Software Engineering Degree Apprentice Review

My role currently is focusing on the Testing area of Software Engineering, Ive chosen to focus on this role after having been able to try it out on the apprenticeship. My role mainly involves a mixture of Manual, Performance and Automated testing.

I came to the apprenticeship with next to no skills inside Software Engineering but a keen interest in the area and wanting to know more. Ive learnt skills around coding, testing, management, BA from a mixture of the University, IBM lead courses and the people on my team.

Ive really enjoyed the programme. I wont say I loved every module at Uni as I found some much more challenging than others but it covered a wide range of areas that you pick up on during the work side of the apprenticeship. I particularly enjoyed the modules around designing UI and the work based modules.

I think that the IBM side of the apprenticeship for me was really well organised and structured, I was put on a project to work on skills and to help me learn from others and the people I worked with where extremely supportive and showed a lot of interest in the University side of my work. The University side felt a bit less organised but I appreciate they have a lot of people to manage.

Ive received a lot of support from my Employer. I think every time Ive had a question theres always been someone happy to answer and help. People on my team have been extremely supportive as they show a great interest in the apprenticeship and would often ask what modules I was studying at Uni and ask if they could share any knowledge they had in that particular area.

I think DMU where supportive in terms of helping me complete my qualifications but occasionally some lecturers where extremly hard to get a hold with to reach out to with questions about the work that was set. That being said some where really helpful and made time to explain things futher.

I think that the qualification is a really good starting point for the role, it helps to explain a bit more of the why side of things are done in certain ways. That being said I think without having done the work side of the apprenticeship I wouldnt have as many skills or as much knowledge as somethings can only come from being in the industry and seeing it for yourself.

At work there are several networking events for people in our roles, apprentices and juniors that I took part in. There are other social activities that people can join depending on there interests.

Yes

I think theyve given me a brilliant start to my career in Tech. Without them I probably wouldnt have attended University and gotten my degree. I think the people in my team have had a massive impact from how supportive theyve been.

There is a lot of work with the coursework for the University, but if your ever struggling reach out to those around you, Im still surprised sometimes at the amount of knowledge around me and how willing people are to help if you ask. Another piece of advice (one I was given when I joined) was try to take every opportunity that your given, you never know who you might meet that will remember you and help further your career!