Solnet speaks at University of Auckland industry panel session

Solnet leadership recently participated in an industry panel session with second-year software engineering students studying at the University of Auckland. Our people-focused leaders Jane Hwang, Auckland General Manager, and Philip Shimmin, Senior Delivery Manager, spoke alongside fellow panellists Evelyn Seewald, from the Mind Lab, and Jane Brewer, of Suncorp. 

All four panellists shared their real-world experiences and insights with students to help inspire them to chase their passion and to help them get a head start in the industry. Specifically, the session zeroed in on how important it is to take a user-centric approach to create solutions that deliver a real impact. 

“My childhood dream was to become a teacher”, says Jane Hwang. “I ended up pursuing a different profession (which I love). However, my passion for the next generation of talent persists. I want to collaborate with educators to equip students for real-world challenges. How? By bringing more industry experts into lecture rooms to inform and inspire students. Hopefully, the conversations will provide students with a better context for what they study, making it real and relevant”.

Jane, Phil, and the team at Solnet would like to extend a special thank you to Kelly Blincoe, Senior Lecturer, at the University of Auckland, for opening up her lecture room.

“I enjoyed sharing and listening to the other panellist's stories. As we needed to revert to Zoom given the level 3 lockdown, it was a strange experience delivering a lecture this way. However,  I hope the students found it valuable, and that our discussion motivated them to think more about the human element involved with designing solutions”, says Phil Shimmin.