Micaela Ross 

Developer, Wellington

After finishing high school I had a variety of jobs here in New Zealand and overseas, but in 2007 I decided to return to university to get a degree and change my career. While studying at Victoria I discovered I really enjoyed the logical and creative sides of computer science and switched my major from an arts degree to a bachelor of science.

When I started with FNZ I actually had minimal IT experience. However, there were a couple of things about FNZ which really helped me to bridge the gap between what I learnt at university and what I needed for the work environment.

The first was the help I got from our amazing team of developers who patiently answered my questions. There is a fantastic collaborative approach in all the projects, where everyone has something to contribute and everyone is approachable. One of the things I really like about FNZ is its flexible approach and lack of unnecessary bureaucracy.

The other main reason I was able to develop my skills quickly was FNZ constantly challenges me to go beyond my comfort level. During my first six months I was flown to Sydney for over a month to work closely with our analysts there on a key project. On my return to Wellington I became one of the lead developers in our production support team for the same project.

This is a great example of how FNZ challenges their employees with new opportunities but at the same time rewards them for their commitment and achievements. Above the financial rewards FNZ offers, there are the fun things like foosball, table tennis and post-it wars, but what I like the most is the great team of people I get to work with.