Application open from june 1 - july 1
Cohort 5
Foodland x Piʻikū Co.
7/24 - 10/17
Program timeline
<19
Hours per week
Hybrid
program structure
12 weeks
program duration
Breaking into tech takes real experience and real work for real clients with real stakes. WE know that part has been hard to come by in Hawai'i.
Pi'ikū gives you that on a project the community already depends on. This cohort, you're building it for Foodland.
Program overview
The client
Foodland is Hawai'i's largest locally owned grocery chain. Family-run since 1948, with stores across the pae 'aina and a customer base that spans generations. The work you do this cohort goes into systems those customers use every week.
The Model
12 weeks, 2 cross-functional teams, each owning its own Foodland project end to end.
The pods consist of 1 Product Manager, 2 Product Designers, and 3 Software engineers. Each with their own personal mentor who average 10 years of experience in your industry.
Hybrid
Paid
Cross-functional
What you’ll gain
Real experience
Fully paid stipends.
Learn to work in a real cross-functional team and ship products for Foodland.
You own the full process, from problem framing to public release.
Mentorship
Our mentors care about Hawai'i. They're here because they want the next generation to come up. They're also proof tech lives in Hawai'i. You're paired with one for the full 12 weeks.
1:1 weekly check-ins
review your work
give career feedback, and open doors when they can.
Community
75% of past participants are in paid tech work within six months of finishing.
You'll join a network of 100+ alumni, mentors, and industry partners, with post-program support that continues after your cohort ends.
Important program dates
Jun 1- Jul 1
Application period
Oct 17
info session
Jul 10
Notified by
Jul 24
Kickoff Date
Oct 17
Hō'ike date
You might be a good fit it
You're curious about tech and looking for a way in
You've done some classes or personal projects but want real experience
You want a tech career and want to build it in Hawai'i
Strong ties to hawai’i
define strong ties here
Kamaʻāina or Native Hawaiian
U.S. citizen or status as a permanent resident of the U.S (have a green card)
Must be at least 18 years of age
Plan to build a career here in Hawaiʻi
Kamaʻāina or Native Hawaiian
your commitment
15-20 hours per week
Weekly team syncs
Weekly professional development
Bi-weekly 1:1s with your mentor
In-Person Attendance for all mandatory events (Kickoff and Hoʻike)
The roles
UX/UI Designer
Own the design work for your pod's project. You'll run user research, build lo-fi wireframes and hi-fi prototypes, and test them with real users. Tight partnership with engineering and product interns through implementation.
Requirements: Two case studies showing how you turned stakeholder input into a design solution. Comfort in Figma.
Product Manager
Keep your pod focused, communicating, and shipping. You'll define success criteria, prioritize the backlog, run scrum ceremonies, and keep stakeholders updated on progress and risks.
Requirements: Experience or training in Scrum, Agile, or project management. One example of a project where you owned scope, budget, or timeline.
Software Engineer
Build the product alongside design and PM. You'll write production code, collaborate using git, write tests, peer-review with senior engineers, and document what you ship.
Requirements: 1-2 years of coding experience (CS track, bootcamp, or prior internship). Familiarity with at least one mainstream language. Comfort with git and an IDE. Prior team experience preferred.
Build with Foodland this summer.
Cohort 5 runs July 27 to October 17.
Applications close July 1.
Our Stats
4
cohorts ran since 2023
100+
alumni & industry network
75%
graduates find paid work within 6 months
$43
/hr average hourly rate
“This internship provided me with hands-on experience on a real project while working directly with clients (something i hadn’t done previously. the Pi’ikū community is incredibly supportive and i am forever grateful to be a part of it!”
Michelle Tran
Cohort 3 Alumni
UX/UI Designer @
Learn from the best
Our hand-selected mentors average over ten years of experience across a variety of top tech companies and either live and work right here in Hawai’i or have deep roots here. Mentors in our program build management and leadership skills, while cultivating strong community relationships.
Interested in becoming a mentor with us? Contact us at hello@piiku.co
FAQ
Do I need a CS degree or prior tech experience?
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Do I need a CS degree or prior tech experience?
answer here
Do I need a CS degree or prior tech experience?
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