From Newcastle to Sydney, Jadon Routley has turned his passion for software into a graduate role in AI development at Accenture. A Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Mechatronic Engineering) and Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) student, Jadon credits the Engineering Sydney Industry Placement Scholarship (ESIPS) for giving him hands-on industry experience, valuable mentoring, and the chance to contribute directly to real-world projects.

I have always regarded practical, hands-on experience in engineering as equally important as what I study at university. Therefore, I knew the ESIPS program would allow me to fully immerse myself in a six-month, practical placement while progressing with my thesis. I was driven by the chance to work on real tasks within a professional team environment where collaboration, problem-solving, and openness to new ideas are vital.

I believed ESIPS would help me acquire valuable knowledge and skills from industry mentors, enhancing my technical and professional abilities while providing insights into roles and industries that genuinely inspire me for the future. Ultimately, I saw the opportunity to contribute to a company at such a young age as something I couldn’t pass up, and I am incredibly grateful for the chance to do just that.

My experience with ESIPS was extremely positive, from my excellent and engaging work with my supervisor to the very strong bonds I formed with my Accenture colleagues. I was fortunate that my team included several past ESIPS students, which allowed me to draw on their wealth of knowledge and experience to improve my own thesis. Another standout part of my experience was my industry supervisor, whose interest, energy, and support fuelled engaging lunch conversations and valuable professional insights.

The highlight of my experience was when I first independently contributed a program I developed to the company’s production release. This moment was incredibly rewarding, as it strengthened my passion for software development and problem solving. Presenting my final thesis—bringing together six months of effort—to my entire team, both locally and internationally, was an incredibly rewarding experience and a perfect way to conclude my ESIPS journey.

My biggest challenge during the program was managing my time. It was particularly difficult toward the end and during release periods to meet all my expectations and goals, but this experience significantly enhanced my skills. I learned to prioritise difficult tasks first, which allowed me to use my peak energy periods more effectively.

Similarly, I learned that it is okay to ask for help and that admitting I didn’t know something did not diminish me but instead showed I was eager to learn. I also made the most of my teammates' experiences by seeking early and regular feedback from them and asking how they overcame challenges in their ESIPS journeys. This helped me to effectively balance all my responsibilities while still engaging in the many extra opportunities that Accenture offered and maintaining my social life.

I learned a great deal from ESIPS, covering technical skills like AWS pipeline deployment, Kubernetes, and full-stack development, as well as soft skills such as client engagement and agile planning.

Beyond specific skills, I believe the most valuable takeaway from my placement was gaining experience working in a large company. Developing the ability to code and create slide decks is something taught at university, but the real-world experience of working with teams across different time zones, planning projects with professionals who have been in the field much longer than you, and explaining these projects to clients from diverse backgrounds is a unique and highly rewarding opportunity that I don’t think is available elsewhere. Similarly, working as part of an international team allowed me to develop skills both as a team member and sometimes in leading a team, which will be extremely valuable in my future career.