Melaleuca Helps Prepare the Next Generation for Careers in Technology

Melaleuca is helping prepare the next generation for careers in technology by giving high school students hands-on experience with coding, software development and artificial intelligence.

That commitment is not new. The 2026 AI + IT Tech Camp marks the eighth year that Melaleuca has hosted high school students at Global Headquarters for immersive technology education.

During the weeklong program, students learned coding fundamentals, worked with emerging AI tools and heard directly from Melaleuca technology leaders about careers in the industry.

Investing in the Next Generation

Melaleuca is uniquely positioned to provide that kind of experience. As one of North America’s largest e-commerce companies, Melaleuca relies on sophisticated technology systems and a highly skilled IT team to serve customers around the world. The camp gives students the opportunity to learn from professionals who use technology every day to solve real business challenges.

“Technology is evolving rapidly, both in how accessible it is and how it’s being applied,” said Melaleuca Chief Information Officer Todd Sorenson. “It’s important that we continue creating opportunities for Idaho’s students to keep pace through hands-on experience and practical knowledge. Our goal is to help students build a strong foundation that they can continue to grow as they develop the skills needed for meaningful careers in science and technology.”

That preparation is becoming increasingly important as artificial intelligence changes the skills that technology employers need.

“Technology companies are looking for people who can solve problems, think critically and use emerging tools like AI effectively,” said Idaho Technology Council President/CEO Diane Temple. “When students get hands-on experience with those skills early, they are better prepared for the opportunities ahead. Melaleuca’s AI + IT Tech Camp gives students a practical look at how technology is actually being used and helps prepare these future leaders to compete and contribute in a global technology economy.”

Students experienced that changing technology landscape firsthand.

Led by software engineer and former BYU-Idaho computer information technology professor Nathan Birch, students began with coding fundamentals before advancing to AI-assisted development. Birch wanted them to understand what was happening behind the technology before asking AI agents to help bring their ideas to life.

“The level of ambition is higher than I have ever seen,” Birch said. “It is not necessarily because these students are more brilliant than previous groups. The tools are simply making these ideas much more achievable.”

Learning to Work With AI

This year’s camp reflected how quickly software development itself is changing.

In previous years, students used AI mainly to improve code or add features. Today, AI can help with much more of the process, allowing students to turn bigger ideas into working applications.

But students also learned that getting good results from AI requires more than simply asking it to “build an app.” Birch taught students that AI works best when they give it clear, detailed instructions. They used several tools to plan their projects before using AI to help build them.

“The clearer and more specific the prompt is, the more likely the agent is to build what the student actually wants,” Birch said.

Turning Ideas Into Working Apps

Jared Fife developed a multiplayer video game that can support as many as eight players. His game generates a shareable room code that allows others to join and begin playing together within minutes.

“Something that might have taken months before can now take 15 minutes,” Birch said. “A student can say, ‘Here’s my room code. Hop on,’ and suddenly everyone is playing a multiplayer game.”

Tennison Noyes took a different approach. He created the Idaho Fishing Guide, an application that helps users prepare for a fishing trip based on location, current weather conditions and the type of fish they hope to catch.

For example, someone looking for rainbow trout in the Snake River can use the app to get recommendations for bait, line type and hook size. The project required Noyes to bring together information from multiple services and organize it within a single application.

Students had 10 hours of classroom instruction and development time during the week. They also heard from Melaleuca leaders during daily lunch presentations.

Using Technology to Solve Everyday Problems

Birch also encouraged his students to look beyond games and fishing apps, challenging them to think about how technology could solve problems in their daily lives.

To demonstrate, he built an application in front of the class to address a recurring challenge in his home: deciding where family members sit at the dinner table or in the family vehicle.

Birch uploaded photos of his family’s table, vehicle and all seven family members. The application then created a seating rotation showing where everyone should sit. Students watched a simple idea become a functioning application.

“Now I have an app I can install on my phone and my iPad, and my family can use it at home,” Birch said. “This year, AI has reached the point where the students can do that same kind of thing. They leave the camp with an app they can actually use.”

Building Confidence for the Future

That experience reflects a larger purpose behind Melaleuca’s AI + IT Tech Camp: helping young people recognize that technology is something they can use to solve problems, pursue their interests and build ideas of their own.

By giving students access to experienced instructors, Melaleuca technology leaders and modern tools, the program helps students gain confidence in their ability to create meaningful solutions and see technology careers within their reach.

For these students, the week was more than an introduction to coding and artificial intelligence. It was an opportunity to discover what they are capable of building and begin preparing for technology careers of the future.