Summer of Tech alum (cohort of 2015) Senior Software Engineer Lena Plaksina has mentored and supported new entrants into tech careers. She shares tips and tricks to help you get started in your tech internship, make the most of the next few months, and put your best foot forward.

2024 has seen huge student engagement, a super-sized volunteer crew, and very low job numbers. We took a deep dive into the data for our first 100 placements this year, showing markedly different hiring trends for new tech talent.

This week we welcomed Buzzy back to facilitate our ever-popular recruitment panel! We heard from a diverse range of hiring managers from the Summer of Tech community, their goal is to give candidates a flavour for how different companies interview, what they’re looking for, tips and tricks.

80% of New Zealand graduates have little or no confidence in their job prospects, according to a recent survey. What a waste of talent, potential, and social investment. Under-investing in interns and grads will have ripple effects for decades to come, NOW is the time to grow our future.

Summer intern recruitment season is coming! Here's some tips to help students and graduates prepare for behavioural, technical, online and offline interviews. Remember an “interview” is just a conversation about you and how you match with their role. Kia kaha!

Thank you to our sponsors and volunteers for helping to deliver free events, providing informative, inspirational and supportive workshop content to aspiring tech and engineering professionals. This year 1,034 students and graduates attended an average of 3.5 Summer of Tech events. Here’s some insights on our 2024 bootcamp data.

Candidate registrations for 2024 have closed, please check back in January to sign up for our 2025 programme.

In late 2023, MBIE engaged Summer of Tech to carry out a discovery project, to research, engage and work with different players/roles in the tech skills system to uncover and define requirements for a nationwide internship service as a way to address the tech skills shortage in New Zealand.

Hiring interns and graduates isn't just a strategic move—it's a crucial investment in the future of your team, and the industry. By mentoring juniors, you create a pipeline of talented, innovative contributors who can bring fresh perspectives and handle smaller tasks, freeing up senior staff for bigger projects. It's an investment that pays off as they become valuable team members even by the end of a 10 week internship!

Remote working has transformed the tech industry from a rare perk to a common reality, especially post-COVID. It offers flexibility but presents challenges for early career and graduate tech workers navigating this new landscape. Phil Calder from GitLab sheds light on effective remote working strategies for people early in their career.

fostering diversity and inclusivity is more than a noble goal—it's a necessity for innovation and growth. Lauren Peate, CEO of Multitudes shares her insights and experiences in attracting and retaining more women in tech. Lauren provides insights on how to attract and keep more women in the industry. She talks about effective hiring strategies, the power of storytelling, and the importance of cultural competency and leadership development.

The tech industry has long faced a significant gender imbalance. Despite numerous initiatives to address this issue, women continue to be underrepresented in technology roles. Julie Reddish shares resources and practical tips for employers and individuals to support women in tech.

The tech industry has long faced a significant gender imbalance. Despite numerous initiatives to address this issue, women continue to be underrepresented in technology roles. Julie Reddish, a passionate advocate for inclusivity, pulls no punches and gets straight to the issues that we must address and she offers tangible insights on how the industry can move forward.

Recognising and nurturing neurodiversity is vital for harnessing the potential within every individual. In this Story from the Field, Trisha Trainor shows the path towards inclusivity, highlighting strategies that can be employed in both professional and personal realms to embrace the strengths of neurodiversity.

Psoda have crafted a blueprint for a thriving digital workplace. Their shared strategies and individual insights paint a picture of how remote work can transcend traditional boundaries to foster a vibrant, connected, and resilient workforce.

The tech world is on the brink of a cultural shift, aiming to redefine what inclusivity means in the tech industry which has been historically dominated by men. Central to this shift is the question of how to not only attract more women into tech but also ensure they stay, thrive, and ascend into leadership roles. In this Story from the Field, we hear from Natalie Ferguson.

In the past 3 months over 400 students and graduates have attended Summer of Tech events, delivered by industry volunteers, alumni and the Summer of Tech team. We’ve been at 7 career fairs around Aotearoa, and spoken to hundreds of keen and engaged students and graduates ready to kick start their careers in the tech industry.

Here are some avenues of funding available to support organisations hiring digital/tech interns in Aotearoa. Including government schemes: Callaghan Innovation R&D Experience Grants, TPK cadetships and MSD flexi-wage. Dunedin has it’s own JobsDun programme too.

Navigating the tough terrain of entry-level tech jobs in Aotearoa in 2024. There are more candidates, especially graduates seeking their first role. Low employer engagement so far. Tips for industry, Volunteers and Candidates to make the best of a tough job market.

Here’s our annual post to share insights about tech intern and graduate remuneration in Aotearoa New Zealand, in 2023. This year we’ve seen an increase in Living Wage and an equivalent increase in intern and graduate wages.

For the first time the majority of Summer of Tech interns and graduates were women, a glimmer of hope in the middle of a tough year, are we finally closing the gender gap in tech?

Summer of Tech has impacted 2,964 talented individuals embarking on tech careers in 2023. 2,466 students and graduates attended 108 free events. Discover more insights into our 2023 programme.

This year we’ve provided more financial assistance to our candidates than ever before. Our sponsors ANZ, Spark, Qrious, CCL, Pushpay & FNZ chose this year to leverage their sponsorships to help support underrepresented people & candidates facing financial barriers as they start out on their journeys into tech careers.

Who would have thought 2023 would see a lower demand for interns than 2020? It’s a really rough time to be searching for an entry-level job in digital/technology in Aotearoa.

Candidate registrations for 2023 have closed, please check back in January to sign up for our 2024 programme.

Here’s our annual post to share insights about tech intern and graduate remuneration in Aotearoa New Zealand, in 2023. This year we’ve seen an increase in Living Wage and an equivalent increase in intern and graduate wages.

Here are some avenues of funding available to support organisations hiring digital/tech interns in Aotearoa. Including government schemes: Callaghan Innovation R&D Experience Grants, TPK cadetships and MSD flexi-wage. Dunedin has it’s own JobDun programme too.

Congratulations, you’re a mentor! This is a great opportunity for you to use your knowledge and experience to help guide a mentee (yes, they are called the mentee!). It is a great growth opportunity for both, but it can be daunting. Where do you start?

In a recent event organised by Summer of Tech, the panellists shared their personal stories and experiences about embracing one's authentic self at work, especially for those who identify as LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent or have lived disabilities.