Specialists from the Main Intelligence Agency (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, together with BO Team, launched a cyberattack on the information and communications infrastructure of the Elt...

The longstanding CyberCorps program is at a crossroads, as scholars struggle to find internships, jobs and support during the Trump administration’s governmentwide hiring freeze. The CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service program is funded by the National Science Foundation and administered through the Office of Personnel Management. The program provides scholarships for up to three years to support an undergraduate or graduate student. In return, CyberCorps students agree to serve in government for a period of time equal to their scholarship. The program has provided federal agencies with a steady pipeline of much-needed cyber talent since it was established in 2000. But this year, CyberCorps scholars are struggling to find any open opportunities after the Trump administration instituted a governmentwide hiring freeze for most positions in February. The White House recently extended that freeze indefinitely. Some CyberCorps scholars had received tentative job or internship offers that were revoked or paused with little explanation. Cyber-related opportunities at federal agencies have largely dried up, especially for entry-level positions, amid the hiring freeze and downsizing at agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Several students are now staring down the possibility of having to pay back their scholarships if they can’t find qualified work. CyberCorps participants are typically required to start a qualifying job within 18 months of graduating. More than 250 current students and CyberCorps alumni have now organized to share information and press the administration for more information on the future of the program and their job prospects, according to multiple scholars involved in the group. Multiple scholars said that OPM has had little communication with them about the major changes in the federal hiring landscape. “Many scholars feel we are being strongly armed into unwillingly owing the government hundreds of thousands of dollars for failing to find work with them, when the government is the one cutting jobs, slashing budgets, and eliminating roles we were intended to fill,” one student told Federal News Network. In a statement, OPM Director Scott Kupor said “bringing top cybersecurity and AI talent into the federal government are critical to our national security.” “OPM is committed to the success of SFS and is working closely with the National Science Foundation to ensure CyberCorps participants are supported during this challenging time,” Kupor said. “Once the shutdown ends, we will issue guidance to agencies encouraging them to fully leverage the program to bring these highly skilled professionals into public service.” A spokeswoman for OPM added that “no scholars have been sent to repayment.” “After the shutdown ends, OPM will collaborate with NSF on a mass deferment to give graduates more time to secure qualifying positions and further guidance to encourage agencies to make use of the SFS program for their hiring needs,” the spokeswoman said. But CyberCorps scholars say they have a lot of questions about the plan for deferring their post-scholarship employment requirements, given that few federal jobs are available beyond those geared toward immigration enforcement and other Trump administration priorities. Federal News Network spoke with five CyberCorps scholars about their experience with the program and the challenges they’ve encountered this year. They were granted anonymity because they fear retaliation for speaking out. Scholar 1 is graduating with a master’s degree in 2026; Scholar 2 is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in December 2025; Scholar 3 is graduating with a master’s degree in December 2025; Scholar 4 graduated in May 2024 with a cybersecurity degree; and Scholar 5 is graduating with a master’s degree in August 2026. (These conversations were edited for length and clarity.) FNN: Why did you join CyberCorps, and what do you hope to do as far as government service? Scholar 1: “The principal investigator of CyberCorps at my school told me about CyberCorps while I was finishing my undergrad degree. I wanted to pursue cybersecurity and data privacy. My PI pitched it to me as, get a free degree and get excellent work experience, and actually do stuff I think is valuable, rather than just working in industry. . . . I wanted to work with CISA. I’m really interested in critical infrastructure and passionate about securing rural infrastructure, making people conscious of cybersecurity and how it affects them.” Scholar 2: “I have experience working with the government. I served in the Air National Guard in a technical role. . . . I also had the opportunity to work in an internship with the federal government, and that’s when I discovered programs like CyberCorps. Having that familiarity with the hands-on experience inspires me and encourages me to keep learning . . . I’m not specifically interested in any particular agency, but anywhere there’s an opportunity in the federal government . . . more or less keeping the bad guys out. I view it as a puzzle.” Scholar 3: “I chose my entire university based on this scholarship. . . . I’ve been looking for ways to break into cybersecurity for a few years. The CyberCorps program was heavily recommended online. And I also had relatives who worked in government. I just wanted to give back to my community. I worked an internship at CISA in the summer of 2024.  . . . I wanted to work at CISA. I had verbal offers to come back. In my internship, I got full marks. . . .  I wanted to find work in protecting critical infrastructure and just wanted to serve my country.” Scholar 4: “For me it was a chance to serve my country outside of active duty service. I was consistently encouraged to apply by another military-affiliated student. . . I did research while I was in the program. I’m interested in secure software engineering and embedded systems security. I appreciate the ability to blend two different fields together. I went in with the mindset of, I’m going to be open to all the possibilities that are coming my way. I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself with a specific agency. I wanted to get an interview with an agency and see how their culture worked. I was open to computer science roles, as well as cybersecurity roles.” Scholar 5: “Initially, I had entered college with medical school in mind. . . . Ultimately, I was able to finish a bachelor’s in computer science, and helping people was still at the forefront of my mind. At the end of the day, that’s why I joined CyberCorps – I thought it would be a gateway to a fulfilling, lifelong career in public service. I’ve had my eyes set on a position with the Air Force Civilian Service. To me, there isn’t a job in this field that would be more meaningful than working alongside our troops to protect American interests.” FNN: What challenges have you encountered with the CyberCorps program over the past year? Scholar 1: “I had interviews with CISA and MITRE for internships. . . Everything was looking fantastic from my perspective. This all happened prior to the January 2025 job fair.  