The first project was around the front-end for the WePlant project. This is a mobile application to allow users to capture and record their planting activities. This project is developed for Landscope DesignLab, Lincoln University. The Shift students successfully built the sign up, sign in and planting pages for the application.
"We liked that we had experience dealing with a client product launch and the ability to meet for feedback. It was good to make a working application."
The opportunity to meet with the product owners, interview them and gather their requirements first hand appealed as it gave the students a chance to apply their learning to a real world project.
"We liked being introduced to web development and getting to work with the visual interface that you normally see when you visit websites/apps but never get to see the background workings."
The Shift students are now working towards completing the back-end part of the WePlant application. This includes creating the database to facilitate the processes of getting the data from the users through the app, finding the specific information from the database and then sending it back to the user.
The second project this semester was to develop a personal bus schedule monitor using Raspberry Pi. This project used Python to access information from MetroInfo’s Bus Network (through ECAN) and display it on the Raspberry Pi LCD screen. Students worked closely with bus users to find out what was relevant, useful and would actually contribute to getting more people to use the bus network. They enjoyed working with live data from an external source and felt it was "a good follow-up to the beginning of the course when we learnt how to use Python programming - it helped to see its relevance in an actual project." They also enjoyed working with new tech - "it was great to use Raspberry Pi because it further stimulated my love for learning new things."
Students used techniques and strategies from the first part of the Shift programme to apply to both these projects. "I found it a really useful experience applying the SCRUM processes and Agile mindset to these projects, for both the success of the project and the development of our professional skills."
Next semester, the Shift students start their specialist courses at our partner institutions and also embark on their individual industry project. We are looking for companies who have time and resources to help upskill a new tech professional and, to assist with this, we have an extra 400 hours (funded) to help continue with the project after Shift has finished.
Contact Fiona on 03 369 2204 or chch@signal.ac.nz for more information. Profiles of our students can be viewed here.
For more information on the Shift programme, please click here.
For more information on the Industry Experience Grants, please click here.
