Coffee-fetching, photocopying, bottom-feeding interns. Only good for fetching your lunch and collecting stationery supplies, right?

WRONG!

We've all heard the classic clichés about interns, however this is an extremely dated view of what an internship truly consists of. The team at Summer of Tech work hard year-round to provide an holistic program to support students and employers into HIGH VALUE internships - so let's bust a few common myths:

Students are lazy

Do you think students really want to be working in retail and hospitality? Some are following a passion into those industries, but most are filling in time and paying the rent until a career-related job comes along. Given the opportunity to gain real-life experience in a subject close to their field of study/interest, students will jump at the chance, and work tirelessly to prove their worth - and learn some incredible skills at the same time. Students work menial jobs to pay the bills, but if they earn a living and an industry education simultaneously, it is worth ten-fold - and they will put in the hours and effort in spades.

...NOPE!

Students can't add value to my organisation

This is unfortunately a common mindset of employers. Interns will bring a new mentality to your workplace, provide different perspectives and allow new viewpoints and avenues for ideas. Interns do require mentorship, and this provides huge value in the form of professional development for yourself & your employees. Being problem solvers, interns are likely to think of how processes and functions could be more efficient in your company.

...NOPE!

The education system already provides enough learning opportunities

Tertiary courses typically teach a range of theoretical knowledge to students - but the skills may not typically align with what's used in your company.  By hiring a student during their studies, you are providing an extra dimension of education that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.  The opportunity to apply the theory in a real-world setting is priceless. This means more experienced graduates entering the industry increasing the quality of workers and giving back to the tech community.(read more about this here: guest post from a recent graduate about the chasm between learning & earning)

...NOPE!

The calibre of Summer of Tech's students is pretty phenomenal. For over 10 years, Summer of Tech has played a hand in growing and retaining New Zealand's tech talent through a multi-tiered program. Helping students become industry-ready to enter the workforce is a top priority, as many employers have found that graduates don't necessarily have complete experience in the ever-evolving world of tech.With the efforts of Summer of Tech being led by industry professionals, participating students are getting the right education from some of NZ's best tech employers - who are giving back to the tech community at the same time. As Summer of Tech is a not-for-profit, the focus remains to provide high-calibre interns to employers looking for growth within their industry.