TS Internship Program

How Technology Solutions’ Partnership with NCCU is Building a More Inclusive IT Workforce

 

NCCU-1How Technology Solutions’ Partnership with NCCU is Building a More Inclusive IT Workforce

Writer: Damien Prout, Communication and Content Analyst

For the past several years, under the leadership of CIO and Director Kerry Goode, the City of Durham’s Technology Solutions Department has offered four six- month paid internship opportunities to students at local colleges and universities. These internships provide students with hands-on experience in a wide spectrum of IT disciplines such as computer hardware, software engineering, cyber security, and data analytic services.

For many reasons, North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) right here in Durham, has long been one of the internship program’s key partners.

 

Meet Technology Solutions’ Newest Interns


McKenzie Walton-Headshot1024_1Cyber Security Analyst Intern

McKenzie Walton is a part of the Technology Solutions internship program as a Cyber Security Analyst Intern. As a Durham Native, McKenzie attends NCCU as an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in information technology with a concentration in cyber security. 

At NCCU, McKenzie serves as a Peer Academic Leader where she mentors first-year and transfer students to help aid in their transition into college life at NCCU. McKenzie plans on completing her degree at NCCU in 2024 and continuing her education while staying within Raleigh-Durham area to pursue career opportunities within the cyber security field.


 


Aniya Mahaffey-edit

Business Relationship Management Intern

Aniya Mahaffey (pictured left) is just one of the many current and former North Carolina Central University students to intern with Durham’s Technology Solutions Department. As an intern with the TS Business Relationship Management Department, Aniya has had the unique opportunity to learn more about the increasingly high demand for enterprise solution development and analytics in a real-life setting.

An Oxford, AL native, Aniya said she chose to attend graduate school in Durham “because of the vastly growing technology industry in the city.” She was also impressed with the friendly staff and students at NCCU. Aniya has completed her Master’s in Information Science and seeks to complete her Juris Doctorate degree at NCCU and remain in the Durham area to pursue employment opportunities.

Creating a More Connected, Engaged & Diverse Community

Technology Solutions’ internship program has been a huge success, but the department’s partnership with NCCU doesn’t stop there.   As a member of the NCCU IT Advisory Council, Kerry Goode has also been involved in several racial equity-focused initiatives at the university, including the designation of NCCU as the only University of North Carolina system school to offer a Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology with concentrations in cyber security and data analytics. The Advisory Council also worked to help secure a new $300,000 state-of-the-art cyber security lab on NCCU’s campus.

Through these efforts, NCCU students like Aniya and McKenzie now have access to training, equipment, and resources that students at some of the country’s most prestigious technology schools could only dream of, creating competitive job opportunities in a field that has historically marginalized people of color.

“One of our main goals in Technology Solutions is to foster a more connected, engaged, and diverse community,” said Kerry Goode.  “We are proud of the strides we are making to align with the City of Durham’s Racial Equity Mission Statement, including through our partnership with NCCU.