IT Achievers recognised

Tertiary IT enrolments may be down, but organisers for this year's PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards say a record number of applicants reflect the increasing importance of the industry to New Zealand's economy.

"Every year we have seen more creativity, talent and passion injected into the sector - this has been illustrated by more New Zealand hi-tech companies making the leap to the global stage," says awards chairperson Selwyn Pellett.

Finalists for the Nautech Electronics Hi-Tech Young Achiever Award have to be under 30 and have made an outstanding contribution to the success of a 'hi-tech' company. This year, Jordan Moss from mobile platform developer Prolificx, Heath Milligan from network security and traffic analysis company Endace, Tim Pick from internet search engine developer Eurekster and Derek Handley from interactive mobile platform developers The Hyperfactory all made the grade - so what's their secret and what tips do they have for young people eyeing up a 'hi-tech' career?

Pick says being bumped up to a sixth form computer class at Hawera High School at fourth form level kicked off an already well developed interest in computing and technology, and he later graduated from Massey University with a degree in software engineering. He now produces templates that allow website owners to build their own search engines and says the great thing about being a finalist in the Hi-Tech Awards is that "It's nice to have recognition because I always try to do the best job I can." Pick says people interested in IT should "just go for it" - he can't complain about the pay, and there are opportunities to be involved in different projects and problems.

Endace's Milligan, a senior management employee at just 25, travels extensively presenting solutions to customers, industry peers and internal teams. While still at Waikato Management School completing an honours degree in Management Studies, Milligan owned his own business designing and implementing business networks and importing computer hardware. At secondary school he says he was a "lunchtime geek" who helped others with their computer labs.

"An interest in computers had been with me for some time, but I had no clue about the breadth of the IT industry at that stage," says Milligan.

He suspects he is now a "serial entrepreneur of high technology companies" because he enjoys young companies that are growing and need marketing help. Happily for the local IT industry, he would also prefer to work in New Zealand.

"There's so much opportunity out there it's almost like the Wild West; young people can rise up and contribute something new and I'd advise them not to set their [IT career] sights too low," he says.

Like Pick, Milligan is pleased to be a finalist because it recognises the contribution he has made to his employer and the industry.

"I am Gen Y and we do like to get that instant feedback. I normally prefer other people to take the credit, so it's great to hear the boss say this about me publicly."

Moss, currently working out of Seattle for New Zealand employer Prolificx, says his career began with a lukewarm secondary school record at St John's in Hamilton and a profound desire to disassemble his mother's vacuum cleaner.

"My mother could tell you about all the electronic things I took apart and destroyed in our house," says Moss.

Home schooled because he knew what he wanted to do and the school system "wasn't that good for me" Moss went on to achieve an engineering degree from the Auckland University of Technology. "If you have the mind for it, there's no shortage of national and international work. Prolificx will be relieved to hear Moss has no plans to move on at this stage. Instead, he recommends graduates look at local job opportunities.

"Most New Zealand IT companies are small and start ups. Get involved with one that has the right dynamics and that aims for high goals."

IT in a nutshell

* There are more than 8800 New Zealand companies across the electronics, software, telecommunications, biotechnology and creative technology sectors.

* Approximately 10 per cent achieve revenues in excess of $1 million a year, with annual export sales of more than $1.25 billion.

* The industry employs more than 36,000 people and over the course of the last ten years, has experienced a growth rate of 23 per cent per annum.

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards 2006