Software Consultant Review

I work for Capgemini as an Oracle Application Consultant. My day to day role consists of supporting a clients Oracle E-business Suite procurement system through use of Incident, Change Request and Problem Management. I work at my base location on behalf of clients around the UK. Internally I frequently communicate through email and phone and will regularly communicate face to face with colleagues one to one or in group meetings. external communication is also frequent through use of email and phone and on several occasions I have attended meetings with clients in our office and on client site. My responsibilities include keeping Incident tickets up to date and meeting SLA deadlines as well communicating with the client in order the provide support during agreed support hours.

When I first joined Capgemini I had very little computing, programming and business knowledge. Since joining 2 years ago I have completed numerous courses on these subjects. When I first joined I attended an Accelerated Learning Environment where I lived away for 13 weeks completing training designed to ensure I was ready to make my start in the business. I have completed a level 4 apprenticeship as part of my 5 year Degree programme which consisted of work based modules and assessments. As well as learning all the technical skills required for my job I have also gained personal skills such as how to speak with clients, how to present yourself well and how to succeed in the IT industry.

I really enjoy my programme because every day I am learning and growing as an individual. The abundance of training is excellent which encourages me to get better at what I do each and every day. I enjoy a challenge and I feel that at Capgemini I have unlimited opportunities to challenge myself in the ways that I choose. Any expectations I had have been blown away as I could not have predicted just how varied this experience has been so far.

I feel from the beginning I have been valued an Apprentice in training and development. Capgemini have responded to my requests for further development by providing training opportunities when they are needed. I do feel however that sometimes if nothing is said then people will assume all is well. I think there could be more done to review how individuals are progressing and how content they are with their career progress. I think is may be a result of communication between the GAP programme team and the apprentices business unit. I have overcome these situations by venting my concerns however I feel this process could be more immediate.

My programme has had a mix of amazing and organised structure to mix ups and mistakes. In general my apprenticeship has been well laid out however there have been times where I feel things could have gone better. My apprenticeship was provided through QA and unfortunately there were several situations where they were unsure what modules we had to complete and what paper work we needed to complete. This left me perplexed after hearing that the same mix ups were made on previous intakes. Aside from apprenticeship related work Capgemini have provided a great environment to learn and a great apprentice community where I feel my opinions are not only valued, but instead encouraged.

Training was provided by QA. I was not impressed with the training provided as there were many situations where I was left puzzled as to what the requirements of my apprenticeship were. No one at QA seemed to know how to deal with the situation. Luckily a change in tutor helped to improve the situation and I managed to complete my apprenticeship on time. I did receive a few courses during my apprenticeship however most of the programme consisted of completing work based modules. I didn't feel I learned anything from the modules as I was only providing evidence on work done in the business. I feel more time could have been spent by QA teaching or coaching me rather than assessing.

If I remove QA from the equation and focus solely on training provided by Capgemini then I would say the support provided had been great. There was a delay in training which I feel was influenced by business resourcing decisions. Since then however training has been great and I feel Capgemini do want to support me and help develop me in my career.

My salary has increased steadily since first joining and I am able to cover my costs of living comfortably when living with parents or with a partner who also works full time. I would say that although I am content enough with my wage at this time I am aware there are companies willing to pay substantially more for my services and I have seen other apprentices leave the company as a result. Training and opportunists are the biggest pay load for my self however I am aware this is not the case for others and should be thought about by management to ensure retention of apprentices.

As Capgemini is a big company there are always opportunities such as charity events. I commend Capgemini for there flexibility with working hours, this allows for such events to be participated by staff. There are also event opportunities such as school visits and career fairs.

Yes

Capgemini is a great company to work for and offers a great Degree Apprenticeship programme. There are many roles available within the company some being very technical and others very business or people orientated. There are many opportunities so if someone likes a challenge then they'd love a career at Capgemini

My application process included a phone interview, one to one interview, problems solving and skills knowledge activities. For the interview process I would encourage people applying to do there research on the company and the programme. If you can find out what Job role they may be recruiting you for this would help. Be confident and show interest and enthusiasm in business and IT as well as personal development and being innovative.