During the 2024-2025 program, students from UC Berkeley and other UC campuses gained real-world training through cybersecurity internships at eight host companies. The application period for the 2024-2025 cohort is now open.
The CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program celebrated the completion of its third year, with a first-ever cohort of students — including three students from UC Berkeley — completing summer internships in cybersecurity. Overall, roughly 75 students participated in internships in aviation, climate and energy, cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence (AI) for social impact, digital health, and semiconductors.
Managed by the Center for Information Technology in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS), the CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program offers undergraduate and graduate students from University of California campuses the opportunity to participate in eight-week paid internships at an established company, startup, national lab, campus lab, government agency, or nonprofit. The program was launched in 2022 through funding from the State of California, with a goal to develop a pipeline of talent for California in emerging areas of innovation for the 21st century.
During eight-week placements, the CITRIS Workforce Innovation interns attend weekly workshops to build vital workplace skills, network with peers and experienced professionals, and tackle real-world tasks assigned to them by their on-the-job mentors. Interns develop in-demand skills through on-the-job experience, and they receive training in leadership and project management. They are supported throughout the internship program by dedicated CITRIS staff, as well as the community of peers in their cohort.
In 2024, cybersecurity — described as “enhancing security of systems and data, increasing availability of cyber solutions, and furthering understanding on the intersection of human nature and cyber risk” — was added as one of six areas of focus for the program.
Eleven students participated in the cybersecurity track in 2024, completing their internships with eight host organizations. Six organizations — Beyond the Arc, Inc.; Okta, Threater, Inc; Siloxit; Skyhigh Security; and Vagaro — hosted one student-intern. Joby Aviation hosted two students, and AI Squared hosted three student-interns.
The three students from UC Berkeley were Owen Thompson, who interned with Vagaro; Hyeonhee “Irene” Lee, whose internship was hosted by AI Squared; and Sinead McCaffery, who interned with Beyond the Arc, Inc.
“This past year was our first year to integrate cybersecurity, so we’re hoping to expand to more host organizations and students,” says Nicole-Marie Cotton, CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program Manager at UC Berkeley. “One of the attractive things about this program is that we financially support the student. A lot of students need to work during the summer, so they can’t they can’t afford to do an unpaid internship. That’s where this program comes in.”
In addition to internships with their host organizations, students participate in a series of co-curricular workshops to gain communication and leadership skills. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to receive a certificate in careers in emerging technologies. “We have a concurrent 12-week workshop series where the students level-up their skills in areas like design thinking, market research, and workplace communication, which helps them grow their confidence,” Cotton says.
Applications Now Open for 2024-2025 Cohort
The CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 year. Undergraduate students from all majors at UC Berkeley — as well as UC Davis, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz — are welcome to apply. For UC Berkeley students, the internships will run between May–August 2025. Interns will receive $7,500 for participating.
All students, including women, people from underrepresented backgrounds, Pell Grant recipients, undocumented students and first-generation students, are encouraged to apply, regardless of disciplinary background. “A goal of the program is to bring people into these fields who do not have technical degrees,” Cotton says.
For more information, contact Nicole-Marie Cotton at ncotton@berkeley.edu.
Watch an online information session about the Workforce Innovation Program, recorded on August 23, 2024.
