Apprentice Software Engineer Review

My role is as an apprentice software engineer in the Transport Business Unit. Day to day I am spending time doing online learning about software development and shadowing people on my team to get familiar with the role. I am picking up tickets that are fairly simple and getting involved when the team is coding together. I am completely integrated within the team and my opinion is valued.

I started off with very little knowledge around software development. I can build small websites on my own and digest large amounts of code. I am learning Java and can create code to solve problems. My interpersonal skills and confidence levels have also gotten better in my time there. The apprenticeship program isn't just about learning to code, but also understanding what we do on a day to day basis in context with the wider business.

I am really enjoying the program. I have a really passionate team who are happy to help with anything I need. The business is extremely welcoming and encourage everyone in the business to keep learning and broaden their horizons. There is a lot of opportunity for growth which I love and a lot of additional support should you need it. I am loving the program

The program is fairly well structured. The business and training provider (Manchester Digital) are on the same page with the setup of the apprenticeship. They are available for any additional questions should you need them. The only thing that has been slightly challenging is a third party company (The Growth Company) who are providing support for any additional exams (GCSE Maths and English) as they are not very good at communicating. The business and Manchester digital however I cannot fault and if you have your GCSEs then this wouldn't be an issue.

My employer provides a tremendous amount of support. They have a lot of online learning provided free of charge (Udemy for example) and provide workshops during work hours to expand your knowledge. I have offers from people around the business to come sit with them if I ever am interested in something they are doing. My team itself are incredibly supportive and positive when it comes to what I am doing. There is a learning and development team at the business who are always looking for ways to improve the learning opportunities.

I meet with my training provider regularly to ensure I am going okay and check I am on track with my milestones. They additionally provide 2 day intensive workshops every month to ensure you get a lot of exposure to different aspects of the role. Some people may be in a business that may not cover an area so they ensure you have the support for that. They always get feedback from us as well and change how they are working if we suggest improvements.

As I was new to the role when I started it will help immensely. The whole apprenticeship qualification is set up to provide you the support and skills to become a software developer from having little to know knowledge initially. The qualification is a good indicator of your skill level to employers if you haven't been to university and allows you to join the graduate program at booking.com as well which again strives to give you a huge scope in terms of the specialisation available to software developers within the business.

Our work has so many additional activities available. They have clubs, charity events, choirs, art competitions, free drink Friday's to encourage socialisation with people outside your department. Probably the best extra-curricular activity I have been involved in so far is BAM which is a conference booking.com hold. A number of employees from across the globe attend the conference in person at the Head Office in Amsterdam and they live stream events throughout the offices worldwide. This is a great opportunity to get exposed to things in the wider business and technology sector as a whole. They also encourage a 'HACK WEEK' during this week where people are encouraged to work in teams to develop new ideas around a different theme. This year was about sustainable travel! There was also free food!

Yes

They have been a brilliant and supportive working environment. They genuinely want the best for their staff and understand the importance of listening to feedback. They are actually concerned with welfare of their staff which is rare in a business of that size. They try to do things the right way and believe in transparency. The bonus perks are awesome as well.

You don't have to know everything to work here. They are looking for people who have potential and can join in with the team. Being genuine definitely goes a long way. I wouldn't be afraid to be vocal about your weaknesses as they are happy to help provide training for those.