Photo By Patrick Sullivan | Students with the 402nd Software Engineering Group’s internship program study at...... read more read more
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Cyberspace is a core pillar of the Air Force mission, and one of the most hotly contested, rapidly developing domains the force operates in.
The 402nd Software Engineering Group is a key player in cyberspace operations – providing design, development, updates, on-site engineering support and more to correct software issues and improve avionics systems.
As part of the Air Force Sustainment Center Software Directorate, it hosts an internship program each summer, building strong community ties by offering a wealth of opportunities directly to local students. The interns receive pay and benefits, as well as education and mentorship from existing industry professionals.
Investing in some of the best and brightest young minds in the area, the 402nd SWEG aims to bring the interns back to Team Robins once they graduate.
“This was created to be a pipeline of talent, to pour into our community and invest in these students,” said Sarah Martin, the Internship Program director. “Software is integrated in everything we do, and it’s been integrated into everything the Department of Defense does. As software advances and grows, it’s more important than ever to have good talent.”
Martin, an electrical engineer herself, is familiar with the rigors of STEM courses and work centers. She and other 402nd SWEG technical experts craft the program to provide the students with not only valuable hands-on work experience, but also in-depth training, education and development in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics field.
The internship brings in 25-30 participants each iteration, who spend 8-10 weeks learning directly from the group’s technical experts.
The first stage of the program is centered on education and development, with students learning programming, electrical engineering, advanced mathematics and other critical skills. The internship also teaches the students supplementary skills like public speaking and time management, preparing them to be as effective as possible in their future workplace.
Daiven Abram is a second-year intern, returning while on summer break from Georgia Institute of Technology’s electrical engineering program. Abram had little actual hands-on experience prior to the internship, and he found the mix of classroom education and practical projects enlightening.
“(The internship) is really good if you want to go into computer science, electrical or computer engineering,” said Abram. “For me, I wanted to go into one of those fields, but I didn’t know specifically what I like; I had never had hands-on experience. This semester, I learned I really liked working with the hardware, doing the electrical, the logic, that kind of thing. Not only was the learning amazing, but also having the ability to come back every summer and do what I actually want to do.”
If the students continue with the internship, they will be embedded with squadrons within the 402nd SWEG, where they put their knowledge to the test in real-world work environments.
After completing the program, interns can apply for permanent positions within the SWEG. The relationship is a symbiotic one, as the program provides long-term interns with job prospects immediately after graduating while the SWEG gets to bring in individuals already familiar with the mission set.
“One thing that this program offers that is becoming a struggle with advancing technologies and AI is job security,” said Gianna Castro, a 402nd SWEG intern and rising freshman with the Georgia Institute of Technology’s computer science program. “Being able to come back every summer and have a secured spot is just something a lot of places don't have.”
In a rapidly growing and evolving cyberspace domain, being able to maintain a flow of talent provides more benefit than meeting manning goals. It is vital to staying ahead of our adversaries in cyber and information warfare.
“For these students to see the benefits of government work – work life balance, the opportunity – for them to see that before even being talked to by the (software) industry has helped with the competitive nature,” said Martin on the competitive hiring market. “Software is growing. The industry is growing, and our hiring targets grow each year. So, to have that pool of talent is really important.”
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.18.2024 10:22 |
| Story ID: | 476501 |
| Location: | WARNER ROBINS, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, 402nd SWEG: Cultivating tomorrow's cyber defenders, by Patrick Sullivan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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