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Embrace the future with our Generative AI Externship

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Enter your senior year ahead of the curve 

Our Generative AI Externship equips students entering their final year with upskilling in one of the hottest areas of technology. As a participant in our no-cost Externship program, you will build technical skills in Python for AI and Generative AI through virtual, self-paced training sessions. 
 
We will match you with a Cognizant mentor throughout the experience to further prepare you to enter the job market. Are you ready for 8 weeks of invaluable virtual learning?  

  • Where: Virtual  
  • Self-paced training, about 10 hours per week

Applications for the currents cohort of externs are closed and are set to open in 2025. Please sign up for our emerging talent email updates to be notified about the next session.

Join our talent community
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Why you’ll love our Generative AI Externship

  • In addition to consideration for a full-time role at Cognizant upon graduation, you’ll: 
  • Develop foundational business skills and industry competence  
  • Meet subject matter experts across our organization  
  • Connect with recruiters and learn about applying to Cognizant 
  • Earn two badges and a certificate of completion that can be shared on your resume and social media 

Frequently asked questions

  • Students in their third year of a four-year BA/BS program at an accredited school in the USA during the 2024-2025 academic year.  
  • Enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program, including computer science, business, marketing, information technology or similar.  
  • Graduating between December 2025 and June 2026  
  • Permanent work authorization in the USA

  • You have an interest in launching a career in technology or consulting  
  • You are able to self-motivate within set timelines   
  • You are focused on developing communication and collaboration skills   
  • You have a growth mindset and curiosity about learning innovative technologies and methodologies  
  • Students who identify with a historically underrepresented group in the technology industry are encouraged to apply. This includes but is not limited to Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous, students with disabilities, women and veterans. 

Yes! The Cognizant Generative AI Externship is fully virtual and designed for working students. Participants can expect a weekly time commitment of 7-12 hours.  

You will have the chance to apply for an open Cognizant full-time role at the program's completion with potential start dates aligned with graduation dates. 

Participants are required to have a laptop or desktop computer with internet access. Hardware Specs: Mac 10.13+ or Windows Professional 10+—no Linux—with at least dual processors (quad preferred) that are i5 or higher (i7 or higher preferred), and at least 8 GB Ram (16 GB preferred). You must be able to download programming resources to your laptop/desktop for this training.  

Giving one million workers an edge on tomorrow

We are committed to encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and we believe that different perspectives drive innovation and lead to greater success. Our associates' diverse backgrounds offer varied perspectives and fuel new ways of thinking. This experience is aligned to our newly launched Synapse program – an exciting new skilling program that aims to train one million workers across the globe on new technology advancements so they are powered for change. 

Explore our Synapse program