Investing in the next generation of cyber and cyber-adjacent professionals through such events can give students a career boost while providing companies with the skilled workforce they need.

“We’re seeing increased interest in capture-the-flag competitions by companies to use as a training tool, enabling them to level up the skillsets of their cybersecurity teams and reinforce their resilience against evolving cyber threats.” Companies benefit, too “Cybersecurity competitions are proving to be popular not only for high school and college clubs, but also for companies looking to train and empower their cybersecurity workforce,” said Raymond. We’re fortunate to have partners such as CACI who invest in mentor-led internships and for Virginia Cyber Range’s contribution in developing strategic competitions.” Capture-the-flag competitions enhance student skillsĭavid Raymond, Virginia Cyber Range director and deputy director of Virginia Tech’s IT Security Lab, believes that capture-the-flag competitions offer a powerful and engaging platform for workforce development, and the competitive aspect of the game incentivizes problem-solving, strategic thinking, collaboration, and innovation. “This invaluable experience helps prepare interns for a rewarding career in cybersecurity. “CCI’s industry partners give Virginia college students the opportunity to work on real-world cybersecurity problems in a professional environment,” said Luiz DaSilva, CCI executive director. CCI's network includes 42 Virginia colleges and universities, and Virginia Tech plays a leadership role. Industry leader CACI often recruits interns at CCI-sponsored events, as CCI is a statewide initiative focused on research, innovation, and workforce development at the intersection between cybersecurity, autonomous systems, and intelligence. “This CTF (capture the flag) allowed me to use tools outside of a classroom environment in a competitive and collaborative way,” said Carly Wolfe, a senior computer science and Chinese studies major at Virginia Tech.ĬACI interns attending George Mason University, Laurel Ridge Community College, Radford University, Regent University, Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Tech participated in CACI CON 2023, held June 12 at CACI’s CRADLE collaboration facility in Reston, Virginia.

CACI interns had the opportunity to put these skills to the test during a competition hosted by the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), CACI International, and the Virginia Cyber Range. Unraveling reconnaissance, cryptography, network forensics, reverse engineering, and more is all in a day’s work for many cybersecurity experts.

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