Digital accessibility 101: Essential for some, useful for all! Summer of Tech mentor Prae Songprasit introduces us to the wonderful world of digital accessibility.

For the past couple of years, we have seen an increased demand for interns and graduates to join the Aotearoa tech industry. This year we are running 3 recruitment “seasons”, giving candidates and employers more opportunities to connect. Read our update and progress report.

There is a wide range of jobs available in the technology sector that fit an array of interests and skillsets. The “More than Dev” panel was made up of a diverse group who, as children, had wanted to be mechanics, pilots and artists and now find themselves working in a range of different tech roles.

Mingyang is a software engineer for Sugar Wallet, a fintech startup. Born and raised in Mainland China, he shares his advice on how to land your first software engineering internship as an international student. Including what capabilities to have in your projects and show to employers.

We met with Chitrakshi Verma, who completed a 3-month course at Enspiral Dev Academy and landed a summer internship with Lyniate as a Testing Engineer in 2021. She shares her internship experience with us: the highlights, challenges and advice for the 2022 cohort.

Why is it important to put your time and work into the Summer of Tech programme?

Joseph Whyle, Summer of Tech Alumni, Mentor and Senior Technology Experience (TX) Engineer at Sharesies, shares why.

We have a range of bootcamps across various topics, so it can be a little daunting to figure out which one to attend. Bootcamps will teach you to be successful when you start your first job.

Want to know what skills employers think are important? We’ve looked at and listed all the key skills across all the jobs from 2022.

Four reasons why you should attend bootcamps. Here are four reasons why you should attend Summer of Tech bootcamps.

We met with Ed Letifov, the CFO, CTO, and co-Founder at TechTime, to get his take on hiring interns. He talks about the value interns bring, how interns have shaped TechTime and shares some hot tips on how to wow employers during an interview.

Talking about your CV. What if I'm a student with no work experience? While you might not have the work experience to do the role, you can find other ways to demonstrate the skills that they are looking for.

Are you prepared for your job search journey? Want to know how to perfectly answer those tough interview questions and leave a good impression?

As my internship wraps up and I transition into permanent employment at Summer of Tech, I ponder the following:

What have I learnt from this experience?

How much will my role change as I step into an entry-level position?

Will imposter syndrome rear its big ugly head again?

Cue inner dialogue...

We met with Vrikshikha Velan, who landed a summer internship at ANZ as a Data Developer in Auckland. She shares her internship journey with us, tips for working and communicating with the team remotely, and advice for our 2022 cohort.

How can an organisation attract awesome candidates? We’ve compiled a few tips and tricks to write a compelling job listing.

Jay works in cyber security/information security and is a Summer of Tech mentor. In 2021 she kindly offered to answer community questions about her experiences as an openly queer person with disabilities working in the tech industry. 

For some of you, the thought of delivering presentations may be daunting. However, you may need to do presentations during your internship or career. So how do you communicate your message clearly and, most importantly, how do you ensure it’s impactful and engaging?

A common problem for student CV’s is that they look like… a student CV. We’re not suggesting you embellish your experience and skill level - employers are very aware you’re a student or grad. However, you still want to look as professional and work-ready as possible.

How do you tell employers what they want to know so that they move your CV to the top of the pile?

With only one month left of my internship to go, I am relieved to know what my next steps are as a grad entering the tech field.

I want to ask the 2021 alumni a timely question.

Have you talked to your employer about what happens after your internship ends?

Summer of Tech 2021 Report, including placement data, demographics, in-demand skills and job type for 477 intern and grad roles in our 2021 programme.

“The role was a really good fit for me because I could pivot many transferable skills from my previous career. “

Coming from an educational background, Alice is empowered with her pivot into a new career in tech.

After enjoying some well deserved time off basking in the sun at the beach, chasing down a Mr Whippy truck or gaming at home in front of the fan, how could one possibly be motivated to return to work?

Asking for help from your mentor or teammate can feel like an intimidating task, even after they've extended an invitation for you to do so multiple times. Why is it so difficult to ask for help? 'You are an intern; you're not expected to know everything. You are here to learn.' It's true. But sometimes, the ego perceives this truth as a trap - a test.

I’m no stranger to conducting interviews, and I felt comfortable asking questions and contributing to conversations within my team already. But I dreaded it like I did most social interactions outside of my bubble…

When getting to know someone, what do you want to know most about them? What kind of person are they? Will they be invested in me? Do we have the same values? You can ask yourself the same questions when looking for an internship or job.

As the workshop progressed, so did the complexity of the scenarios. I felt tense from the prospect of having to disagree with my boss…

The first day of my internship at Summer of Tech should have been one of pure excitement and joy…

Anya joined Trustpower this summer as a Software Developer. She switched her career path and found a place in tech - here’s her story!

Working your first full-time professional job remotely may sound like a bit of a learning curve, but we’re here to help. Here is our tried-and-true advice to help you ace your remote internship this summer!