From Marketing to IT: Declan Cady’s Experience as a Cybersecurity Intern
At Skillsoft, we embrace and celebrate collaboration across teams, offering interns a dynamic and supportive environment in which they thrive. This approach empowers us to excel in our chosen fields while encouraging exploration of diverse roles, gaining invaluable experiences along the way.
From marketing to IT, each intern plays a crucial role in shaping the company’s future, and in this space, we aim to highlight those who work outside of our department. To kick us off, we sat down with Declan Cady, this summer’s Cybersecurity Intern. Join us as we explore his journey thus far and discover how Skillsoft’s collaborative atmosphere fosters both professional and personal growth.
Could you introduce yourself and describe your professional and personal interests? How do you balance your hobbies with your internship?
“I’m Declan Cady, and I’m currently a Cybersecurity Intern. I’m a rising junior at the University of Tampa, double majoring in Cybersecurity and Management Information Systems (MIS), and minoring in Criminology and Criminal Justice. At school, I work at the ITS Service Desk, providing media service runs and tech support.
Outside of school and work, some of my hobbies include listening to music, diving into true crime, traveling, and being outside. In the past, I’ve traveled to Mexico, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, and hope to travel to places like Toyko, Dubai, and New York in the future. At this moment, my priority is Skillsoft, and although balance is very important, I want to learn as much as I can in this short period of time, with the summer I have working with the company.”
What attracted you to apply for this internship? Was there a particular aspect of the company or role that stood out to you?
“I’ve been looking for internships for a while, and I know it’s very difficult to find one if you’re not a senior, especially in cybersecurity positions. But I found this one at the right time. My interest in cybersecurity and information systems, combined with my experience at the ITS Service Desk, motivated me to apply for this position. I was looking for an opportunity to apply my knowledge and skills from classes in a real-world setting, and Skillsoft seemed like the perfect place to do that. I also found that Skillsoft’s core values strongly resonated with me, and I was excited about the opportunity to learn more, connect with experienced professionals in my field of interest, and tackle new challenges.”
What were your initial thoughts when you started your internship? Has anything surprised you so far?
“My first thoughts were very exciting; I was thrilled to join the cybersecurity team and Skillsoft as a whole, and I was very eager to start learning in the field. So far, nothing has been too surprising. It’s kind of what I was expecting: a lot of training and preparing myself for projects and other tasks. I’ve been learning a new platform called Workato, which has been a great experience.”
Can you share any projects you’ve been involved in during your first weeks at Skillsoft?
“I started collaborating with a team that includes two other interns. Together, we are working on AI automation projects. While I’m still getting familiar with the specifics, I know that I’ll focus on the cybersecurity aspects, ensuring that our projects maintain security, confidentiality, and integrity. I’m excited about this, especially since AI is a relatively new area that the company is eager to implement.
Additionally, I was introduced to the Fresh Service ticketing platform, where I can view, assign, and resolve IT issues throughout the organization. I started familiarizing myself with the admin tool where I can develop and implement processes that improve task efficiency through automation. I’m still awaiting full access to the tool and once that happens, I will learn more about the specific project. In the upcoming days, I will also be meeting with cybersecurity team members to understand their roles and responsibilities and see if there is anything I can do to help, which would allow me to gain even more experience.”
What skills or knowledge areas do you hope to develop during your internship? Is there an area of IT or professional development that excites you?
“I would love to gain practical experience in cybersecurity, particularly in digital forensics. I want to develop skills in vulnerability threat management, platform engineering, compliance, and automation. I developed my interest in digital forensics and investigation from my extracurricular activities. I participated in “Capture The Flag” (CTF) jeopardy-style competitions, where I showcased my knowledge in topics related to cybersecurity like cryptography, forensics, OSINT, and web exploitation.”
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting as an intern in a similar role?
“My best advice would be to reach out to others, whether it’s the team you’re working with or other interns. It’s best to learn more about what other people are doing in their roles and see if there’s anything you can do to improve your skills and expand upon your knowledge. Anywhere you can grow is very important.”
We hope you enjoyed hearing about Declan’s experiences at Skillsoft! Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we spotlight more of our talented IT interns and share their unique stories.
