Meet Poonamjeet Kaur, Our Latest Summer of Tech Hire

Here at Spotlight Reporting, we’re incredibly proud of our partnership with Summer of Tech (SoT), an organisation dedicated to helping IT graduates find positions within the field.

Cath Randall, the Workforce Development Specialist at WellingtonNZ, is pleased with the partnership as well.

"We love that Spotlight Reporting are regularly pipelining young tech talent into their business," she says. "Summer of Tech provide the platform for all organisations that employ tech staff to do this, and we’d love for all tech employers to follow Spotlight Reporting’s lead."

For our part, SoT has always sent us fantastic graduates.

Poonam proves this rule. From a happy childhood in Punjab, India, to a beachfront office in Wellington, New Zealand, she’s come a long way—literally.

Poonam began her career with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Applications at Punjab Technical University. The next step? Further study abroad.

Two years after she finished uni, Poonam arrived in Wellington, ready for a new life. She immediately enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in IT at Wellington Institute of Technology. Through the course, Poonam was able to narrow down her interests. By the time she reached the final project of the year, her path was clear: she wanted to go into software testing.

“I really appreciate that SoT gives a platform to new graduates like me to start their career in a new country. Now, I work with a great team, and I have an ocean view outside my window!”

After she graduated, Poonam applied for the SoT internship program. SoT helped and supported her through the interview process, resulting in her winning an internship with Spotlight Reporting. Her experience with the organisation was life-changing.

“I really appreciate that SoT gives a platform to new graduates like me to start their career in a new country,” she says. “Now, I work with a great team, and I have an ocean view outside my window!”

“I feel so lucky to be a permanent member of Spotlight Reporting."

Four months on from starting her internship, Poonam is a full-time member of the team, thriving in a company that is committed to her growth. She’s excited by the culture of individual development and upskilling, and determined to excel in her role. In the meantime, she enjoys Spotlight's extracurricular activities, like a recent group cycle to Pencarrow Lighthouse, bringing baking to work, and afternoon walks.

"I am very thankful for SoT and Spotlight, who gave me an opportunity to explore my interest in testing," says Poonam. "I feel so lucky to be a permanent member of Spotlight Reporting."

For his part, Development Team Lead Andrew Thompson is more than pleased with his latest recruit: “There is always so much enthusiasm and drive from Summer of Tech interns, and Poonam was no different,” he says. “We're stoked to have her continue on with us as a full-time employee.”

Thank you Summer of Tech, and congratulations Poonam! From everyone at Spotlight Reporting, we’re excited to see where the future takes you.