That was the first week of January, right before the inauguration. Afterward, there was no contact. Most of my applications and things I had applied for, they still say it’s in processing or being reviewed. They haven’t been rejected. They’ve been permanently paused.” OPM in a recent email told CyberCorps scholars to “get creative” with their job search. Scholar 1: “The NSF doesn’t really communicate. It’s mostly through OPM – they just said keep trying, keep looking. They’ve even encouraged us to look out for non-federal agencies. In the ‘get creative’ email, they specifically say to widen our search to state and local governments and nonprofits, when just months prior, they were all but forbidding us from doing that.” Scholar 2: “Everybody is suffering, because not only are there barely any jobs … but if there are any, we now have to compete with people who are displaced from the shutdown or got let go. All that has made it hard. It’s very sad to me, because when people are curious about this program, I’m telling them to not do it, because I don’t want to feel like I’m screwing them over by having them sign a contract and then if they can’t find a job, they’re on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.” Scholar 3: “Getting any kind of response at all has been difficult, even before the government shutdown. When the hiring freeze went into action, the 250 to 300 of us now in same situation couldn’t get any responses. We were emailing OPM and SFS – we either got no response, or a response that said, ‘get scrappy.’ I got two tentative offers. I had the first offer come in just before the freeze, and I accepted it. When freeze started, my would-be supervisor at CISA said, ‘Hey, hold on.’ . . . But then the supervisor told me they were probably leaving CISA. The other offer was with another agency. That tentative offer is still there, for an internship last summer.” Scholar 4: “I had been proactive in securing two tentative job offers before I graduated. I made my choice and got started on the clearance process as soon as I could. . . . I kept checking in with the agency for updates. When I asked for guidance on the timeline with OPM, they told me it could take up to a year. . . . I was told by sponsoring agency that they wouldn’t send a firm job offer or interim until my clearance was fully determined. Around January of this year, they ceased all communications with me.” Scholar 5: “Communication has been infrequent, lackluster and untimely. . . . Historically, OPM has not allowed private internships to count towards our summer internship requirement. They decided to bend the rules this summer. Sounds great, but my cohort wasn’t informed until late spring. By that time, it was entirely too late to secure an internship with a private company for that summer.” FNN: How have those challenges changed your career outlook and view of public service? And with OPM recently announcing plans for a ‘mass deferment’ of SFS deadlines, what questions or concerns do you continue to have about the future of CyberCorps and your prospects for finding approved work after graduation? Scholar 1: “We appreciate the rapid response, especially in light of the shutdown, and are thankful for the first piece of substantial information that’s come out of the SFS office in months. Although we are grateful for the acknowledgement from OPM, their statement has still left hundreds of people concerned about their future. Post-shutdown deferments will do little to help our situation – our biggest blocker is the crusade against federal hiring and public sector cybersecurity overall. We have legitimate concerns and reservations, that are validated by the lack of communication and support that’s been received over the past ten months. Thank you for the response. Please, let’s keep this conversation going.” Scholar 2: “We would be more comfortable if there were more flexibility. There are a lot more opportunities working the same role, but as a private contractor working for the government. In the past, they’d say no, you can’t be a private contractor. They’d want you to be a federal employee. But with the job freeze, it feels like that’s the only way. If there are no jobs, they’re not upholding their end of the contract. . . The general consensus is that there needs to be more transparency. We just want to have a simple conversation with OPM to see what they can do, not just with the deferment but with flexibility.” Scholar 3: “We should be doing everything we can to encourage and attract talent. I’ve met some of the smartest people I had ever met in my life through this program, who don’t know what to do and are looking at going private rather than doing what they originally intended.” Federal job applications now include essay questions asking how candidates would “advance the President’s executive orders and policy priorities.”  Federal employee unions are now suing the Trump administration over those questions. Scholar 3: “I used to say I don’t care what administration I serve. I wanted to serve my neighbors. But these questions aren’t framed around serving the country. It’s serving a person. I saw one role I wanted to apply to two weeks ago. When I saw those loyalty questions, I sat there and thought, I don’t have the ability to go through this right now. I didn’t want to put that on my plate.” Scholar 4: “The first question a lot of us would have is, what’s the time frame? How much time are they actually allotting us? Even if we’re given additional time, if I can’t get a clearance or we get another freeze and they’re not able to process that, it further puts a halt on this process, and I’m left in the same situation. Even once you secure a job, you have to maintain the job. That goes for a new hire when you’re in the probation period, assuming you don’t get laid off then. I think it just puts additional stress and strain on us mentally. I don’t think people are considering that factor and OPM hasn’t provided any true reassurance.” Scholar 5: “I have now started the process of commissioning as an officer with the Navy. My family worries that I’m choosing this path because I feel like I have no other way out — and truthfully, it’s hard for me to parse through my own thoughts on the matter; however, I am choosing to remain excited about the prospect.”The post How CyberCorps scholars are navigating a fractured federal job landscape first appeared on Federal News Network.

