SummerTech LIVE matches tertiary students and graduates in information and communications technology (ICT) with small-to-medium Victorian businesses to solve digital challenges, providing students with an opportunity to kickstart their careers while delivering much-needed digital skills to the host business.

Since starting in 2017, the program has matched around 300 businesses with more than 500 students from 16 Victorian tertiary institutions on technology-related projects.

The program is more important than ever at a time when it is estimated a digital skills gap is costing Australian businesses $9 million per day.

SummerTech LIVE facilitates a 10 to 12-week paid studentship during the summer months, creating projects that solve challenging technical problems or develop technology-related ideas.

The program is ideal for students or recent graduates gain work-ready skills to kick start their careers, and businesses that may struggle to find the time and resources to implement digital solutions and keep on top of the day-to-day pressures of running a business.

Case study

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.

Following her work on the project, Bigya is now a Senior Developer at Journey2, transforming ideas and concepts into production-ready digital technology. She has since also drawn on her experience to mentor a new intake of SummerTech LIVE students.

Journey2 Director Matt Ratcliffe said: “Our growing domestic and international opportunities show the impact that the SummerTech LIVE interns have had on our business’s digital skillset.”

Skills and Jobs

The Victorian Chamber is proud to partner with the Victorian State Government to deliver the 2023-2024 SummerTech LIVE Program. 

Registrations are now open for businesses with technology projects that can be achieved over the summer break (Dec 2023-March 2024).

More information including upcoming applications can be found on the SummerTech LIVE program page. Registrations close 11 September.

Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll said: “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.”