Software Engineer Review

Involves the development of software within your individual team. Generally involves the writing and testing of software. Experience will vary based on team, personally I have experienced back-end work using Java however within each team there is the space to expand your knowledge and experience. An example of this when I have expressed my interest in front-end design and along with my team have discussed opportunities to learn this.

I started with no programming experience, now I have the ability to program in Java, I have learned this from both my modules at university and application at work. Furthermore my soft skills have also been improved through completing presentations. Also, importantly throughout the course so far you learn how to conduct yourself in a professional environment which you do not learn at university.

I thoroughly enjoy the program so far, as especially at work you find yourself working on exciting projects. I believe I enjoy this more than I would have enjoyed traditional university as you get more satisfaction from seeing your work have a real world impact, which is great to see in such a large business.

In general the programme is well organized and I know what I should be doing at need to complete. However I believe the communication between HCM and our managers could be made better, as it often feels my manager is not aware of some commitments and processes, for example coursework.

Receive good support as we always know who to contact if we have any questions or problems. The firm is very good at understanding our commitments to university as a result allowing us to perform well, an example of this would be the allocation of study days before an exam.

The support is good but could be improved. Support for each individual module is good as the lecturers often make themselves available for any help or questions. However I think communication could be improved with our personal adviser as it is difficult to know how they can help us and how we can see them.

The qualification is very good overall and correlates quite good to our role at work, an example of this is the learning of Java programming at university and the application of Java programming at work. In general from all the modules I have studied so far I can see them all having some form of purpose.

There are many extra-curricular activities such as Affinity Networks and sports clubs. There are also often networking events which can span from divisional to regional. From the networking events I have attended they are very professional and a great chance to meet new people. Personally I have not attended any Affinity Network events or clubs but have heard promising from others.

Yes

Overall the firm has a great culture, everyone is generally friendly and willing to help. Furthermore as an apprentice you can see the value the firm places on you, this is evident from the access to meet senior personnel and also a competitive package. It is clear to see it is a place where people spend a long portion of their careers.

Construct a solid CV, stating strengths along with examples as to why these are your strengths. Also mention places or areas you want to learn, it is important you study your CV before the day. Furthermore, do research into what the firm does and how it operates. Finally explain any reasoning confidently.