The SFS CyberCorps program, designed to bolster the federal cybersecurity workforce, has left one participant with substantial debt and limited job prospects due to a hiring freeze. The author, who joined the program with aspirations of becoming an FBI agent, found themselves burdened with $180,000 in debt and severe depression after completing a master's in cybersecurity. This situation underscores the risks associated with government-funded education programs, which can be subject to budgetary constraints and policy changes. The incident highlights the potential instability in government hiring and the importance of contingency planning for cybersecurity professionals. It also raises concerns about the reliability of such programs in addressing the cybersecurity skills gap, as hiring freezes can deter potential candidates. Cybersecurity professionals should be cautious about relying solely on government programs for career advancement and consider diversifying their job search strategies to mitigate risks.

When I was 22, I graduated from a university in D.C. with a sociology degree and was working a low-paying $40k job totally unrelated to my field. My dad told me to apply for the SFS CyberCorps prog...

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced plans to extend the job search period for members of the CyberCorps program, also known as the Scholarship for Service (SFS) program. This decision comes in response to concerns raised by students about the high tuition costs and the scarcity of federal cybersecurity job offers, exacerbated by the recent government shutdown. The CyberCorps program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and managed by OPM, aims to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in the federal workforce. Participants receive full tuition coverage and a stipend in exchange for a commitment to work in a federal cybersecurity role after graduation. However, the recent government shutdown has disrupted the hiring process, leaving students uncertain about their employment prospects and potentially responsible for significant tuition costs. Technically, the delay in hiring could have serious implications for federal agencies. A shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals could lead to vulnerabilities in federal systems, which adversaries might exploit. The extension of the job search period is a necessary measure to ensure that the pipeline of cybersecurity talent remains intact. From a broader perspective, this situation highlights the fragility of the federal cybersecurity workforce pipeline. Government shutdowns and hiring freezes can have long-term impacts on workforce development, leading to a backlog of positions that need to be filled. This could exacerbate the existing cybersecurity skills gap, which is already a significant challenge for federal agencies. Expert insights suggest that proactive measures are needed to mitigate the impact of such disruptions. This could include creating a buffer period for hiring during potential shutdowns, ensuring that students are not left in limbo. Additionally, federal agencies could explore partnerships with private sector organizations to provide temporary placements for CyberCorps graduates during hiring freezes. In conclusion, the OPM's decision to extend the job search period for CyberCorps members is a positive step towards addressing the immediate concerns of students. However, broader systemic changes are needed to ensure the resilience of the federal cybersecurity workforce pipeline against future disruptions.

The agency discussed the plans amid student concerns that they’ll be on the hook for six-figure tuition costs, with federal cyber job openings sparse.

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The cornerstone program for training and placing student talent into government cybersecurity positions has been hobbled by recent federal employment logjams, jeopardizing workforce pipelines and leav...

Some CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service participants have had federal agency job and internship offers rescinded this year due to cutbacks and freezes. It’s a condition of their scholarship contract ...

Some CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service participants have had federal agency job and internship offers rescinded this year due to cutbacks and freezes. It’s a condition of their scholarship contract ...

