Tech Degree Apprentice Review

On a daily basis I am given tasks related to a Technology project I am involved with. These tasks range in various ways such as researching database structures and using SQL to pull data. I am also involved in client work and get to attend meetings with clients and take notes.

I have learnt many skills such as business and soft skills. These include appropriate office behaviour and how to acclimatise to an ambiguous way of working. I have also developed my technical skills that I began to learn at uni but can now apply to a workplace setting, these include my SQL and database skills, aswell as looking at system management.

I have greatly enjoyed my programme. I appreciate the separation of work and uni and the opportunity to experience university fully while still gaining valuable work experience in a good company. The work during placement has been varied and challenging at times meaning that I have looked forward to working and continuing projects.

To an extent the programme is well structured. In general we follow the sandwich placement format, while working 10 weeks over summer after each of our first two years at university. At times there has been confusion over certain aspects of the course, with it seeming a bit unclear about where the programme is heading in terms of placement details. However, this is also due to the fact that the company itself is very fluid and ambiguous about this for employees and not so much down to just the programme.

During placement I receive a lot of support from my employer with a support system set up with many different people assigned to support us in different roles such as buddys, business contacts and career coaches. In addition, we have access to resources through the employee portal to wellbeing resources and a wellbeing room in the office.

There is a lot of support from the training providers, with module leaders having open door times where they are available to ask questions and for help about their module. In addition, everyone is assigned a form tutor that we have weekly meetings with to discuss our wellbeing and how everyone is finding the course.

I feel my qualification has definitely supported my role in placement by providing a broad background knowledge about the technology I will experience in my area that I have then been able to refine and utilise in different ways during placement. E.g. we had a database module at university that I used background knowledge from in order to be able to use SQL to navigate and connect data in a database for work during placement.

There are plenty of social events to get involved with at work in many aspects. There is a weekly quiz in a groupchat that anyone in my area can get involved with. In addition, there have been socials such as an Away Day that had activities such as zipwire and a games night in the office where people could play fifa, or board games and eat pizza.

Yes

I have had a brilliant experience in general and I think the opportunity to experience a workplace so early on during university has enabled me to have a better grounding and basis in my understanding of a workplace aswell as helping me develop skills which should assist in future university work.

I would advise that the course is not for everyone. It can be very full on and at times there is uncertainty about placement that you will need to wait to find out. However, if you are patient with the uncertainty and believe you can handle the work then you will have the most fulfilling experience to do with work and university.