This summer, I was a cybersecurity Start Intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)! It was my first real dive into the consulting realm, where I moved from what I learned in my industrial and systems engineering (ISE) classes to real-life practice. Here’s a quick look at all of the super cool stuff I did and what I learned from this experience!
Hands-On Cybersecurity Work
The internship began in Orlando, Florida with PwC’s Start National Training. All of my expenses were covered and it was a solid intro to the consulting world, giving me the knowledge to work with tools that PwC professionals use on a daily basis. We also had the opportunity to spend an evening at Disney World – which was a nice break from training and I got the chance to experience some serious Florida humidity!
The work itself was engaging, and I loved how collaborative I got to be with my fellow PwC interns. I worked on a cybersecurity case study for a few weeks and presented my findings to some important managers! This wasn’t just busy work – it really pushed me to apply what I’ve learned in my ISE classes and especially my cybersecurity minor classes. I also worked on a pro bono client project for a nonprofit in the education sector, which let me see how cybersecurity can make a difference beyond the corporate world.
Building Connections
PwC organized several social events, like hanging out at Bonaventure Brewing Company and bowling at Highland Park Bowl – both catered and complete with a live DJ! The highlight of all of these, though, was spending a whole (paid) day at Universal Studies Hollywood! These events encouraged me to push past my introverted nature and looking back, I’m so grateful for that. Not only did these socials help me get to know my peers and PwC mentors better, it made the whole internship more than just a work experience.
My internship at PwC gave me a clear view of what cybersecurity work looks like and definitely helped refine my career goals. It was a practical extension of what I’ve learned at USC. I liked working at PwC so much that I’ll be returning as an Advance Intern, focusing on Strategy, Risk, and Compliance within cybersecurity! For all students, but especially Viterbi students, I think internships are crucial to figuring out your future career paths as well as translating classroom knowledge into real-work experiences.
