- Cybersecurity company Cloudfare will double its paid summer internship program.
- The move comes in response to many companies canceling internships amid the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.
- CEO Matthew Prince asked that similar organizations consider expanding their programs, adding that Cloudfare will highlight other opportunities for students now searching.
- "These internships are not only a significant part of these students' education, but in many cases provide an income that helps them get through the school year," Prince wrote in his announcement.
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Matthew Prince, CEO of cybersecurity giant Cloudfare, announced today that the company will double its summer internship program - just as other companies shutter their 2020 intern class amid the coronavirus crisis.
The internship application has been reopened and new positions have already been posted.
Cloudfare will also highlight other companies that have available internships. Prince asked that fellow organizations consider expanding their internship classes. Other major companies like Yelp and Glassdoor have canceled their internship programs.
"These internships are not only a significant part of these students' education, but in many cases provide an income that helps them get through the school year," Prince wrote in a blog post.
He anticipates that the internships will be remote. Google has already made its summer internship program remote.
"We have been extremely fortunate at Cloudflare," Prince wrote. "The superheroes of this crisis are clearly the medical professionals at the front lines saving people's lives and the scientists searching for a cure. But the faithful sidekick that's helping us get through this crisis - still connected to our friends, loved ones, and, for those of us fortunate enough to be able to continue work from home, our jobs - is the Internet."
As Business Insider's Connor Perrett reported, many college students have found their internship programs canceled or abruptly ended. And some have been left waiting to hear about the application status on a position that may no longer exist.
This isn't the first effort Cloudfare has made to alleviate the impact of coronavirus on workers. On March 9, it announced the creation of a new hub that pulls together free tech services companies are offering.
In his blog post, Prince noted that Cloudfare was born out of the aftermath of the 2008 recession.
"The recognition of the importance of planning for rainy days has been part of what has made Cloudflare so resilient," Prince wrote. "And it's why, when we realized we could play a small part in ensuring some students who had lost the internships they thought they had could still have a rewarding experience, we knew it was the right decision."
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