Internships can be such a great resume builder. But if you have ever spend any time as an Intern for most companies, you probably speak about your experience like this, "This past summer, I worked with this really incredible company where I was able to apply what I’ve been learning in school and improve my skills in…

  • Fetching coffee from the local Starbucks.
  • Managing to look busy without really doing anything.
  • And, staring at the clock until it hits 5 pm.”

It’s not often that you see an intern become a member of the team and actually contribute to the success of a business. If you aren’t one of the lucky few (this writer wasn't), your time is primarily filled with administrative duties, more commonly referred to as, “busy work.”

At One Step Secure IT, we decided to change that.

This summer, One Step Secure IT Services unveiled its first ever Managed IT Services internship program. Two Wildcats from the University of Arizona entered into a 9-week all-inclusive resort program that was specifically designed to introduce our newest team members to each of the unique teams that make up our business, working with the latest and greatest in technology, while remaining vigilant of the growing epidemic of cyberattacks.

We welcomed Peyton Hitchcock and Justin Kreisberg to the Secure IT Team and developed schedules where they could experience various pieces of the puzzle including time spent with marketing, sales, delivery, and support. Additionally, they were each tasked with a project to oversee throughout the course of their internship that not only presented them with the opportunity to contribute to the growth of Secure IT Services, but also brush up on their public speaking abilities as they were required to present their progress to executive leadership.

The program allowed each intern to get involved in the day-to-day workings of our business. They participated in our wildly popular Cybersecurity Seminars – Bagels and Breaches: A CyberSecurity Buffet, created multichannel marketing campaigns, managed our daily social media content, and drilled on sales presentations with the sales staff. In delivery and support, Peyton and Justin were involved in an array of current MSP projects that included the onboarding of new clients, email forensics, successfully putting 100 iPads in Supervisor Mode, and installing a Mobile Device Management (MDM) program for one of our new customers.

Cheryl Blasnek, VP of Secure IT Services, described, “our goal is to offer the interns a glimpse into the real world of Managed Services and Cyber Security. We have intentionally involved the interns in different departments so they can obtain an overall perspective of ALL aspects of our business. By the end of the program, we hope our interns will be better able to connect their university studies with real issues faced by MSPs.”

Looking back on his internship so far, Justin Kreisberg explained, “Working with One Step Secure IT exposed me to multiple divisions of the business, rather than being stuck in one area. This is extremely helpful for me, as I am uncertain of what my future job will require.” Peyton Hitchcock added, “Throughout this internship, I have been able to learn how One Step operates, shadow leading IT professionals, and apply the knowledge I have received in school to a variety of company projects.”

Their internship will conclude on July 18th as Peyton and Justin prepare to return to college. “We have really enjoyed having them on our team this summer,” stated Blasnek. “They are motivated learners and have contributed greatly to each department. We look forward to continuing our internship program next summer.”