連邦政府での勤務と引き換えに奨学金を提供する画期的なプログラムが、採用凍結や予算削減の中で学生に数十万ドルもの借金を背負わせる恐れがあり、推進者たちが政府のサイバー人材不足解消に役立ったと評価するこの取り組みの将来に疑問が投げかけられている。 一部のCyberCorps: Scholarship for Service参加者は、今年に入り連邦機関からの就職・インターンシップの内定を削減や凍結のために取り消された。彼らの奨学金契約の条件として、政府で働くことが義務付けられており、そこで就職できなかった場合、しばしば6桁にのぼる奨学金が18か月後にローンへと転換される。 CyberScoopに話した多くの参加者は、政府が約束を果たす現状を知っていればこのプログラムに参加しなかったと後悔していると語った。また、プログラムを監督する機関からの連絡についても、サービス義務の履行方法やプログラム関連の就職フェアの最新情報を得るのが困難だと批判した。さらに、あるメールで「創造的に仕事を探せ」と言われたことについても不満を表明した。 ある参加者は、連邦人員削減のためにCyberCorpsが義務を果たせないのであれば、プログラムを終了すべきだと述べた。トランプ政権は2026会計年度にこのプログラムの予算を65％削減することを提案している。このプログラムの構築に携わった政策専門家たちは、現在の問題が将来の参加者にどのような影響を及ぼすかを懸念している。 「私は自分の将来、人生全体を危険にさらし、他人の気まぐれで一生の借金を背負うリスクを負ったように感じています」と、CyberCorpsを通じて奨学金を得た修士課程の学生は語った。「新しい学生のグループが入学するたびに、私は心が痛みます。なぜなら、それは一生の借金とキャリアのない可能性に踊らされる人が増えるだけだからです。」 過去の連邦政府閉鎖がCyberCorps参加者の就職活動に一時的な障害をもたらしたことはあったが、現在の連邦就職希望者にとっては、より長期的な課題が立ちはだかっているようだ。 「人々が（仕事を）得て、時間と奉仕を通じて政府への借金を返済できることは、あまり心配されていませんでした」と、Institute for Security and Technologyシンクタンクの政策担当上級副社長で、元下院補佐官のニック・ライサーソン氏は語った。彼の上司であったジム・ランジェビン下院議員（D-R.I.）はCyberCorpsの大きな支持者だった。「しかし今、その信頼は揺らいでしまい、どうやってそれを取り戻せばいいのかわかりません。」 ミシシッピ州選出のベニー・トンプソン下院議員（民主党、国土安全保障委員会筆頭）は、CyberCorpsプログラムへの長期的な影響を批判した。 「これは全員が損をする『おとり商法』であり、今後の政府へのサイバー人材採用の努力を妨げることになる」と彼は述べた。「その影響は何十年にもわたって感じられるだろう。」 CyberCorpsの実績 CyberCorpsは2000年に誕生し、1998年の大統領指令に応じて設立された。それ以来、プログラムの参加者は4,000人から5,000人にのぼると、プログラム創設を法制化したマーク・モンゴメリー氏は語る。 このプログラムは、国立科学財団（NSF）と人事管理局（OPM）が共同で運営している。OPMは本記事の質問に回答しなかったが、NSFからのメールでは、現在の政府閉鎖中は連絡に応じないとされていた。 卒業生は、少なくとも1回のインターンシップを経験し、その後、奨学金期間と同じ期間、連邦政府で働く必要がある。ただし、比較的少数は州や地方政府での職を探すことが許可されている（参加者によれば、そちらでもサイバー関連の職はほとんどないという）。奨学金に加え、学生は生活費の支給も受ける。 インターンシップは、学生と機関が今後も一緒に働きたいかどうかを判断する機会となり、セキュリティクリアランスも事前に取得される。「これにより、連邦政府向けに特化した即戦力のサイバー戦士が生まれる」と、現在はFoundation for Defense of DemocraciesシンクタンクのCenter on Cyber and Technology Innovation上級ディレクターであるモンゴメリー氏は述べた。 また、連邦政府にとっては、他にない人材パイプラインとなるとライサーソン氏は述べた。CyberScoopが話を聞いた参加者の中には、もともと政府で働くことを志していた人もいれば、CyberCorpsを教育費を賄うための手段と見ていた人もいた。 CyberCorpsやその運営方法に対する批判は比較的少ない。Business Software Allianceの政策担当上級ディレクター、ヘンリー・ヤング氏は、CyberCorpsを人材育成のごく一部と捉えており、K-12教育の充実や他の連邦プログラムへの注力、産業界との連携強化が必要だと述べた。米国には推定50万件のサイバー関連職が空いている。 「これは、連邦・州・地方政府により多くのサイバーセキュリティ人材を採用しようとする善意かつ妥当な取り組みです」とヤング氏は述べた。「そして、たぶん機能しているとは思いますが、課題の規模には追いついていません。」 学生の体験談 現政権の人材政策を受けて、学生たちの一部は迫りくる借金問題の解決策を探るため非公式に組織化した。