- Published:
- Thursday 13 July 2023
Hundreds of technology students and recent graduates have gained hands-on experience by helping businesses boost their digital capability, thanks to an innovative Andrews Labor Government program.
The SummerTech LIVE program matches tertiary students and graduates in ICT with small-to-medium Victorian businesses to solve digital challenges, providing the students with an opportunity to kickstart their careers while delivering much-needed digital skills to the host business.
Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll today met with one of the businesses that has been helped by the program, including a former student who secured employment after being involved in a SummerTech LIVE project.
Ballarat-based product management company Journey2 needed a platform that could visually demonstrate how an individual’s contribution adds value to a company. Bigya Paudyal was a SummerTech LIVE student who led the development of the software that delivers an easy-to-read demonstration to Journey2’s clients.
Thanks to her work on the project, Bigya is now a Senior Developer at Journey2, where she helps transform ideas and concepts into production-ready digital technology and has since also drawn on her own experience to mentor a new intake of SummerTech LIVE students.
Since its establishment in 2017, the program has matched around 300 businesses with more than 500 students from 16 Victorian tertiary institutions on technology-related projects. Students work on their projects over a 10 to 12-week paid studentship during the summer months.
The SummerTech LIVE program is one of many Labor Government initiatives aimed at boosting digital talent and capability to drive innovation in businesses and support competitiveness.
In the Victorian Budget 2023/24, the government is also providing $5 million for LaunchVic’s Alice Anderson Fund to support more women-led startups and $15 million to incentivise local business to increase their R&D activity through the Made in Victoria – Industry R&D Infrastructure Fund.
More information about the SummerTech LIVE program is available at djsir.vic.gov.au/summertech-live.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll
“This program is providing practical, on-the-job experience for our tech students and graduates while giving local businesses the digital capabilities they need to grow and compete.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison
“The Summer Tech LIVE program is providing students like Bigya, the opportunity to gain industry experience with local businesses, such as Journey2, enhancing their skills and helping them be work ready.”
Quote attributable to Journey2 Director Matt Ratcliffe
“Our growing domestic and international opportunities show the impact that the SummerTech LIVE interns have had on our business’s digital skillset.”