Interns Q&A

Climbing to New Heights: Scott’s Journey from Intern to Software Developer

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Headshot of Scott Ferguson

Scott Ferguson

Meet Scott: Since he joined the team as an intern in 2020, Scott has launched his development career, bringing his drive and dedication to Crossfire projects. 

Scott has now completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), First Class, at the University of Auckland. During his time there, he heard about Sandfield’s work at University of Auckland information evenings. What caught Scott’s attention for our internship program was the opportunity to take on meaningful work rather than self-lead side projects.   

It’s safe to say Scott has walked the walk - making significant contributions to the Crossfire team throughout his internship. A rewarding highlight (and learning curve) for Scott was working on the Crossfire Orders Portal.

"The portal had not been worked on for three years prior to me joining the team, and I had no prior experience with the React framework it was built in. I managed to single-handedly get the project back up and running, implement many new features and performance improvements and then deploy a new version out for the Crossfire customers”.

Beyond tackling the big projects, Scott also worked on a myriad of small features and improvements for the main Crossfire application. “There was always something new to discover, and the variety helped me pick up many new skills and understand new pieces of the puzzle that is the Crossfire codebase”.  

At Sandfield, our internship program is structured to mould around class timetables and exam seasons. For Scott, this meant coming in one full day each week during semesters, which he found to be ideal.

This schedule allowed him to dive into real-world challenges outside of course work, and to enjoy the day off from thinking about university. In the holidays, he took on more full time hours, making sure to keep study tasks under control so he could immerse himself in his work. 

Scott’s internship provided him with practical and relevant industry experience, which has given him the tools to tackle the work he is doing now.

“My internship taught me how to be self-sufficient, but to always ask for help if I get stuck. Working on such a large codebase is not something you get to experience in University, and especially not something as complex as Crossfire. I learnt many new skills from effectively researching problems, to planning and interacting with clients”. 

We asked Scott what his advice would be for any upcoming Sandfield interns. These were his words of wisdom:

“Don't be afraid to volunteer for tasks you do not know how to do, and don't be afraid to ask for help. This mindset helped me continuously improve my competency as an intern, and learn the most from my time spent”.

Henry Payne, Head of Crossfire:

“Scott is a valuable addition to the Crossfire team. In the short time he's been with us full time, he has made a major contribution. Scott has been working on the Order Management Portal for one of our major customers and has taken the primary responsibility for delivering this over the last 3 months.

Scott deployed the application to production and our customer has given very positive feedback on Scott's aptitude and delivery working on the project. Fantastic to have you with us, Scott.”

Outside the office, Scott has a not-so-hidden talent. Competing in most regional and national competitions, Scott has been an avid rock-climber since he was 12.

Around his workload, Scott finds the time to climb 3 days a week. He also enjoys hiking, and has a few NZ favourites including Abel Tasman and Mt Thomas. At home, he enjoys cooking dishes from around the world with his partner - what a great way to unwind!

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