あるオーガナイザーによれば、200人以上が協力しているという。彼らは、これまでに機関や議員への働きかけで成果が得られていないことに不満を抱いている。CyberScoopは、就職活動を続ける中で報復を恐れる現役参加者数名に匿名で体験を語ってもらった。 彼らの中には、18か月の期限が迫っている者もいる。ある学生は今春、内定を取り消された。別の学生はインターンシップのオファーを撤回された。 過去の参加者は、以前はより多くの求人情報を定期的に受け取っていたことがメールから分かる。CyberScoopが話を聞いた現役参加者の共通した不満は、かつては一般的だった就職フェアなどの活動について、支援や連絡がほとんどないことだ。例えば、1月の年次イベントが中止された代わりに10月に就職フェアがあると告知されたが、10月のフェアは結局開催されなかった。 参加者によれば、就職フェアが開催されても、過去ほど役立たなくなっているという。9月のフェアでは「強く参加を推奨」されたが、参加した機関の多くは採用枠がなく、他の機関でも「提供された職の大半はサイバーセキュリティに関連せず、SFSの義務期間にカウントされる職ではなかった」とある参加者は記した。 対面型フェアがオンラインに切り替わったことも悪い選択肢だとする声もある。ある学生は、バーチャルフェアで何時間も待たされた挙句、採用枠がないと告げられた。 同時に、7月のメールで「創造的に仕事を探せ！」と促されたことにも、参加者は苛立ちを感じている。 参加者の中には、コンピュータの技術的側面に惹かれてサイバーセキュリティに興味を持った人もいれば、世の中の役に立ち人々を守りたいという思いから参加した人もいる。 政府で働くこと自体に魅力を感じていた人もいた。それだけに、現状は落胆する経験になっているとある学生は語った。 「今は以前よりも政府で働くことに楽観的ではありません」とある参加者は述べた。「職員への扱いを見ていると、まるで雇いたいのではなく、むしろ解雇したいかのように感じます。罠にかけられているような気分です。」 解決策はあるのか 連邦政府での就職ができないCyberCorps参加者には、ほとんど選択肢がない。博士号などさらなる学位取得を目指すこともできるが、それで義務が免除されるわけではなく、単に先送りになるだけだ。CyberScoopが話を聞いた参加者の一人は、義務の代わりに学校で特定の研究テーマに取り組む「研究例外」を認められた。 軍隊に入ることも、長期間の勤務を伴うが、ローン返済の選択肢となりうる。しかし、CyberScoopが話を聞いた参加者でそれを望む人はいなかった。 「私たちはすでに連邦政府の優先事項が『変更』されるのを経験しています。複数の同級生が、夏のインターンや実習中に本来の業務範囲ではなかった移民関連の仕事に強制的に異動させられたと報告しています」とある学生は記した。 ある参加者は、民間企業での仕事を検討したが、それはより高い給与でローンを返済できる可能性があるものの、そうした職を得る競争の激しさに加え、政府で働くと約束した後にその道を選ぶことへの罪悪感や、大学への悪影響を懸念した。 参加者の中には、現状の打開策として、単に就職口が埋まらなかった学生の返済義務を免除すること（彼らは互いに、そしてより経験豊富な求職者とも競争している）、奨学金を出すなら必ず就職口も用意すること、あるいはプログラム自体を廃止することなどを提案する声もあった。 モンゴメリー氏は、議会がトランプ政権の2026年度予算案以上の資金をプログラムに割り当てることもできると述べた。また、2025年初頭の政府効率化省（DOGE）による人員削減で失われた職が復活する可能性もあるという。 「保証はできませんが、DOGEの過剰な削減は見直されると思います」と彼は述べた。 トンプソン議員はトランプ政権に行動を求めた。 「トランプ政権はサイバーセキュリティが最優先事項だと装い続けていますが、実際の行動はその逆です」と彼は述べた。「言葉よりも行動が重要です。この政権が本当にサイバーセキュリティを重視しているのなら、CyberCorpsを立て直すために行動すべきです。」 翻訳元:

Federal logjams are keeping the scholarship program from delivering trained students to government cybersecurity positions.

The cornerstone program for training and placing student talent into government cybersecurity positions has been hobbled by recent federal employment logjams, jeopardizing workforce pipelines and leav...

The cornerstone program for training and placing student talent into government cybersecurity positions has been hobbled by recent federal employment logjams, jeopardizing workforce pipelines and leav...