Infrastructure Developer Review

I conduct server maintenance and environment monitoring on a safety critical system. The environment has been scripted to ensure a DevOps approach is used across the entire project. The project conducts the DevOps scripting work in an agile technique using the SAFe methodology which I practice in a day-to-day basis. Writing the scripts using Powershell is my main day-to-day task at the moment, but this varies throughout the project lifecycle.

Within the workplace, I have learnt: - How to work in an agile environment. - Industry level Powershell techniques, including parallel workflows and Desired State Config. - Automation testing using open source tools to ensure safety. - Test Driven Development - SQL - Infrastructure/Server requirements - Using industry leading tools such as TFS. At uni I have learnt: - Java - Trello - OO principles - SQL - C# - Cyber best practices - Project management

I have loved most of my time at work, when I first started it was slow to get going but this was down to my project and not the company. I am trusted and treated as a normal employee by my peers and I am conducting more important work than anyone I know my age. The university course is not so good, it is poorly organised and terribly structured. Winchester university often have little to no idea what they are doing. Of my 8 lecturers in year 1, 3 were fired this year. In year 2 I have had 3 people teach me one module, and they have all been terrible - Winchester is an awful place to learn a tech degree.

CGI has been doing this for many years and it shows with their organisation. The degree apprenticeship is very well organised and I feel like the company would offer support should I ever request it. The university course is well structured on paper but this rarely shows in practice. Winchester uni has perhaps the worst organisation of any entity I have worked with.

CGI are willing to help where I need it. Whilst I have not had much to do with the student team I am sure that they would help me in the event that I need it. My project have been incredible and really accommodating with my needs, allowing me to turn down over time to meet deadline without a question.

Winchester university provides terrible training to the extent that most of my modules have been self taught. With one or two exceptions, all modules where students have had queries have been resolved amongst ourselves, with no relevant help coming from winchester themselves. Due to our training being one day a week, we rely on email discussion to get help from uni, often we receive no replies.

Certain modules have helped me considerably. The software modules have been directly related to my work. However, a lot of modules are business based which are not directly related. However, they are still useful to learn. Most of my training has come from my project, learning on the job has been much better than university for my role

CGI has an incredible social club. £5 from my salary gets automatically paid each month. Any event that gets 4 people or more signed up can get subsidy (usually around £25) and it can be organised. This year I have been to Thorpe Park, Wine Tasting, Shrek World, 2xBeer Fests, 3xRun Races, climbing and weekly cinema trips. I also manage to go running with around 5 others each lunch time at work, the Leatherhead office is situated right next to the Surrey Hills so it is very idealic. I have also competed in the UK Challenge with work, this is a 3 day competition around the country that is a against other companies. It involves running, cycling and swimming to solve puzzles. This is on company time. I think many people would agree with me that one of the best things about CGI is the social side. It is like having a student life but with more variety.

Yes

The social aspects and the friendly atmosphere. Everyone at CGI is friendly and nobody is threatening. The work is interesting and it is important, with many projects working for interesting clients with work that cannot be offered elsewhere. I would also recommend the Leatherhead office because of the location of the office to anyone that likes running or cycling.

The apprenticeship requires very little previous knowledge and it is all about being friendly and open on the assessment days. I have been at a couple of assessment days and I know how they are graded and it is about how people come across on the day with very little focus on previous knowledge