EDAS Software Engineer Review

My role is apprentice software engineer. This involves working with a team of software engineers with varying levels of experience, from other apprentices up to senior engineers and managers. I work with computers, helping develop, design and test various software products that BAE provides to its customers.

I cannot count the number of new skills I have gained from my time as an apprentice. From the main technical skills required, such as understanding and interpreting programming languages to refining my communications skills, the apprenticeship has allowed me to gain great confidence in my technical abilities. The main skill I have learnt is general problem solving, using the approach of breaking a problem into sub-problems and applying this to future problems.

Overall I have really enjoyed the on-the-job training and learning. All colleagues have been fantastic and I have learnt so much from so many of them. The university side of things has been less well structured and in some case, really quite poor in its delivery and handling of certain situations. I do not enjoy completing diploma either, but its mandatory! Overall I can say the actual job is brilliant and has been a great experience.

The way things are handled within the job is brilliant. Each team I have worked with have been exceptionally well organised. From a diploma point of view, I couldn't ask for a more organised skills coach. The university has been very poor in its organisation. This is frustrating and has lead to extra stress in an already full-on apprenticeship.

Support from the employer has been exceptional. No complaints at all.

Not enough. The training provider has been the major let down of the apprenticeship.

It hasn't if I am entirely honest. My own work/research and the work I complete as part of my day-to-day job is really what has made me a better engineer.

Yes, there are a good number of activities to get involved with, many are ad-hoc and organised by other apprentices. But there are opportunities to get involved in STEM events at local schools for example and social events at Christmas.

Yes

The experience I have had has been overwhelmingly positive and really the only downside has been the university provider, which has been changed for future cohorts.

Ask lots of question at the beginning, then, as you become more settled and experienced, see if you can figure things out on your own before reaching out for help. Also, make a note of all the things you have tried to solve a given problem, then, when you ask for help, you can show what you have already tried.