Degree Apprentice Review

As a degree apprentice with SSE, my primary role is to gain as much knowledge and experience as I can, during 6 month rotations. Every 6 months I experience a new job role, a new area of the business and a new method of working. During those six months, I have the opportunity to shadow my colleagues and learn from them, the opportunity to take on tasks and projects which contribute to the team effort and the opportunity to become involved with the business processes and understand how my team fits into the larger picture of the whole business.

I am gaining new skills and developing existing skills all the time, all of which vary. In my current role, I have picked up another programming language. I was given time to research and learn the language and then apply my new skills to the project. However, the skills I learn and develop are not always as obvious as that, for example during my previous rotation I had to hold and manage discussion on whether the team should start to use SharePoint to collaborate on projects. During this discussion, there were many conflicts of opinion, and I had to do my best to control the discussion and keep it on track and keep it productive. This was one of the most challenging things I have done yet, however, the experience has developed my ability to lead a discussion and keep a room full of people productive. I am able to look back at that experience and reflect upon what I should do differently next time.

I thoroughly enjoy the programme. This programme has set me up for my career and my life and I couldn’t be happier. The teams I have worked with so far have been fantastic, constantly offering support and friendship. Being able to feel welcome and relaxed at work is a fantastic feeling, and is greatly appreciated after an experience I had with a different company. Another benefit of this programme, is that you have other apprentices in the exact position as you. We all support each other and try to help each other succeed. It is just great to be able to talk to someone who is on exactly the page as you as you experience new and sometimes daunting things. We also hang out after work sometimes and catch up with a social drink which is nice.

I certainly feel valued by the business. SSE is investing a lot of money into me and my future. We are reminded at every turn that we are seen as the future of the business and are offered whatever support and encouragement we need. The whole programme is structured around helping us find a role we can excel at and enjoy. I feel that making sure we have everything we need to become the best is a top priority for the business. Not that money is the sole reason I took the position, but it would be nice to receive an increase in pay that reflects the increase in my knowledge, experience and contributions. I suppose that would be a fantastic way to feel valued... but I would say that wouldn't I?

Being in the first ‘wave’ of degree apprentices, I feel that the programme has worked exceptionally well so far. Of course, there are little things that improve with trial an error that could have made the induction a little smoother, but nothing that would impact the overall experience as a degree apprentice. It has been structured in such a way that will allow me to experience all areas of IT and the business. So that I can obtain as much information as possible in the most efficient way. Now the programme is in full effect and I have am settling into my roles and routines just fine after receiving all the support and study time I desire.

As we are only at university 1 day a week, we don't have much interaction with our lecturers or our tutors outside of the lectures. However, I recognise that I can change that if I wanted to, and the support would be their if I needed it. The level of support the lectures give in response to a query or a question regarding an assignment, is less than I initially anticipated. I would just put that down to moving up to university from college, where we are quite right expected to become more independent and control our own learning.

As I have already stated, the support I receive from my employer is phenomenal. At every stage, my managers and my colleagues are ready and willing to help. It seems almost everybody in the business wants us to succeed and will ensure that we have everything we need to do so. I am under no illusions, that if I was struggling with any element of the programme, I would be happy, confident and relaxed by the end of the day. I’m not even sure if I would have to ask for help, as someone is always there to make sure that I have everything I need.

My salary is more than fair considering the cost of tuition and the lack of experience I have. I can comfortably support myself on my wage, and invest in my future. I have been saving money for a while, and the security of the salary has allowed me to obtain a mortgage on a 2-bedroom maisonette. Even after the mortgage payments, the utility bills, food bills, travel costs and other outgoings, I still have enough money at the end of the month to save, invest and enjoy. Of course, it would be preferable that the salary increases every year in conjunction with my level of experience and my contributions to the business. However, I still could not complain, as I am in a far better financial situation than most people my age.

There are opportunities that involve contributing to our communities and promoting healthier lifestyles for us all, which I think is fantastic. For example SSE have something called a 'Be the Difference' day which we can use enrol on a programme which gives us the opportunity to help our community in a variety of fun and interesting ways. SSE also encourage us to partake in raising money for charity, by matching charitable dentations by up to £200. We are also given discounts on gym memberships and there are groups of people that hold fitness events like running and football.

Yes

I’m not sure if this text box could handle the number of reasons I have to recommend this apprenticeship to a friend, so I’ll stick to the main ones. 1. You get a free BSc Degree. That is at least £9000 a year you do not have to worry about. A FREE Degree. 2. You earn a sizeable Salary while you study and you learn. You are essentially being paid to go to university. 3. You get an extra 4 years to decide what it is you want to do, and you get to experience every single Job role on offer before you make that decision. 4. You have a job waiting for you at the end of the programme, and nothing is out of reach. You can aim for any Job role you wish. Weather it is a hard-core coder and developer, or a project manager or business analyst. It is there if you want to achieve it.

I don’t speak for the company, but I get the impression that they are not just looking for technical skills. The business wants ‘the future of SSE’, and that would be someone with vision, determination, a willingness to succeed and improve. Someone who is inspired and forward thinking, someone who can communicate and understand different people and their viewpoints. At the stage of the interviews, technical skills are not necessity and they are not what you are judged on. The technical skills are there for you to obtain on the degree course and through the duration of your rotations. When you go for that interview, SSE want to see your drive, your ambition and your ability to communicate and work as part of a team, not how much you know about coding or networks. The business wants to invest time and money into you, and they want to know that you will be worth that investment. They want to know that you will take full advantage of what they are offering you. Another pointer would be something that sounds obvious, but relax. The interview process is not a interrogation. Your assessors want to talk to you, they want to find out more about who you are and what you want to achieve and what you have offer. No one is trying to catch you out with ridiculous questions or anything. Just do your best, and learn from the experience.