ANZ recruits first tech intern

ANZ Bank has hired its first New Zealand technology intern.

IT student Aidan Brown will spend one day a week at ANZ's technology office learning the tricks of the trade.

ANZ's Technology Internship programme is designed to showcase the range of employment opportunities at ANZ by giving IT students at Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) a chance to view the bank from the inside, the bank explains.

Brown, 22, is studying towards a Bachelor of Information Technology majoring in Programming and Information Security and Assurance.

"I am spending time in each part of the IT team - from attending business meetings where decisions are made about projects, to compliance, technical testing, quality assurance and looking into what is required to support ANZ's core banking service," says Brown.

Brown says he primarily working on mobile phone development at this stage.

The ANZ Internship is one component of a new collaboration between ANZ and WelTec's School of Business - IT designed to address the skills shortage in the IT industry.

Craig Bunyan, ANZ general manager, Technology, says ANZ is confident technology internships will mean more IT students consider working in the banking industry following graduation.

"IT is constantly changing and we're keen to attract more young talent like Aidan to ANZ to keep pace with evolving technologies," he says.

Brown says the ANZ Internship is career changing.

"I wasn't thinking about banking at the start of my degree as I didn't know about the opportunities," he says.

"The Technology Internship has really given me a lot to think about in terms of my future career."

"People think of ANZ as banking. It's also a large technology company with heaps of opportunities in all aspects of technology," Brown continues. "Any IT job you can think of, there will be someone at ANZ doing it.

Bunyan adds, "With one of the largest Schools of Business and IT in the country, and almost 450 people studying IT at degree and post graduate level, WelTec was the ideal partner to work with to start addressing the skills shortage and gender imbalance in the IT industry.

The 2016 ANZ Technology Internships are now open to WelTec students until 6 September. Students need New Zealand permanent residency and will be completing a Bachelor of Technology (preferred). The 150-hour internship is worked out over the final year of study.

ANZ technology is also developing an internship programme in Auckland.