June 25, 2026
The journey from university into industry can be challenging, and leave you wondering what your next chapter looks like. While there's strong demand for developers and digital talent, the transition from education into the workplace isn't always straightforward. For many students, the challenge isn't their ability, but understanding what career paths are available, what those roles look like in practice, and how to take their first steps into the industry.
Recent graduate employment figures highlight the importance of this. Only 56% of graduates are in full-time work 15 months after graduating, while just 38% of Computer Science graduates move into roles directly related to their degree. For many, understanding the variety of opportunities available can make a real difference.
That’s why the Develo team recently visited the University of Birmingham to proudly host our first-ever student workshop, Campus to Commerce. The workshop was created to give Computer Science students a genuine insight into what it’s like to work in an eCommerce agency, the types of projects we deliver at Develo, and the combination of technical knowledge, problem-solving, and commercial thinking required to create successful online experiences.
Rather than a traditional talk, the session was designed to be interactive and practical. Students were able to explore real-world technologies, work through a guided challenge, and hear directly from experienced professionals about how ideas move from initial concepts into fully developed digital solutions.
It also introduced students to eCommerce and technologies such as Magento, Mage-OS, and Hyvä as a potential career path after university, highlighting the wide range of opportunities available across development, digital commerce, and agency life.
Understanding the Economics of eCommerce
The afternoon began with a session from our Commercial Director, Steve Waller, who introduced students to the Economics of eCommerce.
The session explored the commercial foundations behind successful online stores, looking at the key commercial levers, including attracting the right audiences through traffic strategies, improving customer journeys through conversion rate optimisation (CRO), and increasing average order value (AOV).
A key takeaway was that successful eCommerce isn’t just about creating a website that works; it’s about understanding customer behaviour, solving business challenges, and building digital experiences that support measurable growth.
For students with a technical background, this provided a different perspective on how development connects directly to wider business outcomes. In an agency environment, success isn't measured solely by the quality of the code produced, but by the results it helps achieve for clients. Understanding how development decisions can influence customer experience, conversions, and business growth gives developers valuable commercial context.
For those considering a career in eCommerce or agency life, this broader understanding can be a real advantage. Technical skills will always be important, but candidates who can demonstrate an appreciation for the commercial objectives behind a project often stand out. Having that insight early in their careers can help them differentiate themselves from other candidates and make a stronger impact from day one.
From theory to hands-on development
Following the commercial session, our Founder, Luke Collymore, introduced students to some of the technologies we work with every day, including Magento, Mage-OS, and Hyvä.
Students then moved into the practical side of the workshop, using GitHub Codespaces and Claude AI to work on their own Magento instances. They were challenged with improving a demo eCommerce store, applying the principles discussed throughout the Economics of eCommerce segment and considering how technical decisions could improve the overall customer experience.
The task encouraged students to think beyond simply adding features. They had to consider how design, functionality, usability, and commercial goals all work together when developing an online store.
The workshop finished with students presenting their ideas back to the Develo team, explaining the improvements they had made and the thinking behind their decisions.
Inspiring the next generation of digital talent
The quality of the work produced was nothing short of impressive. The creativity, commercial thinking, and technical understanding demonstrated by the students showed how quickly they could absorb new concepts and translate them into practical improvements.
It was also fantastic to see the level of curiosity, enthusiasm, and fresh thinking throughout the day. Events like this highlight the value of bringing education and industry closer together, helping students gain confidence and a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them.
At Develo, we believe the future of eCommerce depends on bringing through talented people who can combine technical expertise with a strong understanding of customers and businesses.
A huge thank you to the University of Birmingham, Madasar Shah, and all of the students who took part. We loved sharing what life is like in an eCommerce agency and giving students a glimpse into the work we do every day at Develo.
We’re already looking forward to hosting more workshops and continuing to support the next generation of digital talent.
Last updated: July 1, 2026