Hey there – I’m John!
I graduated Manurewa High School in the class of 2019, went on to complete a Bachelor of Honours degree in Software Engineering, and have now started my first year of work as a software developer over the ditch in Sydney. I’ve always enjoyed having too much on my plate and that’s somewhat played a role in the things I’ve gotten up to since leaving Manurewa High. I ended up doing quite well at uni, having topped several of my courses and graduating with first class honours. But to say that my time at uni was all smooth sailing would be a huge understatement haha. I think that, although there’s much that I’ve learnt in terms of technical proficiency, the key upskilling during my time at uni has actually been growth in character and just dealing with the things of life, a lot of which I was fortunate to be quite sheltered from for most of my young adult years
In terms of what gives me purpose and keeps me going, it would have to be my faith. Not so much that God has given me the necessary tools in order to combat the lows of life as some divine metaphysical crutch, but rather that it is in God that I find my identity and, by extension, my purpose in life. With that at the core, I think that’s driven me towards someone who enjoys serving others, mixed in with a good amount of ambition and fun. That’s fed into some of my academic pursuits such as representing New Zealand in Future Problem Solving and the International Young Physicists Tournament; as well as acts of service such as leading at Manurewa High and the Manurewa Youth Council and as a small group leader at church.
One thing that I’m pretty excited about is my Honours research project I began at uni and am currently looking to continue on. My partner and I were working on developing a novel system, which we’ve called Polivr, to assist tertiary instructors of computing education in gauging the progress and retention of student learning. It does this via exploiting the massive amount of data made available by online version control systems, ultimately helping instructors see who in their class is performing well or those who may need assistance. The dream is to release our product on the global stage and be able to establish a user base with international tertiary institutions.
Throughout my entire journey thus far, the Hynds Foundation has played a pivotal role in my growth, particularly in my years of high school and into my early years of university. It’s often incredible to look back at the decisions that others have made in your life, and how that’s paved the way for you to be the person you are today. John Hynds and the Hynds Foundation certainly fit into that category. Hynds not only supported my participation in many academic competitions, but also awarded me with the Hynds Scholarship to undertake Engineering at the University of Auckland.
On top of this, the foundation provided me with excellent mentorship (thanks Patrick!) and the ability to get a taste of what working in the industry as an engineer is like.
All this said, I think the thing that I’m most grateful for is the belief that John and his team had in not only myself, but the countless other students they’ve assisted from Manurewa High over the years. It’s truly special what words of encouragement can do.
Currently, I’m working as a software engineer in a medium sized company called Vivcourt which operates in the fintech industry. What drew me to the role was how unique and challenging the problems are. Within the software industry, there are very few roles that let you work on systems that are so latency sensitive and complex. I also enjoy the lack of red tape, meaning that there’s a good level of autonomy and responsibility placed on the changes that you make to core systems. I’ve always enjoyed solving new problems and puzzles, and working in this space has really helped to scratch that itch.
On the flip side, working in the finance industry can raise a few eyebrows when it comes to the amount of impact you have on society. Although companies like ours work to provide liquidity to the financial markets, there is a level of discomfort some might feel about the distribution of wealth for providing such a service. Even our CEO and founder has said that we’re working in the most capitalist sector and that really we’re working to line our own pockets. I think what Vivcourt does well – and I’m conscious I don’t turn this into a shameless plug haha – but they’re dedicated to giving 50% of profits to charities, equating to about 20k per employee to give to a charity of our choosing. So working at Vivcourt seemed to strike a good balance between doing social good while having really interesting and challenging work.
In terms of what lies ahead, I’m not too sure. I’m just starting out in my career so I’ve got a bit of time to figure out how things will go. Continuing to work at Vivcourt, maybe moving into startups, or even pursuing full-time Christian ministry are all options I’m open to at this stage. Whatever it ends up being, I’m a firm believer that there’s not too much of a right or wrong so long as it aligns with what’s important.
There’s a multitude of individuals I’m thankful for, and I know for a fact that a few words on a page won’t do my gratitude justice nor encapsulate everyone that I would wish to thank. The teachers and lecturers in all my years of education have been phenomenal in providing opportunities to demonstrate akoranga – in becoming a lifelong learner. Further, church, family and friends have been a really solid foundation for support and comfort, particularly in trying times. Reflecting on all this reminds me of the age old adage of how a village raises a child. I perhaps see that more clearly now and I look forward to further days.