Industry — Education
Platforms students actually use
Education technology usually fails for the same reason: it is built for the institution rather than the student. We build the student-facing side — career and employability portals, learning tools, self-service systems — and integrate them with the enrolment and identity systems the institution already runs.
Where we help
Student-facing portals
Careers, employability and skills platforms that a student opens on a phone between classes. Western Sydney University's Western Edge is exactly this: a custom portal built on Laravel and Next.js that reflects a student's experience back to them as measurable skill growth.
Integration with institutional systems
Student platforms live or die on their connections — SSO and identity, enrolment records, LMS content and reporting. We build those integrations so staff are not maintaining a parallel spreadsheet beside the platform.
Accessibility as a requirement
Public education platforms carry accessibility obligations that are not optional. We build to WCAG AA — semantic structure, keyboard operation, tested colour contrast — and treat it as part of delivery rather than a remediation project later.
Support through the academic year
Semester timetables do not care about release schedules. We run structured maintenance and support with the peaks of the academic calendar in mind, including the enrolment and orientation crunches.
The proof
Work we have shipped, not a capability deck.
- Western Sydney UniversityWestern Edge — a careers and employability portal that turns a student’s experience into visible skill growth, built on Laravel and Next.js.Read the case study
- Optimize Mind PerformanceA mental-skills coaching app and organisation dashboard used by schools, teams and individual athletes.Read the case study
Trusted by
“I’ve worked with Michael and the Team for a number of years now on a web development project of strategic value to the University. Michael and the team work in deep partnership and are genuinely invested in the success of the project and the maximising the impact it can deliver to end users. Always exceeding expectations, you will not find a more amiable, grounded and technically proficient team!”
Kelly Whitney
WSU Associate Director; Careers, Talent & Organisational Success
Engagement models
How we work
Four straightforward ways to engage us. Pick the one that fits, or mix them as your needs change.
Staff Augmentation
Add experienced Shakewell developers, designers or specialists directly to your own team. Engagements typically run three to twelve months, but can be as short or long as you need — you get the skills without the commitment and cost of hiring full-time.
About staff augmentationFixed-Scope Projects
Have a defined outcome in mind? We scope it, price it and deliver it as a project — a clear timeline, agreed milestones and a single point of accountability from kickoff to handover.
Embedded Delivery Teams
For larger or longer-running work, a cross-functional Shakewell team — development, design and delivery management — plugs in as your delivery arm, working to your priorities and your reporting cadence.
Support & Maintenance
Already live? We keep websites, stores and apps secure, updated and performing through ongoing retainers — business-hours support as standard, with 24/7 coverage available for critical issues.
About support & maintenance