Summer of Salesforce

Are you interested in learning Salesforce, but want to know more about what's involved and if it's right for you? We've interviewed three graduates who gave us a rundown of what to expect and top tips for those considering the programme.

The Summer of Tech team met with Summer of Salesforce alumni Abigail, Irina and Marianne, who share their experience of learning Salesforce last summer. 

Abby

How did you find out about Summer of Salesforce?

I was part of Summer of Tech, so I heard about it through that.  

What made you decide to enrol for the course?

I had been partway through a Diploma in Web Development and Design but wasn’t sure if it would result in me being able to get a job. I didn’t know much about Salesforce, but I had previously worked in a vaccination centre (I was working as a Pharmacist). Salesforce was a tool we used there, and I knew it could generate reports. When Amber ran a talk about Salesforce, it piqued my interest.  

What skills and experience have you gained through the course?

It’s helped me to learn the technical knowledge. We did a real-world project as part of the course and that taught me how to read requirements, and how to work in a team. We also had to run a demo and that was really good practice.  

How have you applied the knowledge that you have gained? 

I’m still very junior, having only just done the course, but so far I’ve applied a lot of the knowledge that I’ve learned. I’m currently working as a Salesforce Administrator at an investment company. It’s given me a good foundation, though I still have lots to learn! Salesforce is such a big system, and the course gives you an overview of how it works, which helps you know where to look for things yourself.  

What was the highlight of the course for you?

Most of the course was run remotely. Though we did do the super badges on Trailhead together in Auckland. That was a real highlight for me, meeting everyone in person.  

What is your tip for anyone else considering enrolling in this course? 

Research Salesforce and what jobs working in Salesforce are like. It’s quite a specific tool, so you want to know before starting the course that you’ll enjoy that kind of work.  

Where are you now since finishing the Summer of Salesforce programme?

I’m only in my 4th week in my new role as a Salesforce Administrator. But I’m enjoying it so far!  

What’s next for you?

I’ll give myself a break from studying while I get used to working in a company. I do intend to get more certifications, though and the great thing is there are lots of options if I want to explore upskilling.  

Do you have any questions or comments about Summer of Salesforce?

Amber was great, and they were really helpful with finding jobs at the end of the course. I’d recommend it for those considering switching careers or wanting to gain experience in Salesforce.  

Marianne

How did you find out about Summer of Salesforce?

I was on the email list for Summer of Tech and saw some information about the course in the email newsletter, so I quickly signed up. 

What made you decide to enrol for the course?

I was looking into Salesforce before I even registered for Summer of Tech. So as soon as I saw that there was a course available I jumped at the chance. 

What skills and experience have you gained through the course?

A lot! I wouldn’t be in the role I am now without it. It helped me to get the certification that I needed and the job that I wanted. 

How have you applied the knowledge that you have gained? 

I’m currently working in the Salesforce graduate programme at Xero, and it’s given me a really good foundation and base of knowledge from which to start.  

What was the highlight of the course for you?

I met lots of really great people who are passionate about what they want to do, many of whom were looking to change careers. The instructors were awesome, and I also made some great friends. 

What is your tip for anyone else considering enrolling for this course? 

Give it your all! While it is not a hard course it does require a lot of your time and attention, more so for me as I was working full time as well as studying part time. The teaching and Q&A sessions were run at night so if you work during the day you really have to be motivated. The Salesforce admin certification exam that you get to sit for at the end is the true goal as achieving that will open up doors for you.

Where are you now since finishing the Summer of Salesforce programme?

I am currently a salesforce graduate engineer at Xero and it has been awesome. Getting the certification definitely helped with the current learning curve but I was definitely lucky enough to get a second chance at Xero after achieving the certification. It was a combination of luck and hard work but I have seen others in my cohort achieve their dream jobs as well after gaining their certification!

What’s next for you?

To work hard and study hard! I’d like to get more qualifications. Being a Salesforce Engineer is the goal. 

Do you have any questions or comments about Summer of Salesforce?

Most people at the time had never heard of Salesforce and many still haven't but Summer of Salesforce was an awesome course for those that are keen to learn about Salesforce. It is definitely worth considering if you are looking for a career change. The course gave me insights that I never would have thought of studying by myself. There are 1-on-1 meetings every fortnight, lots of support, and help from your peers. There is also a project which helps to give you hands-on experience. All this helped me achieve my certification faster and secured a job immediately. 

Irina 

How did you find out about Summer of Salesforce?

I was part of Summer of Tech, and I saw an email from them about the course. I was interested as I heard a lot about it from people who used it. I also didn’t end up getting an internship with Summer of Tech. I’m very grateful for that now! 

What made you decide to enrol for the course?

I was working in excel automation and process improvement. I knew that Salesforce had been used for that kind of thing. Once I heard about the course, I knew immediately I should be part of it. I realised that I was able to do it part-time with my job. 

What skills and experience have you gained through the course?

It’s really helped me to understand ​the foundation capabilities of salesforce. It’s given me the valuable knowledge and set of skills that have helped me to get my current job. The course is a good foundation and helps you to decide if Salesforce is really something you want to work with fulltime and where you can fit in Salesforce environment.

How have you applied the knowledge that you have gained? 

I’ve only been in this job for less than 1 month, so it’s hard to know just yet. But the project work we did during the course helped me understand concepts. So now, if I don’t know the answer, I know how to find it. In the course, we covered a lot of bases, which allows you to build on that. 

What was the highlight of the course for you?

We processed a lot of information in a short time. The real-life project was great as well as we got to work in a team with a mix of skills. The project also helped you to apply the knowledge you gained. We also covered technical documentation and demo’s.

What is your tip for anyone else considering enrolling for this course? 

Understand your capacity and your time. You need to really want to learn it as it’s an intense course and lots of work but worth it. Once I completed my certification and added that to my LinkedIn, I found I had a lot of people contacting me about roles as it’s an in-demand skill. 

Where are you now since finishing the Summer of Salesforce programme?

I got a role with Davanti. My role allows me to spend my first year figuring out what area I want to work in and learn the necessary skills to progress. We’re also back in the office now, which is great. 

What’s next for you?

Consultancy is probably the best option for me. I want to grow my knowledge and become an expert. I need to understand more about different industries and different projects to know more about good opportunities here. 

Do you have any questions or comments about Summer of Salesforce?

It’s a good course, and I recommend taking it if you can. Lots of people try to learn via Trailhead, but it’s really hard without a guide. Amber was wonderful and was always happy to answer any questions we had.

Interested in finding out more about Summer of Salesforce? Visit their website https://salesforcetraining.co.nz/.