July 24, 2023 
Grand Rapids, MI, USA 
Full-time When considering careers for students on OPT (Optional Practical Training), CPT (Curricular Practical Training).it’s important to remember that these are not specific job roles, but rather work authorization statuses for international students in the U.S.
However, based on their degree fields, students can pursue a variety of roles across different industries.
Software Developer/Engineer: For students in computer science or related fields, roles in software development are abundant. These positions involve designing, coding, and testing computer software or mobile apps.
Data Analyst: For students with a background in statistics, mathematics, economics, or a related field, a career in data analysis could be a good fit. Data analysts collect, process, and perform statistical analyses of data.
Mechanical Engineer: For students studying mechanical engineering, they can design, develop, build, and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices.
Financial Analyst: For students in finance, economics, or a related field, roles in financial analysis can involve using financial data to help companies make decisions about their business strategies.
Marketing Specialist: For students in marketing, communication, or a related field, roles as marketing specialists involve helping companies identify and engage with their target audience, set image and sales goals, and determine pricing strategies.
IGA Analyst: The Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) Analyst is responsible for supporting identity and access management systems, working closely with IT security teams, system administrators, and others to ensure secure and efficient access control. Key responsibilities include reviewing access requests, conducting access audits, developing and maintaining role models, troubleshooting system issues, and preparing reports. The IGA analyst would work with IGA tools like Saviynt, SailPoint, Oracle Identity Governance, or IBM Identity Governance and Intelligence.
SSO Integration Specialist: The Single Sign-On (SSO) Integration Specialist is responsible for implementing and maintaining SSO capabilities across a range of applications and systems. This involves working with software development teams to ensure applications are SSO-compatible, configuring SSO tools to work with new and existing applications, troubleshooting authentication issues, and providing user support. The SSO specialist would use tools like Okta, OneLogin, Azure Active Directory, Google Cloud Identity, or Ping Identity.
Security and Compliance Analyst: The Security and Compliance Analyst role is a versatile one, combining elements of IGA and SSO responsibilities. The analyst is responsible for ensuring the organization meets its identity governance requirements and maintaining security and compliance in access control. This involves access certification, user role and access management, SSO integration and management across applications, and continuous monitoring for compliance with various regulations.
Identity Management Consultant: The Identity Management Consultant is responsible for advising organizations on their identity management strategies. This role requires a deep understanding of both IGA and SSO tools, best practices for identity management, and a consultative approach to work with different clients. The consultant recommends, implements, and manages IGA and SSO tools, and provides advice on improving security and efficiency in identity and access management.
System Administrator with IGA/SSO Specialization: A System Administrator with an IGA/SSO specialization is responsible for managing identity and access across an organization’s IT systems. This involves managing user roles and access, implementing and managing SSO across applications, and potentially overseeing the implementation and maintenance of IGA solutions. This role requires a solid understanding of IT systems and network administration, along with specialized knowledge of identity and access management.
These roles can provide valuable experience for students on CPT, OPT giving them opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in practical settings while gaining hands-on experience in the crucial field of identity and access management.
These roles can be pursued under CPT while still in school if they’re directly related to the student’s field of study and are approved by their institution. Similarly, after graduating, students can pursue these roles under OPT, and if they qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, they could continue working in these roles.