Software Engineer Apprentice Review

As a software engineer, it is my job to develop software which the company uses. On a day to day basis, we would participate in any of the team meetings/procedures, such as stand-ups, retrospectives, ticket refinement. Then typically as an apprentice, you would pair with a member of your team on a ticket (a piece of work to do) and they would talk you through and explain anything you were unsure of.

During my time as an apprentice, I developed my existing skills with different development languages. At the company the main language is Java, so I learned quite a lot of Java while being an apprentice. I also became a much more confident person as the company encourages, but not forces, apprentices to put themselves out there and do different workshops/talks which would help their confidence and public speaking.

I do not really see my programme as a job. It is a joy to go into work each day knowing that I am in an environment where the people around me are supportive and all on the same page. There's a real sense of unity in my team which really helps us all work together towards a common goal. As with any organisation, there are instances of business politics, but for the most part the programme is excellent.

Initially, we go through a month-long 'Bootcamp' to get all of the year's intake of apprentices on the same page, this Bootcamp will go through some programming fundamentals to ensure everyone has a grasp of what they're getting into. Training is every day, pairing with more senior colleagues and completing work which always improves your knowledge and skills. Support can vary per apprentice, depending on the team they're assigned, however personally, I've had all the support I needed and find that if I ever require more, all I need to do is ask. We are assigned mentors who are our 'go-to' person whenever we need any help, but this isn't to say we can't ask anyone in the team, or even the company. The majority of people are extremely friendly and if you show an interest, people are more than happy to help. As there is quite a lot of learning for specific exams on the apprenticeship, task delegation comes as and when you need it, again this varies from team to team, but personally I found whenever I needed work, I could ask for some and would be given it, but if I needed a few days or weeks to revise for an exam, or even just work on a personal project to improve my skills, I was given the time.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. My manager holds regular 1-2-1s with me to ensure I am at where I should be, and if not talks me through a plan to help me get to where I should be. I have a mentor who I can go to with any questions or concerns I have and they'll also help me. I also pair with my mentor quite a lot which is extremely helpful. There are also online learning resources provided by the company, which I can complete in my spare time or while at work.

Support from the training provider is pretty lacklustre, I want to clarify that overall support is excellent, because the support from the company itself is so good, but actual support from the training provider barely exists. We have monthly bootcamps which last for 2 days and vary in usefulness, some are extremely useful and we learn a lot, but some feel rushed and incomplete. These bootcamps are iterated on however and so each year they should be getting better.

My qualification itself puts me in a perfect position to work as a software engineer. What I learn on a daily basis is the job that I want to do, and so each day is valuable knowledge and experience to help me become a good engineer. The bootcamps offered by the training provider can vary in usefulness but are iterated on so should always be improving.

There are many extra-curricular activities to get involved in at work, as Booking.com is a global company with thousands of employees, there's pretty much something for everyone. Different sports clubs, gaming clubs, board game clubs, we have our own internal facebook where there is a group for pretty much everything. If you want to get involved in anything outside of work hours, there'll be something for you.

Yes

It is a good company to work for, and a good company to have experience at. There are definitely some negative points surrounding lack of transparency and business politics, but this is most likely true of any company of the size. The important thing is the people you'll be working with on a daily basis are most likely on the same page as you, and will really help you start a career in software engineering.

Have a genuine interest in learning to code. You don't have to be a professional when you apply, but if you have a genuine interest then you'll be liked. Be yourself and remember that you'd be applying for an apprentice role, you are not expected to be a professional.