The MiamiCyber2Work program, a multistakeholder partnership to establish cybersecurity career pathways for workforce development. The cybersecurity workforce initiative establishes pathways for talented FIU students to gain professional affinity and valuable skills related to a specific MiamiCyber2Work partner for a summer internship leading potential towards an employment opportunity. The MiamiCyber2Work program aligns with the goals of the NICE Strategic Plan by
addressing the skills gap between employer needs and student capabilities. It establishes a program that fosters strong student-partner relationships, enhancing compatibility for employment and responding to the urgent local demand for cybersecurity talent.
The MiamiCyber2Work program aims to develop a structured learning, research, and hands-on program that would prepare students to undertake a cybersecurity internship position at a designated company/institution. The main objective of the program is to identify the most suitable student candidate for a specific position, building affinity with the company/institution during a period in which knowledge and skills are developed under the guidance of a company/institution mentor. This has the effect of building the knowledge capacities that would allow the student to effectively start the internship towards achieving employment.
Project Approach: The main aspects of the MiamiCyber2Work program consist of:
1) identify junior students in fall term that are a good match for a specific company/institution,
2) during the spring term, the students will register in a special topic class that is co-taught (faculty and company/institution mentor). During this semester, the student will work to achieve cybersecurity professional certifications like Azure Security Fundamentals etc. and will engage in conducting cybersecurity research and hands-on activities that align with the company/institution that the student will intern during the summer,
3) during the subsequent summer term, the students participate in their paid internship at their corresponding company/institution.
These components encompass a unique opportunity for the student and company/institution to engage in an effective manner leading toward a rewarding internship that aligns with the company/institution needs.
About NIST and the RAMPS program
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program called the Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development (RAMPS Program) was awarded to Florida International University in the south Florida area to establish a multistakeholder workforce partnerships of employers, schools and institutions of higher education, and other community organizations. The specific goals of the RAMPS Program are to align the workforce needs of local business and non-profit organizations with the learning objectives of education and training providers conforming to the NICE Framework, increase the pipeline of students pursuing cybersecurity careers, upskill more Americans to move them into middle class jobs in cybersecurity, and support local economic development to stimulate job growth.
Apply for the program before October 31, 2025 click here to apply
If any question, please contact Alexander Perez-Pons aperezpo@fiu.edu