Software Engineer Apprentice Review

Team dependent. Tasks range from coding a small alteration to a larger service, to self contained projects, maintenance tasks, document writing, etc.

Increased coding knowledge mostly from colleagues. Training provider taught nothing useful.

Overall experience was disjointed. Multiple manager changes, which wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't vastly different expectations for apprentices depending on the manager. Team support also varied massively; some teams don't understand that apprentices need to be trained. The apprenticeship training was almost entirely useless, due to a degree standard not relevant to the job, and overall poor delivery of training by QA. Workload/stress depends on manager, with some very lenient, and others less so.

This may have improved since I started, but as I said above, the degree program was almost entirely useless. Assignments and modules did not help at all on the job. This required us to learn in our own time. There was no effective communication to managers on the needs of an apprentice - that they NEED training, mentorship, tailored projects/tasks, and patience. Some managers understood this, but many provided inadequate support, while expecting the work of a full time employee.

Dependent on manager. Some managers provided almost none, others lots. The apprenticeship team has made good improvements in supporting apprentices when problems arise, however too much of this rests on apprentices themselves to figure out how to deal with problems..

QA were terrible. * Very poor standard of 'instructors', with many knowing less than the students themselves * Course not degree level (somewhere between GCSE and A-levels in terms of difficulty) * Feedback for assignments blatantly made up on multiple occasions * Non-existent admin who frequently ignored emails * Constant admin issues e.g. grades not released, no instructor assigned for course, delays etc.

Not at all. The degree standard is not relevant to the software engineer job.

Yes, lots, as Amazon is a huge company.

Yes

Worth it due to salary and prestige (it looks good on your CV).

You need to independent, in terms of learning skills and solving problems (both technical and non-technical). DON'T go in if you have no coding knowledge.