saviontrela
Work on actual financial technology challenges while building a portfolio that matters
Our student project program connects learners with genuine fintech problems faced by Australian businesses. You'll tackle budgeting tools, payment integrations, and data visualization challenges that companies actually need solved. It's hands-on experience that goes way beyond tutorial projects—and sometimes, your work even ships to real users.
Last autumn, a small accounting firm needed their expense tracking system modernized. Three students rebuilt it from scratch using React and integrated it with Xero's API. The firm still uses it daily, and the students walked away with something concrete to show employers. One of them now works part-time for that same firm.
A Brisbane startup approached us with a clunky checkout flow that was losing them customers. Two students redesigned the entire payment interface, focusing on mobile experience and error handling. Conversion rates improved by about 20%. The students learned more in eight weeks than they would've in a year of coursework.
We don't just throw you into the deep end. Each project follows a structured path that mirrors how professional teams actually operate.
You meet the business owner or product manager—actual people with actual problems. They explain what's not working and what they need. You ask questions, take notes, and start thinking about solutions. It's awkward at first, but that's part of learning how client conversations really go.
Your mentor helps you break down the project into manageable pieces. You'll map out data flows, choose your tech stack, and figure out what's realistic given your timeline. Some students try to build everything at once—we help you focus on what actually matters.
This is where you spend most of your time. You code, you get stuck, you figure it out, you get stuck again. Weekly check-ins keep you on track and give you a chance to talk through blockers. Your mentor reviews code and points out better approaches—not to criticize, but because that's how you improve.
You present your work to the client and walk them through what you built. Sometimes they love it immediately. Sometimes they have change requests. Either way, you learn how to handle feedback professionally and understand what "done" really means in a business context.
Our mentors have all shipped production code and know what it takes to turn classroom skills into workplace capabilities.
Senior Developer & Mentor
Spent seven years building fintech products at a Sydney payments company before joining us. Lennart has a knack for explaining complex architecture decisions in plain language. He's patient with beginners but won't let sloppy code slide—students either appreciate that or learn to appreciate it.
Technical Lead & Reviewer
Came to Australia in 2019 and worked her way up through several fintech startups. Ingrid reviews every line of code students write for client projects—she catches the security issues and performance problems before they become embarrassing. Her feedback is detailed but always constructive.
We're accepting applications for our autumn project program. Limited spots available because each student needs proper mentorship. If you've completed foundational courses and want to work on something real, this might be right for you.