Summer of Tech is an internship programme that runs throughout New Zealand every year and matches hundreds of interns with employers to kickstart their IT careers.
Dozens of technical and soft skill workshops are held during the year where students are given the opportunity to learn from industry professionals (often people who have gone through the process of Summer of Tech themselves) about subjects ranging from software testing to cyber security to communication skills.
Summer of Tech has a philosophy of giving people the opportunity to start their career properly and this philosophy is shared by Spotlight Reporting who have hired several interns through Summer of Tech in the past. The interns hired by Spotlight Reporting had themselves volunteered to help Summer of Tech and continue to do so as a way of paying back the benefits that were given to them at no expense to themselves, and because they see the value in building a society with a strong community of developers.
One of our current interns, David comments "When I was a Computer Science student with no experience in the real world of software development, Summer of Tech helped fill crucial knowledge gaps by showing me what it was that employers looked for in a software developer, what skills and attitudes I would need when I started work and eventually matching me up with Spotlight Reporting."
Our internships provide benefits to both the Summer of Tech interns and Spotlight Reporting product team. For the interns it is an opportunity to work with a team large enough to include senior developers with a variety of areas of expertise, while small enough that their contributions are noticed and valued. For the senior developers there is the joy of passing on knowledge and experience, the personal growth of mentorship and an opportunity to hear the thoughts of those who have a fresh perspective.
The end result for Spotlight Reporting is a product strengthened by the values that it shares with Summer of Tech - the importance of a strong community and an investment in the future of technology.