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Quillen
Student
Valrico, Florida
1
Question
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What is the best path from college to landing a position as an AI Cybersecurity specialist What steps, internships, and entry-level roles should I consider to build the necessary skills and experience?What steps, internships, and entry-level roles should I consider to build the necessary skills and experience? #Spring2025?
What steps, internships, and entry-level roles should I consider to build the necessary skills and experience? I am going for a Bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity and AI.
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4 answers
Timothy Davis, MBA, CISA
18
Answers
Panama City, Florida
Updated
Timothy’s Answer
College education in Computer Science often focuses on programming, but most cyber security jobs are more about network infrastructure. It's a great idea to check out courses in this area and consider adding certifications like Network+ or Security+. Depending on where you study, technical schools or community colleges can be just as good, if not better, at getting you ready for this field. An Associate degree can be a smart choice because it lets you use many of your courses toward a bachelor's degree if you decide to keep studying. This is especially helpful if you want to move into a management role someday.
If you're open to it, joining the armed forces can be a fantastic way to start a career in cyber security. You'll gain valuable experience and get paid while learning, plus they often offer certifications and might even provide college credit courses. They can also help pay for college after your service. This path almost guarantees a job in the field because there's a big demand for these professionals, and you'll already have the necessary security clearances.
If you're open to it, joining the armed forces can be a fantastic way to start a career in cyber security. You'll gain valuable experience and get paid while learning, plus they often offer certifications and might even provide college credit courses. They can also help pay for college after your service. This path almost guarantees a job in the field because there's a big demand for these professionals, and you'll already have the necessary security clearances.
Jason White
Lead Product Manager- Network Security
155
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Jason’s Answer
Hey Quillen,
This is great that you are looking into AI cybersecurity. I would say that one the best places to start is by looking into companies that are working heavily with AI and developing their own models for their clients (probably a lot more companies than most might think). If you can land an internship with one of those companies and some exposure to actually working with AI this is a step in the right direction. This will likely either set you up for a return with that company post graduation or at least the experience to take to another company.
A few things I might be working on now is getting familiar with AI. working on prompt engineering and how to get it to do what you like so you are well versed with the technology from a user standpoint. Then I would also talk to your professors about your interest and see if any of them do any research with AI that you might be able to assist with and learn more. This will potentially get you visibility into some of the cutting edge stuff that's being worked on. Cybersecurity in many cases isn't necessarily an entry level role. A lot of people begin working as network engineers, SWE's admins, etc before moving into security. The reason being is you get an in depth understanding of the technology in those roles and then you can better understand the ins and outs of vulnerabilities and threats that they pose since you have that deep experience with it. So I would try to get some experience either as an AI engineer ideally, but a SWE position that at least touches or has the ability to work with AI (which will likely be many more in the coming years) is great as well.
This is great that you are looking into AI cybersecurity. I would say that one the best places to start is by looking into companies that are working heavily with AI and developing their own models for their clients (probably a lot more companies than most might think). If you can land an internship with one of those companies and some exposure to actually working with AI this is a step in the right direction. This will likely either set you up for a return with that company post graduation or at least the experience to take to another company.
A few things I might be working on now is getting familiar with AI. working on prompt engineering and how to get it to do what you like so you are well versed with the technology from a user standpoint. Then I would also talk to your professors about your interest and see if any of them do any research with AI that you might be able to assist with and learn more. This will potentially get you visibility into some of the cutting edge stuff that's being worked on. Cybersecurity in many cases isn't necessarily an entry level role. A lot of people begin working as network engineers, SWE's admins, etc before moving into security. The reason being is you get an in depth understanding of the technology in those roles and then you can better understand the ins and outs of vulnerabilities and threats that they pose since you have that deep experience with it. So I would try to get some experience either as an AI engineer ideally, but a SWE position that at least touches or has the ability to work with AI (which will likely be many more in the coming years) is great as well.
Sneha Deb
Tech Consultant
194
Answers
Edison, New Jersey
Updated
Sneha’s Answer
Hey Quillen! You're on a great path already by focusing your degree on both cybersecurity and AI, two powerful and growing fields. To build toward a role as an AI cybersecurity specialist, start by strengthening your foundation in programming (especially Python), networking, operating systems, and data structures. From there, take courses or certifications that focus on machine learning, ethical hacking, cybersecurity fundamentals, and cloud security. Internships at tech companies, security firms, or government agencies can give you hands-on experience. Look for roles like cybersecurity analyst, security operations intern, or machine learning intern.
Entry-level roles such as SOC analyst, junior security engineer, or threat intelligence analyst are great starting points, especially if they involve data analysis or automation. Build personal projects that showcase your ability to use AI tools for security tasks, like anomaly detection or phishing email classification. Participate in hackathons, Capture the Flag events, or open-source projects related to cybersecurity and AI. Each step you take builds your skills and network, and over time you'll find yourself positioned for a specialized role where the two fields meet. Good luck!
Entry-level roles such as SOC analyst, junior security engineer, or threat intelligence analyst are great starting points, especially if they involve data analysis or automation. Build personal projects that showcase your ability to use AI tools for security tasks, like anomaly detection or phishing email classification. Participate in hackathons, Capture the Flag events, or open-source projects related to cybersecurity and AI. Each step you take builds your skills and network, and over time you'll find yourself positioned for a specialized role where the two fields meet. Good luck!
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical engineer, researcher and Software Developer
210
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Sneha has already shared some great advice, and I’d like to add a few more tips to help you gain valuable experience. To dive into cybersecurity, platforms like TryHackMe, Hack The Box, and RangeForce offer amazing opportunities to practice both red and blue team skills, helping you tackle real-world security threats. You can also enhance your penetration testing and hacking abilities with exercises from PentesterLab and OverTheWire. For free courses and tutorials in cybersecurity, Cybrary is a great resource. If you enjoy learning through videos, YouTube channels like The Cyber Mentor, HackerSploit, and NetworkChuck offer detailed lessons on ethical hacking and cybersecurity basics. To boost your AI knowledge, check out courses from DeepLearning.AI and TensorFlow.org, and try working with real datasets on Kaggle.
For career preparation, consider applying for virtual internships through Forage, where you can gain experience from companies like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Accenture. Keep your skills sharp with coding challenges on LeetCode, HackerRank, and Project Euler. Certifications like CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) can also enhance your credentials. Joining communities like the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and AI Village will keep you informed and help you connect with others in the field.
By combining your BSc in Computer Science with practical experience, virtual internships, and key certifications, you'll be ready to face the exciting challenges in the world of AI cybersecurity.
For career preparation, consider applying for virtual internships through Forage, where you can gain experience from companies like Microsoft, JPMorgan, and Accenture. Keep your skills sharp with coding challenges on LeetCode, HackerRank, and Project Euler. Certifications like CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) can also enhance your credentials. Joining communities like the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and AI Village will keep you informed and help you connect with others in the field.
By combining your BSc in Computer Science with practical experience, virtual internships, and key certifications, you'll be ready to face the exciting challenges in the world of AI cybersecurity.