Experience Work-Integrated Learning

University of Waikato Master of Information Technology students are putting their skills into practice with Kiwi technology company Safe Surfer, contributing to real-world technology with a strong social purpose.

From left: Sidhharth Kumkale (MInfoTech student); Kirwan Smith (Safe Surfer Developer); Rio Mason-Hay (Safe Surfer Developer); Rory Birkbeck (Safe Surfer CEO) and MInfoTech student Inayah Akhter.

MInfoTech students Inayah Akhter and Siddharth Kumkale are currently completing their internships with Safe Surfer, a New Zealand technology organisation focused on helping protect young people and families online.

Safe Surfer develops online safety technology, including tools to filter harmful content, manage screen time and monitor online activity. Its work brings together areas such as software development, networking, cybersecurity and emerging technologies, while addressing the very real challenge of keeping people safer online.

For Inayah and Siddharth, the internship provides an opportunity to apply what they have learned during their degree within a working technology business, gaining experience with real products, users and technical challenges.

Sandy Muller, WIL Liaison Manager for the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, says having employers return to host further students is a great sign of the value internships can offer both sides.

“Repeat hosts such as Safe Surfer are exactly the type of industry relationships we want to build. Our students get to work on real problems and understand how a technology organisation operates, while employers gain fresh thinking, new skills and additional capacity within their teams.

“Safe Surfer also gives students the opportunity to see a very clear connection between technology and its impact on people. It’s a great example of how ICT skills can be used to address real-world challenges.”

The internships form part of the Work-Integrated Learning component of the MInfoTech programme, helping students bridge the gap between university study and professional ICT practice.

Safe Surfer’s involvement also highlights the important role that New Zealand technology companies can play in developing the next generation of ICT professionals. For students, working closely with an industry team provides valuable professional experience; for employers, interns can bring new perspectives and skills to projects that might otherwise be difficult to resource.

The School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences works with organisations across the Waikato and wider New Zealand to develop internship and industry project opportunities for students.

Organisations interested in working with an MInfoTech intern are encouraged to get in touch with the School to discuss potential projects.