Software Engineer Review

I am currently working as a software developer for Capgemini. My main role involves supporting the clients Adobe LiveCycle solutions. I am one of only two people on the account who works in this area. Each day varies from creating brand new adobe applications to updating existing packages with fixes and change requests. This role also requires the use of sql, xpath and creating xsd's and xml data.

Since joining Capgemini I have learned a wide range of skills. I have build up my knowledge of sql and can now perform all CRUD operations. I can write stored procedures, functions and output the data in xml format. I have become experienced in using the Adobe LiveCycle Enterprise Suite which has also provided the opportunity to learn X-Path expressions; XSLT's and create XSD schemas.

The program has had its ups and downs caused by issues with assessors on our first year which hindered our progression. But once all the issues were addressed the program became much more enjoyable. Having the opportunity to learn new skills while getting paid helps to make the experience much more enjoyable and can provide that extra bit of motivation.

At the start of my career with Capgemini I found that the company really tries to show the apprentices how valued you are. This is great and does help you to settle in and enjoy the experience. However, as time goes on it can depend on your situation and where you are placed within the company as to how appreciated you become. Although having a relatively niche skill area which is a demand on one of the larger accounts Capgemini can seem to only look at the wider picture.

We did have issues with our apprentice assessors being unavailable for a year of our apprenticeship and due to our location we did feel like we had been forgotten. Once the issues came to light it took a month or two but everything was set in place to ensure our success. The assessor meetings become regular and the support provided was to a very high standard.

We did not receive any support on our first year of the apprenticeship but once we received a full time assessor our level of support was extremely high. Our assessor was in regular contact either by online chat or in person. He would inform us of his plans to visit in advance to ensure we'd have all work on site for his arrival.

The support from the employer has been very good. They had placed measures in place to ensure that no apprentices would fall behind but this did fail for us on our first year due to a lack of communication between our training provider and the company. Luckily they worked extremely hard to ensure that we were all provided the support to get back on track and succeed.

When I first joined the company, I performed very well and learned some niche skills very quickly. This helped to improve my salary in a relatively short amount of time. However, now that more time has passed and I have become experienced in that area, I feel Capgemini have not valued what I bring to the company and the account. On top of this, the travelling I do each day regularly adds up to three hours a day. This was not something I had planned on when joining Capgemini as it was not mentioned during the interview. If the opportunity arose then I would probably move companies to someone closer and who would see the value that the skills I have learned brings.

Being in a large company means that there are regular opportunities arriving in my inbox. However, I do find that 99% of the opportunities tend to be in areas of the country which are very far away from my location. Many of the events are either evening events on the opposite site of the country or would require a business case stating the reasons why you think the company should let you attend.

Yes

I would recommend Capgemini to any of my younger friends who are looking to start a career in IT. The apprentice and degree programs provide a great platform to build a successful career in the industry and the pay when first starting out is extremely competitive with regular reviews in your first two years. They would gain great experience of client-company relationships helping to build a professional outlook.

When I applied for Capgemini I was lucky enough to go straight to the assessment centre but I know many of my colleagues were required to have a telephone interview. Some people do not prepare for assessments and interviews but I feel it gives you the best chance possible even if the only thing you gain is the right mindset for the day. I would recommend going onto Google and searching for examples assessment day tests and interviews which you can then go through and prepare for your own day. Most of what you research might not come up but what if a small portion does....