100 volunteer positions across the country to college students pursuing a degree in a cybersecurity-related field.
The 2014 Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative will provide unpaid student volunteer assignments at DHS field offices in more than 60 locations across the country.
The program, created in April 2013 by former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, provided assignments at Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s computer forensic labs in 36 cities nationwide. The 2014 program will expand to include new opportunities at the Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the DHS Office of the Chief Information Officer and additional state and major urban area fusion centers and ICE labs.
“DHS is excited to continue the Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative and expand it to additional DHS offices and locations while increasing our engagement with students in the important cybersecurity work DHS does every day,” said Rand Beers, acting DHS secretary, in a statement. “Providing these opportunities across the department is a vital step in our efforts to cultivate the next generation of cybersecurity leaders and to attract the best and brightest cyber talent who are looking to pursue a career in public service.”
The honors program was created in response to a report released in October 2012 by the Homeland Security Advisory Council’s Task Force on Cyber Skills. The task force recommended that DHS strengthen its outreach to students at community colleges and the veteran population.
The cyber honors program is available to college students pursuing a two-year or four-year degree in a cybersecurity-related field. Participants will perform a broad range of duties in support of DHS’ cyber mission, from cyber threat analysis to digital forensics to network diagnostics and incident response. Specific skills, training and certifications may be required for certain positions.
The application period for the cyber honors program will close on Jan. 3, with student volunteer positions beginning in April 2014.
For more information on the program, click here.