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New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), formerly the NYC Department of Education, has described a route that links high-school career preparation and paid work experience with practical cybersecurity assignments, technical certifications, and help transitioning to a job or further education. Its cybersecurity leaders reported an eight-student first cohort in 2024. Current NYCPS materials confirm broader technology and apprenticeship pathways, but do not establish that a dedicated cybersecurity apprenticeship is open today.
It is a set of connected pathways, not one cybersecurity academy
In a 2024 account, NYC DOE Chief Information Security Officer Demond Waters and Director of Cybersecurity Engineering Anthony Dixon described four strands in the city’s wider career-connected learning initiative: Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeship (CRMYA), P-TECH schools, FutureReadyNYC, and CUNY Fellows. The strands serve different ages and stages; they should not be read as four cybersecurity-only programs. The leaders’ account describes the cybersecurity cohort and the broader initiative.
CRMYA: a high-school-to-work route
The DOE authors described a three-year internship program students could apply to in eleventh grade. Current NYCPS materials describe the broader apprenticeship as lasting two to three years: students take career-readiness coursework in grades 9 and 10, apply in junior year, and, if accepted, gain paid work experience while continuing school. Its current employer-facing occupation list includes junior coder, IT support technician, database administrator, and quality assurance technician, but not cybersecurity. NYCPS’s CRMYA page provides current program details.
P-TECH: a longer route combining school and college
NYCPS describes P-TECH schools as six-year public high schools that combine high-school study, career experience, and a cost-free associate degree in a STEM field. The city’s career-connected learning page says there are twelve P-TECH schools. This is a broader STEM route rather than a cybersecurity-specific program. NYCPS’s career-connected learning page outlines this option alongside other pathways.
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FutureReadyNYC: cybersecurity analyst is an identified career
FutureReadyNYC is a multi-year initiative connecting career-aligned classes with work-based learning, early college credit, industry credentials, and planning support. Its technology pathway lists cybersecurity analyst alongside software developer and data analyst. That establishes cybersecurity as a target career within the broader pathway, not that every participating student receives cybersecurity training or a cybersecurity placement.
CUNY Fellows: a college-level opportunity
The DOE leaders’ account also describes a route for eligible first- and second-year CUNY students, who may work with the DOE team after screening. It is a separate college-level option, not a high-school apprenticeship.
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What the first reported cybersecurity cohort did
Waters and Dixon reported that the DOE cybersecurity team hosted its first cohort of eight students in 2024: five were assigned to the CISO team and three to the CTO team. The authors said students worked on network protection, endpoint protection, incident response, and data validation. They also reported that interns completed a curriculum for at least three technical certifications in areas they selected, built relationships with technology vendors, and received help with job placement or higher-education programs when they graduated. These are the authors’ descriptions of the cohort, not independently audited outcome statistics. Their account also describes a six-week introduction to Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange. That example of enterprise technology exposure does not make Zscaler a required platform or a student purchase.
What students and employers can verify now
Current public information confirms the wider pathway structures, but does not show whether the cybersecurity-specific CRMYA cohort continued after the 2024 account or whether students can apply to that particular route now. FutureReadyNYC names cybersecurity analyst as a target career; the current CRMYA occupation list does not name cybersecurity. Confirm current eligibility, openings, and roles with NYCPS rather than assuming a dedicated cyber apprenticeship is available.
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For students
- Explore FutureReadyNYC’s technology pathway if you are looking for school-based preparation connected to cybersecurity analyst careers.
- Review CRMYA’s current application and occupation information with your school or NYCPS. The general program describes paid apprenticeships after application and acceptance, but its published IT list does not identify a cybersecurity occupation.
- Consider P-TECH if a six-year high-school and associate-degree route in STEM fits your goals; ask participating schools which career experiences and degree fields they offer.
- College students can check with CUNY about eligibility and screening for the Fellows route described by DOE leaders.
For employers
NYCPS says internships through FutureReadyNYC and Career and Technical Education (CTE) are paid for by the school system and free for participating employers. Its employer page says students in more than 200 schools participate in coursework, credentials, and paid work-based learning; that figure applies to the broader programs, not cybersecurity placements specifically. Employers can also express interest in CRMYA apprenticeships. Consult NYCPS’s employer information for participation routes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the citywide cybersecurity options fit
Cyber NYC, described by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), is part of the wider local cybersecurity ecosystem, not one of the four strands identified by the DOE authors. NYCEDC lists workforce development that includes a paid internship program, Fullstack Academy’s cybersecurity bootcamp, and the City College of New York cybersecurity master’s program. These are adjacent options with different audiences and structures; they should not be presented as DOE placements. See NYCEDC’s Cyber NYC page for its description of the ecosystem.
Separately, Mayor Eric Adams said in a June 21, 2023 announcement that Google would be FutureReadyNYC’s first tech-anchor employer partner, describing the broader initiative as a pipeline to tech-sector jobs. That statement concerned FutureReadyNYC generally, not a cybersecurity-only program. The Mayor’s Office announcement provides the partnership context.
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