AscentUP - Cybersecurity & IT Support - Summer 2025
Total cost is US$300.00 per learner.
Companies must complete verification in order to match with program.
Program scope
Categories
Security (cybersecurity and IT security) Information technologySkills
it service management information technology management cyber security strategy cyber operations cyber security management information technology operations150-hour (30 hrs per learner), fully subsidized, hands-on technical support and security projects for US employers.
Get extra capacity this summer with a dedicated team of early-career technologists. As part of our Summer 2025 program, learners bring foundational knowledge in IT systems, cybersecurity tools, and responsible AI practices—making them a great fit for structured projects that address help desk needs, internal documentation, network setup, or AI-related policy development.
Employers are not required to pay learners—participants receive a $300 stipend upon completion of the project.
Skills Learners Bring
IT Support
- Windows & Linux OS
- Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Zoom, Slack
- DNS, Wi-Fi configuration, TCP/IP
- Hardware & peripheral setup
- Mobile device support
- Ticketing systems & documentation tools
- Command line interface & basic scripting
Cybersecurity
- Network security fundamentals
- Log analysis (e.g., Splunk, Wireshark, Tcpdump)
- Vulnerability assessments
- Security incident response
- Basic SQL (BigQuery), Python
- Security frameworks & documentation
Employers can sign up for the program here.
If you have questions or need help drafting your project content please email us at ascentup@riipen.com. You can also find all of our help articles here.
Learners
Deliverables will vary depending on the project scope. At the conclusion of the project, you will have assets that can be used to further your business goals, such as a completed audit or research report, policies you can implement immediately, internal documentation knowledge bases, and more!
We have a number of templates in our library for you to utilize, or we are happy to work with one of your project ideas. Send a match request, and we will set up a time to go through your request!
Given the short, remote nature of AscentUP we require a project-based experience. If your project looks like a job posting, we can not accept it. Please provide a concrete scope for the learner’s work and limit their work to a specific project.
Note: If participants are completing confidential work, they can still submit work on the platform by uploading redacted samples, using the worklog feature, and writing a brief project reflection. In this case, we might also recommend that you have the participants sign an NDA before starting your project. You can use the Agreements feature to do this.
Project Examples
Requirements
Learners bring a wide range of IT and Cybersecurity skills. These projects could include, but are not limited to:
IT Support Projects
- Help desk ticket triage and resolution
- Device setup, hardware troubleshooting
- Wi-Fi and network connectivity support
- Office tech onboarding & user access
- Software installs, updates, and configuration
Cybersecurity Projects
- Security log and network traffic analysis
- Vulnerability assessments and reporting
- Threat detection & alert development
- Security controls and response planning
- Internal security documentation
AI Use & Policy Projects
- Research on industry-specific AI tools
- Internal documentation on responsible AI use
- Drafting or refining AI use policies
- Evaluation of AI tools for support teams
How It Works
- Submit a project for review by the AscentUP team - need help drafting a project? Get in touch with us, and one of our dedicated AscentUP team members will work with you to translate your needs into a drafted and scoped project proposal, ready for submission.
- Once approved, you’ll be matched with a team of up to 5 learners (150 hrs total)
- Projects are remote, part-time, and run for 6-8 weeks
- Summer projects can start as early as May 2025.
Additional company criteria
Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this program: