Monday, 13 August signalled the start of the Week of Engineering. This is an annual event which aims to inspire young minds to think about future possibilities in the technology sector. We took a group of 20 keen future engineers to visit New Zealand’s largest software development company – Xero.

Xero develops cloud-based accounting software which is used globally. Employing only 2 people in 2006, Xero has grown to now employ over 2000 people worldwide.

Our visit started with a breakdown of what Xero does, and their business philosophy. We then split up into three smaller groups, and were shown around the huge open plan office space. The staff there were fantastic and were very animated in describing their roles within the business. Our students engaged well with them too, and asked some insightful questions.

We then met up with the other groups and had an informal discussion with a panel of young employees who all had varying roles within Xero. They told stories of their journeys through school and tertiary study and how their perceptions of careers in the technology sector have changed.

What surprised us most was the bright and colourful open plan office space, and how collaborative the work environment was.