We often get inquiries about high school work experience opportunities, and while we appreciate the enthusiasm. Unfortunately, due to the short time period and knowledge gap we can’t offer work experience placements for high school students. We deal with highly sensitive client data and deeply technical topics so we need to ensure the highest levels of security. Everyone on our team, including interns, undergoes thorough background checks.
But don’t despair! Here are some alternative ways to gain valuable experience:
- Practice Hacking (Offence): Explore resources like Pentester Labs or Hack The Box. These platforms offer a safe and legal environment to learn and practice penetration testing skills.
- Make it more secure (Defence): Harden your home computer and network to protect it. There are many hardening guides available online.
- Experiment: Consider setting up your own home lab (Multiple Virtual Machines in a network) to learn about the setup, then practice securing the computers and networks. Experiment with different security tools and techniques.
- Cybersecurity Competitions: Participate in cybersecurity competitions designed for high school students. These events challenge you to solve real-world problems and showcase your talents.
- Self-Learning: There are countless free and paid online courses, tutorials, and resources available to learn about cybersecurity. Take advantage of these to build your knowledge base.
Remember, the cybersecurity field is all about continuous learning. Embrace opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills, and you’ll be well-prepared for a future in this dynamic industry.
Bonus Tip: Talk to your school’s IT department, local IT Support or a local Managed Service Provider (MSP). Many cybersecurity skills are built on a foundation of general IT knowledge. They might offer insights, guidance, or even short-term work experience opportunities to help you get started!
We wish you the best of luck in your cybersecurity journey!
