DC Government Hosted Tech Career Collaboration for 50+ High School Students During National Cybersecurity Month

OSSE and OCTO Connect Next Generation Tech Talent with Real-World Opportunities in Cybersecurity, Data, and Digital Innovation

CONTACT:
Theola DeBose (OSSE) - (202) 431-1637; [email protected]
Laura-Celine Patrick (OCTO) - (202) 913-3525; [email protected]

(WASHINGTON, DC) - On Thursday, October 23, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), in partnership with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), hosted an interactive event designed to expose over 50 Advanced Technical Center (ATC) students real-world opportunities in technology and public service.

The District's first ATC launched as a pilot on the Trinity Washington University campus in August 2022, before moving to its permanent home at the Penn Center in Ward 5 the following school year. The program has seen growing demand since then, with enrollment surging from 96 students from eight schools in the 2022-23 school year to 311 students from 25 schools in the 2025-26 school year. The Ward 5 ATC has now graduated two cohorts of students, and over the first three years of ATC programming, 400 students have earned an impressive 4,658 college credits, saving them approximately millions of dollars in college tuition. ATC students take dual-credit college courses from higher education partners Trinity Washington University and the University of the District of Columbia and engage in paid internships with employer partners in high-demand health care and cybersecurity fields.

The immersive experience connected students from 18 DC Public and Public Charter Schools with OCTO leaders and technical experts across multiple departments. Through hands-on rotations, students explored how technology powers the District's digital services and cybersecurity operations while gaining insights into career pathways across DC Government.

"Seeing these students engage with our technology teams today reinforces why investing in our local talent pipeline is so critical," said Stephen N. Miller, Chief Technology Officer for the District of Columbia. "As we work to secure and modernize the District's digital infrastructure, we need innovative minds who understand both the technical challenges and the communities we serve. These ATC students represent the future of public sector technology-homegrown talent who will help us build a more secure, efficient, and equitable digital government. By showing them real-world applications of cybersecurity, data analytics, and civic technology, we're not just inspiring career choices-we're cultivating the next generation of public servants who will protect and enhance digital services for all DC residents."

This pathways to public tech event empowered DC's youth by offering firsthand exposure to careers in data, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and civic technology. Students gained valuable perspective on how OCTO's work shapes the digital future of the District while learning how their own skills can contribute to building a smarter, more connected city.

This initiative also supports Mayor Bowser's commitment to building a career pipeline to DC Government and keeping talented youth in the District, demonstrated by the HBCU Public Service Program in partnership with Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia that converts 25 full-time positions into apprenticeships for graduating college seniors and demonstrates that young leaders can change the world through public service in DC.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month:

The event took place during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a national initiative highlighting the critical importance of online safety. DC residents face growing online threats, yet many don't know the simple, practical steps they can take to protect themselves and their families. Through this student event, OCTO is not only introducing the next generation to cybersecurity careers-it's demonstrating how DC Government is taking action to secure networks and protect the personal data of more than 700,000 residents.

Why This Matters for Students-And the Community:

Students learned firsthand how DC Government protects resident data and stays ahead of evolving threats, gaining insights into careers that directly impact public safety and community trust. Beyond this event, DC residents of all ages can take action during Cybersecurity Awareness Month by implementing practical security measures: enabling multi-factor authentication on critical accounts, creating strong and unique passwords, and learning to recognize phishing attempts. Parents can use this opportunity to discuss online safety and social media risks with their children-conversations increasingly important in today's digital landscape.

Key Education and Technology Investments in Mayor Muriel Bowser's FY2026 Grow DC Budget

Mayor Bowser's Grow DC Budget includes strategic investments in DC's growing tech sector are strengthening our cybersecurity infrastructure while creating talent pipelines in this high-demand field. As DC positions itself as a national cybersecurity hub, events like this event ensures that homegrown talent has clear pathways into rewarding careers protecting our city's digital future. represents strategic investments to drive economic growth, part of the Mayor's transformational growth agenda for Washington, DC, which is dedicated to ensuring the District remains a great place to live, work, and do business.

Key highlights in the budget related to education and technology include:

• Over $2 billion in major capital investments in schools, including:
  • $7 million to renovate the Advanced Technical Center
• $324 million to maintain government operations, to include:
  • $32 million for IT and cybersecurity upgrades
• $2.4 million to create the DC Technology Ecosystem Fund to invest in business accelerators and incubators for start-up tech companies in DC

Attendees at the event included:

• Stephen N. Miller, Chief Technology Officer, Office of the Chief Technology Officer
• Suneel Cherukuri, Chief Information Security Officer
• Andrea Zimmermann, Ward 5 Advanced Technical Center Administrator, OSSE
• Students from the following schools will participate:
  Ballou HS • Cardozo EC • Cesar Chavez PCS • Columbia Heights EC • Dunbar HS • Eastern HS • Friendship Collegiate Academy PCS • Girls Global Academy PCS • H.D. Woodson HS • IDEA PCS • Jackson-Reed HS • MacArthur HS • Paul PCS • Phelps ACE HS • Richard Wright PCS • Sojourner Truth PCS • Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS • Washington Leadership Academy PCS

About the Office of the Superintendent for Education:

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the state education agency for the District of Columbia charged with raising the quality of education for all DC residents. OSSE serves as the District's liaison to the US Department of Education and works closely with the District's traditional and public charter schools to achieve its key functions:

• Overseeing all federal education programs and related grants administered in the District of Columbia.
• Developing state-level standards aligned with school, college, and workforce readiness expectations.
• Ensuring access to high-quality child care and universal pre-kindergarten for eligible District families.
• Providing resources and support to assist the District's most vulnerable student populations.
• Administering the statewide District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) include the DC ELA assessment (DC ELA), the DC Math assessment (DC Math) and the DC Science assessment (DC Science).
• Providing regional, door-to-door transportation to school for District children with special needs.
• Awarding higher education financial assistance to eligible District students at public and private colleges and universities in DC and across the country.
• Increasing health and physical education awareness as well as ensuring access to free meals year-round.
• Providing common, comparable information for families and educators about all public schools in the District of Columbia through the DC School Report Card.

OSSE Social Media:

X: @OSSEDC
YouTube: @DCEducation
Instagram: @osse.dc
Facebook: @ossedc
LinkedIn: /company/osse/

About the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer: The Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is the central technology organization of the District of Columbia Government. OCTO establishes and oversees technology policies and standards, develops, implements, and maintains the District's technology infrastructure and major enterprise applications, and develops technology solutions to improve services to businesses, residents, and visitors in all areas of the District Government. Our mission is to empower the DC Government through technology by providing valued services, advising agencies, and collaboratively governing IT with digital equity and technology accessibility for all DC residents at the forefront. OCTO aims to attract, cultivate, and retain top civic innovators and work to foster a culture of performance and accountability. For more information, visit octo.dc.gov.

OCTO Social Media:

X: @octodc
YouTube: @octodc
Instagram: @octodc
Threads: @octodc
Bluesky: @octo.dc.gov
Facebook: @octodc
LinkedIn: /company/octodc