I’m Yasmine, a Placement Software Engineer at Hamilton Robson. This year, I worked on an onboarding programme for some of our new team members. Last month Hamilton Robson’s Software team, got together to contribute to the final part of our onboarding process for our new team members – known as DeckFest.

This exercise was created to give the new members a platform to showcase what they had learned throughout their training by creating their presentation within their very own React application, while also allowing them to build on their speaking and presentation soft skills. For the previous 3 weeks, our new team members completed various workshops on Software Architecture, Git and GitHub, Unit Testing, and AWS tools/services.

As we discussed the DeckFest with our friends and networks, it sparked real interest and we wanted to share our secrets! In this blog post I’ll tell the story behind it, and why it was such a great exercise that we’d recommend to tech teams and beyond to upskill, close off an onboarding programme and collaborate in a new way.

Why run DeckFest?

At Hamilton Robson, we recognise that technical skills are just one piece of the puzzle. As our day to day roles involve client interaction and collaboration, the ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently is equally crucial. DeckFest provided the perfect setting for the whole team to practice these skills in a supportive environment. Plus, it was a fun and engaging way to wrap up the end of the onboarding process, and officially celebrate our new trainee software engineer’s Balazs and Eoin joining the team!

The Planning

This year, we decided to elevate our usual onboarding exercise. Originally, new team members would present their experiences from their first few weeks joining the team but we decided it would be a great idea to get everyone involved. As a team, we wanted to create a space where not only newcomers, but the entire team could participate in a shared experience of presenting. The overall aim was to break the ice, allowing new members to feel supported, knowing they weren’t the only ones stepping into the spotlight!

To add a fun spin on things, we introduced the idea of submitting our own topics. Each team member came up with and submitted two topics, which were then placed into a “spin the wheel” name picker. A week prior to DeckFest and once all topics were gathered, we spun the wheel as a team to assign our topics. These ranged from the serious (My journey from Software Grad to Engineer) to the more fun (How to speak Minionese) Each member of the team spun for their topic and also had the chance to skip their first topic and have a second spin if it wasn’t to their liking – but, of course, the second spin was final which definitely added a lot of suspense! The anticipation and excitement of the wheel spin honestly set the tone for the week, with everyone buzzing about their topics and who they were most eager to hear presenting at DeckFest.

The Execution

On the day of DeckFest, we gathered in one of our office’s meeting rooms, complete with snacks and the buzz of finally getting to see what everyone came up with! Each presentation lasted between 3 to 5 minutes, with the new team members getting a bit more time to dive into their React projects. There was one notable exception – Jake, who went above and beyond, setting up an interactive game for us all to take part in! It was such a fun twist that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

Balazs – Placement Software Engineer  – “Deckfest was an exciting and memorable way to wrap up our onboarding journey. It wasn’t just about honing our technical skills by using React to create presentations—it was about unleashing our creativity in unexpected ways. The challenge of tackling random topics pushed us out of our comfort zones, and the shared experience of presenting alongside my colleagues on quirky and fascinating subjects made it all the more enjoyable.

I ended up with the topic “History of NU metal”—something I knew absolutely nothing about before Deckfest. But by the end of it, I had a whole new appreciation for its history. I dove deep into the chaos of Woodstock 1999, which was a total disaster. My friend and I even covered and synced one of the songs played at the festival. It was a blast!”

Rachel, Marketing Manager  –“Participating in DeckFest was a refreshing, different and fun experience, especially as I had recently returned from maternity leave. Although the event was more aimed at helping our placement colleagues hone their presentation skills, it provided me and the others with an opportunity to practice public speaking in a safe place with a fun topic (I’m equally passionate about crisps and marketing!). It was a great way for me to transition back into the professional environment and be rewarded with an insightful presentation (and an unforgettable cover version) on my chosen topic of Nu Metal from Balasz! ”

Eoin – Placement Software Engineer – “DeckFest was an awesome way to wrap up the week. It gave me a chance to show off the skills I picked up during onboarding. The event was funny and informative, and having other team members present alongside me really boosted my confidence and took off some of the pressure. The interactive game at the end was really engaging, fun, and super competitive. I felt genuinely accomplished finishing my onboarding.

I was blown away—it wasn’t just a bunch of presentations. The interactive activities, the funny vibe, and the celebratory atmosphere made it way more than I expected.”

Looking ahead

DeckFest was about more than just presentations, it was about building connections and confidence within the team. The range of topics chosen by the team led to a lot of very interesting and diverse presentations, giving us all a lot to talk about! For new team members, it provided a safe and supportive space to practice presenting, easing the pressure of doing it alone. For existing team members who may not present often, it was a chance to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their skills!

The planning of DeckFest was a collaborative effort that was built on the success of our previous years onboarding. It served as a fantastic team building exercise that brought us all together in a shared experience of learning, presenting, and most of all, having fun. Here’s to more learning, more growth, and more DeckFests in the future!