At the Georgia Cyber Center at Augusta University, we believe the strongest cybersecurity workforce is built where education, industry and real-world experience intersect. One very powerful example of that mission in action is our resident partner, SIEGE CyberOps.
As an embedded partner operating a live Security Operations Center (SOC), SIEGE CyberOps hires students and immerses them in real-world cybersecurity operations, while they’re still in school. This unique model transforms students from learners into practitioners and creates a direct pipeline from the classroom to cybersecurity careers.
A Real-World Security Operations Center; Not a Simulation
Students from Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences, Augusta Technical College, DOD/DOW Skillbridge interns and others don’t train in hypothetical environments. Inside the SIEGE-powered SOC, they work with a living network, monitoring real threats, responding to actual incidents and protecting critical systems.
Through this hands-on SOC work experience, students gain practical skills employers are actively seeking, including:
- Monitoring and triaging live security alerts
- Investigating suspicious and malicious activity
- Responding to incidents in real time
- Using enterprise cybersecurity tools, including SIEM platforms
- Collaborating in a professional SOC team environment
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Participation in Network Vulnerability Remediation
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Execution of Risk Analysis and Compliance
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Implementation of Cybersecurity Training
This kind of experiential learning bridges the gap between academic theory and operational reality, preparing students for cybersecurity roles immediately after graduation.
“Working in the SOC was a transformative experience that fundamentally shaped my approach to cybersecurity. I learned to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application in ways that classroom learning never could. Understanding how to defend systems and block attackers in theory is one thing but actively doing it at the AU SOC by monitoring live threats, responding to actual incidents, and making split-second decisions that protect critical infrastructure, taught me what it truly means to be a cyber defender. It’s where I developed the instincts and hands-on expertise that turn security concepts into effective action.” — Joseph Elbert, January 2026
Mentorship-Driven Cybersecurity Training
What truly differentiates SIEGE CyberOps is its culture of mentorship. Students consistently describe an environment where learning is continuous, questions are encouraged and growth is intentional.
Interns are guided by experienced cybersecurity professionals who help them:
- Develop critical thinking and decision-making skills
- Learn how to operate under pressure
- Build confidence in real-world cybersecurity scenarios
- Understand teamwork and communication in a SOC
This mentorship-first approach ensures students graduate not only with technical knowledge, but also with the professional readiness required to succeed in the cybersecurity workforce.
From Internship to Employment: Launching Cyber Careers
The impact of this partnership extends well beyond the internship. Former SIEGE CyberOps SOC interns consistently credit their experience with helping them:
- Secure full-time cybersecurity positions
- Receive job offers before graduation
- Enter federal, private-sector and critical infrastructure roles
- Confidently articulate real-world experience in interviews
“The skills I learned here in one year eclipsed four years of schooling.”
— Ryan Sayers, August 2024
“This internship bridged the gap between classroom learning and real-world application—and led to a job offer before graduation.”
— Kyle Brown, May 2024
For many students, the SOC becomes the foundation of their cybersecurity career.
Strengthening Georgia’s Cyber Workforce
SIEGE CyberOps exemplifies what resident partnerships at the Georgia Cyber Innovation & Training Center are designed to achieve: industry embedded within education, creating scalable workforce development pathways.
By hiring students, training them in live operational environments and helping them transition into cybersecurity careers, SIEGE CyberOps is strengthening Georgia’s cyber ecosystem, and helping meet the growing national demand for skilled cyber defenders.
For students, it’s more than an internship. It’s the moment cybersecurity becomes real.
Student Voices:
The SIEGE CyberOps Experience
“The SOC has significantly developed me into a better cyber professional for real-world, day-to-day work. The exposure you get as an intern is unmatched, as it provides mentorship, informative cybersecurity routines, and an overall amazing environment to apply your cyber skills and learn from the people around you.”
— Viet Nguyen, January 2026
“My time at the Augusta University Security Operations Center has been a transformative chapter in my life, where I evolved from a hardware vulnerability researcher and CTF competitor into a confident SOC analyst capable of tackling a multitude of alerts and spotting the difference between ‘suspicious’ and ‘malicious.’ But more than just the technical skills, it was the people, mentorship, and environment that made the SOC the foundation of my career.”
— Patrick Mulcahy, August 2025
“The AU SOC will always be the foundation of my career. The experience I gained has equipped me with the knowledge and skills I need to excel after graduation. This position played a crucial role in securing the many job offers I’ve received, and I cannot imagine a better way to have spent my last year of college.”
— Collin Talley, May 2024
“The SOC internship and its valuable experience is the only reason I got this (FBI) job… it turned my life around. I can’t explain how much this internship program helped me, and I sincerely hope the program continues to benefit future college students.”
— Vimal Alapatt, August 2023
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