Massey design student Maddi Skeggs got involved in Summer of Tech to participate in Design Day. This event invites Summer of Tech's top designers to participate in a full day of interpreting and executing function and beautiful briefs, to be presented to judges and potential employers. It's also a great way to network, and meet designers in the tech industry who are passionate about digital. Networking was another draw to Summer of Tech for Maddi, who had seen other Massey students succeed in the programme in previous years.

 What Maddi learned from the Summer of Tech programme

The Summer of Tech programme taught Maddi many valuable lessons - one that stood out for her was learning that "initiative is important, but it shouldn't keep you from asking for help whenever you need it". Maddi secured an internship at Alphero, who were her top pick among her offers. Choosing an employer who had a variety of meaningful and practical work was important to Maddi, as was selecting a company who were prepared for an intern with enough work to keep her busy.

Maddi's view on Summer of Tech internships

Looking back on her internship, Maddi believes that hiring interns provides new outlooks, fresh perspectives and a lot of talent to any business. She believes Summer of Tech creates opportunities for students who are driven to kickstart their career, with the range of professional and technical skills offered in their workshops. Alongside exposure to industry professionals, Summer of Tech provides students with the opportunity to learn skills that are desired by those within the sector - making sure students and graduates are equipped properly once they leave University.

Maddi's top tips for Summer of Tech students

After attending Design Day, Meet and Greet, Speed Interviews and finally securing an internship, we thought Maddi would have some great insights for fellow designers and internship chasers alike. Here are her top tips for this year's Summer of Tech students:

• Your portfolio will get your foot in the door but your attitude is what gets you inside the room!
• Being genuine in interviews is more important that being impressive.
• Find out what you want to gain from your internship because it's a two-way street - the employer is gaining something by hiring you too!

Thanks for your fantastic tips, Maddi!