With a mission to make security possible, ReliaQuest continues to search for new ways to build the talent pipeline and create more opportunities in the cybersecurity industry. Recognizing the vast career potential in this relatively new field, ReliaQuest sees a unique opportunity to introduce students to cybersecurity and foster talent from a young age.
In its second year, an internship program at ReliaQuest provides high school students in the Tampa Bay area an opportunity to learn about cybersecurity and how ReliaQuest makes security possible for its customers. Spending two weeks of their summer at ReliaQuest’s headquarters on Water Street, the first-of-its-kind program provides students with hands-on experience in detecting cyber threats, mentorship from top leaders, and insights into various career paths in cybersecurity.
ReliaQuest aims to spark an interest in cybersecurity and give students the invaluable experience of learning from industry professionals across all teams in the organization. Due to high demand in just one year, ReliaQuest expanded the program from the Academy of the Holy Names to include Jesuit High School as well, both private college preparatory schools in the Tampa area. This expansion more than doubled the number of students participating this summer.
Students began their experience with a welcome from ReliaQuest CEO and founder, Brian Murphy, who shared the mindset behind ReliaQuest’s mission to make security possible.
“Success in life is applying effort and being willing to do the things other people aren’t willing to do.” Murphy said. “You’re willing to give up part of your summer to come here and learn something; that’s what gets me fired up.”
Over the two weeks, ReliaQuest leaders gave presentations on a wide range of topics, including finance, tech operations, marketing, and sales. Students had the opportunity to select an area of interest, meet with mentors from that field, and prepare a final group presentation to demonstrate what they learned during the program.
Recruitment leaders also assisted students in creating LinkedIn profiles and provided key tips on public speaking, presenting, and crafting effective PowerPoint presentations.
Kenzie Cappy, a rising senior at the Academy, shared her experience: “The sales pitch was really interesting. It was a challenge of trying to figure out how to take what I had learned and apply it. I had to put myself in the customer’s shoes and pitch the product in a way that appealed to them.”
During the second week of the program, a panel of three security leaders from ReliaQuest’s customer organizations provided insight into how security operations work within their teams and how ReliaQuest helps make security possible for their businesses.
One of the panelists, Cody Lezynski-Simpson, Senior Manager of Cybersecurity Engineering Operations at Southwest Airlines, shared his enthusiasm: “I’m excited for this next generation. There’s nothing more important than preparing them to impact the world of cybersecurity, and I’m eager to see the difference they’ll make in our industry.”
ReliaQuest shares Cody’s enthusiasm, as the impact of the program is already apparent. Since the internship launched last year, two Academy students have declared majors in cybersecurity as they prepare to attend college this fall. One of them is Reese MacDiarmid, who shared: “I did the ReliaQuest internship and learned so much about cyber. Before the program, I didn’t know anything, and by the end I knew it was something I wanted to learn more about.” Reese will be attending Winthrop University as a freshman this fall and said she “can’t wait to learn more about cybersecurity.”
Contributing to the talent pipeline in cybersecurity is just one example of how ReliaQuest makes security possible. By educating high school students about cybersecurity, they can develop an interest in the field and be better equipped to face the greatest technological challenge of our generation.
