Conversation with a Placement Student
4 min read
The world of digital continues to evolve, and as it does it brings new challenges and opportunities for the next wave of tech talent! As part of our long running student placement programme with Bournemouth University, each year we welcome Software Engineering placement students to work and learn with us, developing their skills in the real world of work.
We sat down with student Hayden Moore as he comes to the end of his 2025/2026 placement for a quick interview to discuss what it’s like to work on placement with Cold Banana, and what advice he has for the new students who’ve joined us for the 2026/2027 academic year!
What does your typical work day look like at Cold Banana?
“My typical day is getting into the office at half 8, walking to my desk then talking to the project manager to get a peek at what I’ll be working on throughout the day, where I will then jump onto getting some tickets done. Lunchtime! At lunch I decompress and have some banter with co-workers, enjoying the CB culture. Post-lunch: Back to the ticket grind, the grind doesn’t stop!”
How do you prioritise your workload when you have multiple tasks which need to be completed by the end of the day?
“I speak with my project managers, asking what the priority for each of the tickets is, working from the highest priority ticket to the lowest priority ticket. If my project manager isn’t available I just use my best judgement. I mostly minimise distractions by putting in some airpods and listening to music which allows me to work without my brain snapping to keywords in conversations that get brought up. It's also a relaxing way of working especially if a deadline is coming up.”
What is the most challenging part of your job?
“Keeping track of everything I’m doing can be very challenging as jumping from project to project throughout the day can be disorientating. One minute I’m locked into focusing on a mathematical concept, and the next minute I might be changing the colour on a frontend component. That's where being able to focus on the ticket at hand is extremely important.”
At Cold Banana, we value work culture and a work-life balance. What is your favourite thing about working here?
“Obviously I really enjoy programming! The ability to be able to picture something in my head, and then making it display on a web page is fascinating to me. It really has helped me improve my logical thinking which is something I’m very grateful for. I feel like I’ve learned something new every day during my time on placement at Cold Banana.”
Do you have any advice for someone looking to start a web development placement?
“Ask as many questions as you can, because if there’s anything you’re uncertain about, asking a question will never hurt. Other than that just be yourself!”
Cold Banana's values are Partnership, Opportunities, Positivity and Togetherness. How do you feel you embody these values?
“Since starting my placement at Cold Banana, I’ve been given my very first opportunity to work in real codebases, using industry level strategies and techniques. In terms of positivity, there’s lots of encouragement to continue doing your very best, with everyone in the office really helping to bring out the best in each other. Going out together for lunch and the other spontaneous fun trips that we’ve had like mini golf and go-karting have all been super enjoyable, and is something I hope to see more of!”
Interested in a Career in Tech?
If you're interested in starting a career with Cold Banana, head over to our careers page to check what positions we have available or email us at: careers@coldbanana.com
