For a lot of students and early-career developers, the hardest part of “breaking into tech” isn’t learning syntax or picking up new tools, it’s answering one paradoxical question: “How do I get experience when every job already expects experience?”
Open source already solves this, but most newcomers enter projects feeling overwhelmed, unsure where to contribute, and worried about bothering maintainers. The truth is that open source can function as a student's first real engineering job when they know how to approach it, and when mentors and maintainers create environments where newcomers can succeed.This talk gives students a practical roadmap for using open source as real-world experience. We will cover:
- how to choose projects that are beginner friendly
- how to understand issues and workflows
- how to communicate effectively
- how to ship meaningful contributions even without any prior internship
- how to turn these contributions into resume highlights, interview stories, and career momentum
Behind every new contributor is a structure that helps them succeed. Drawing on lessons from CodeDay Labs, a program where students work with industry mentors on open source projects, we will share what actually works in practice. This includes onboarding patterns that prevent students from getting stuck, communication habits that reduce confusion, and contribution pathways that keep maintainers from being overloaded.
The focus of this talk is on students and early-career developers, but the insights also highlight how maintainers and mentors benefit from welcoming new contributors.
Students improve documentation, close smaller issues, test features, and strengthen community health.By the end of the session, attendees will walk away with a clear method for treating open source as their first real engineering job.
