Shawish Market

Learn More About Shawish Market

Who are they?

Shawish Market is a virtual Indigenous marketplace similar to Etsy, but what sets us apart is that we don’t charge any vendor fees—removing barriers for Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs. Every artist on our platform is verified to ensure authenticity. We currently feature over 200 Indigenous artists and more than 1,000 authentic Indigenous items. Learn more about them at: www.shawishmarket.com 

What projects might I work on?

Shawish is looking for interns to support with website developments (ideally, interns that have experience with API, coding and website development.) They are looking to update the platform to make it easier for Indigenous artists. They want to integrate different shipping providers APIs to the Shawish and different payment processing companies. Shawish also needs support with various other updates such as upgrading the filter system and making the website more user friendly. 

What will working on projects look like?

  • Assist with updating and maintaining the Shawish Market website built in custom PHP
  • Support integration of shipping provider and payment processing APIs
  • Help improve the product search and filter system for better user experience
  • Review and implement feedback from Indigenous artists to enhance platform usability
  • Troubleshoot and test new features to ensure smooth functionality
  • Collaborate with the Shawish team to support ongoing website improvements

What could I expect to learn from this experience?

  • Practical skills in custom PHP development and Single Page Application (SPA) architecture
  • How to integrate third-party APIs for shipping and payment processing
  • Best practices in e-commerce functionality and user experience design
  • Real-world problem solving using vendor and customer feedback
  • Version control, testing, and troubleshooting in a live production environment
  • How to collaborate with an Indigenous-led team working toward social impact and economic empowerment

What skills are they looking for in a strong candidate?

The qualifications for this position are:

  • Supporting website development at Shawish Market.
  • Ideal candidates will have:
    • Experience with APIs, coding, and web development. 
    • Supporting goals, including
      • integrating shipping provider APIs/additional payment processors, 
      • improving the filter product search system 
      • Enhancing overall user experience for Indigenous artists. 
      • Integrating artist feedback provided to Shawish into these updates.
Apply here!

Note: Applications for IAP 2026 will open on Monday, August 25th, and close on Friday, October 17th!

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