CTI giving computer science students an edge

By Mark Muckenfuss

Alexis Guzman won’t graduate from Cal State Monterey Bay with his computer science degree until next year. But already, he has had several industry-oriented internships. That experience, he said, will give him a headstart in the job market. 

He credits the Computing Talent Initiative for the opportunity.

“If I didn’t have CTI, I wouldn’t have been able to get those internships,” he said. 

The almost exclusively online program had its origins in 2009 as a cooperative effort between CSUMB and local community colleges. The impetus was to provide students from underserved communities, who lacked computer science opportunities, with additional programs and support to strengthen their skills. 

Nearly three years ago, the state awarded $10 million to the program with the understanding it would be offered to students statewide. It is free and open to any college student who wishes to apply. 

“Today, CTI serves students from more than 67 community colleges, 22 Cal State Universities, and nine UC campuses across California”, said Leslie Maxwell, CTI's associate director. “The program has particularly resonated with students who traditionally face barriers entering tech - over 50% are first-generation college students.”

Over 400 students have completed significant tech experiences through CTI, including 70 industry internships, 50 research experiences, and 280 open-source software contributions. There are plans to connect more than 200 additional students with opportunities this summer as the program continues to scale up.

Sathya Narayanan, a professor in CSUMB’s School of Computing and Design, founded and directs the program with a team of nine.  He said CTI is designed to fill the gaps between academic learning and industry needs. Rather than just offering additional coursework, the program creates a pathway of experiences – from first-year support through professional projects – that helps students build both technical skills and professional capabilities. That is especially important in today’s market, Narayanan said, when AI is eliminating many first-tier positions. 

Narayanan said students who complete the program consistently report gaining the confidence and skills needed to compete for opportunities traditionally reserved for graduates from elite universities.

“After joining CTI,” he said, “they feel more comfortable and many of them report that their academic performances and sense of belonging in the field have improved.”

This year, 1,200 students applied to the program. The self-paced program is demanding and supplements the regular coursework students already have. The attrition rate is high, but Narayanan said those who do tough it out have a significant advantage over their peers and recognize the benefits.

“It’s helped a lot, in a lot of ways,” Guzman said. “The very first thing it helps you with is things you wouldn’t necessarily learn in the classroom.” Those include such things as sessions on study skills, resume writing and job interview techniques. “It takes a lot more than a degree or internship to get a job," he added. "CTI helps with getting those skills.”

Narayanan said CTI's approach goes beyond traditional coding boot camps or career workshops, creating a comprehensive support system that guides students along a path from basic learning strategies to hands-on internships, doing industry-level work. This includes experience through open-source software development projects, working on real-world codebases under the guidance of industry mentors.

Cheyanne Ty said more important than learning a coding language, such as Python or C++, CTI taught her how to think critically about the larger picture. A senior in computer science at Humboldt State, Ty said the CTI program changed her perspective when it came to solving problems through coding.

“I was able to see that coding isn’t just about being able to write code down,” she said. “Before, I would just go into coding without a plan. After CTI, I was able to first really understand the problem, make a plan and go about implementing it.”

It’s that kind of skill that she believes will help her find a job in telecommunications.

“I think CTI is more in line with what recruiters want to see,” she said. 

Guzman said being in the program also provides other benefits when students begin searching for internships or jobs.

“There's a community aspect of this,” he said. “Recently, I reached out to an alum at Tesla and asked for a referral.”

Some students have found they aren’t interested in the commercial end at all. Like Ty, Gabriel Martinez said the CTI program changed the way he thought about computing. A second-year electrical engineering and computer science major at South Western College in Chula Vista, Martinez said he is looking at a career that never crossed his mind before.

“I want to be a researcher,” Martinez said. “CTI is helping me through mentorships and courses that they offer to be a better researcher. Without the CTI program, I wouldn't have considered research as a career. I wouldn’t have the internships I have now. I wouldn’t be as good of a programmer.”

In addition to taking advantage of the program’s micro-internships, which last between four to six weeks, he has a research internship with USC in machine learning. He plans to transfer to UC Berkeley when he completes his associate degree.

Such stories tell those running the program that it is working. But Maxwell said raising awareness about the program has recently grown more difficult. As economic uncertainty and rapid AI advancements reshape the hiring landscape, CTI's industry partnerships haven't grown as quickly as initially anticipated.

Narayanan argues that CTI students still have an advantage in the shifting job market. 

“The rapid advancement of AI is fundamentally changing the tech industry," he said. “But our students are adapting to this new reality by developing advanced problem-solving skills through real-world projects—capabilities that remain valuable even as AI transforms routine coding tasks.”

Participants such as Martinez feel CTI is giving them that leg up. 

“Any computer science major who doesn’t know where to start should join CTI,” Martinez said. “I recommend it to all my friends. It gives you a clear path as far as what you can do as a computer science student.”