2026 Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference

The cybersecurity workforce gap is not simply a shortage of candidates: It is also a preparation issue. Students often enter internships with foundational academic knowledge but limited experience applying it in team settings within professional environments. This session presents a structured internship model developed by Triple Point Security to address that gap through an incremental, cohort-based approach designed to complement academic coursework at the post-secondary level.

The program is organized around two complementary learning tracks: technical skills and professional development. On the technical side, interns progress from foundational concepts during their initial session through internal IT support, externally-facing projects, and proof-of-concept development in subsequent sessions with documentation and presentation treated as a core professional competencies at every stage. On the professionalism side, dedicated programming covers cybersecurity career pathways, certifications, written and verbal communication, responsible use of AI, and resume development. Structured networking roundtables featuring staff from across the firm, as well as external guest presenters, broaden interns' professional connections beyond their immediate team and the firm.

Attendees including university and community college faculty, academic program coordinators, and industry professionals will gain a concrete framework for designing or improving internship experiences that build both technical depth and professional readiness. The session will address program structure, the role of “soft skills” in workforce preparation, and practical considerations for establishing partnerships between cybersecurity firms and academic and other partner institutions.