Apprentice Software Development Engineer Review

My role focuses on various aspects of software engineering. I am placed in to a real team of other professional engineers and I work alongside them every day. Roughly every 6 months, we are rotated to a new project where we will be able to learn new skills, meet new people and get a further idea as to what working as a software engineer entails.

Since starting at BAE, I have already learned many skills whether it be through University (delivered in block weeks) or through working with others in my team day-to-day. At work we learn many behavious required for the job, and constantly learn new engineering skills by working on real projects. Through the Univeersity, we also work towards a degree alongside working. University work is delivered in 'block' weeks, where we will travel to University and study full-time for a week.

The company culture is fantastic, as an apprentice it is very easy to feel like you arent as important as the people you work with. In BAE this simply is not the case. Since day one, I feel as though I have been treated as a full member of the teams I have been a part of and have contributed to real work. The work is always varied as we move around the projects. Being able to go up to Preston for University weeks is brilliant, as it gives us time to socialise with the other apprentices and is always a good, fun week!

For our induction week, we were informed we would be travelling to Preston from Yeovil for a week away, where we would have our formal introduction to the company and the apprenticeship, all expenses paid for (which was very nice). The week was organized and fun, despite the absense of the original leader of the week! The week was very informative and gave a very good intoduction to the apprenticeship staff and the apprenticeship as a whole. Throughout the apprenticeship, we are always kept in the loop about out apprenticeship (changing projects, changes to management etc.). We have the oppertunity to meet with a skills coach every 12 weeks to discuss performance and progress in the scheme and in our project work. The same skills coach is based in our office full-time, so is available to talk to most of the time when we need support. In terms of studying, we are given 2 full days a week where we can work on diploma or university work separate from our project work. This allows us valuable time where we can study and progress our learning.

In terms of support, we have many avenues available to us at any given time. There is a full-time skills coach on site that is available to us most of the time, who can deal with any queries I might have. We have other people off-site on the apprentice team who we can contact whenever we need to for wider support. I feel as though all of thee people are more than happy to assist in queries if I have them, which is nice to know. On project teams, we always have the support of project managers and other members of the team. We can go to them with any problems, especially project work related. Again, they are always happy to help where they can! Problems are always dealt with quickly and effectively, and having such a selection of people who can help is definitely a good thing.

Our skill coach is our main go to for problems with qualifications and learning, and as stated previously is always available to talk to when needed. I have before approached them to ask a question and I was able to get all the help I needed straight away. We are also able to email lecturers at the university whenever we need to, who are also more than happy to assist with their subjects. This is very helpful for the distanced learning. Members of the project teams have also been very helpful in the past when doing university or diploma work. Being professionals, they can more often than not teach us something if we are stuck, and are always happy to do so. I really enjoy the university work, as it is engaging and interesting. The way it is delivered in block weeks is really good. The level 4 diploma we have to complete is not so good however, as it is very long and poorly laid out. We were not provided with a good intoduction on it (because the skills coach was not employed then). The criteria are set out as a huge list and we are expected to complete the work as we work. Not only is it very daunting, it is also boring and not engaging in the slightest. We are told that the qualification is a government requirement for the apprenticeship. The saving grace here is that we are supported very well by the skills coaches and other staff.

In terms of the university, the work that we do there directly impacts our project work. For example, we recently completed a module on systems analysis and database design, which turned out to be very useful to my project. The majority of the content we learn at university has been put into practice at work already. In terms of the diploma we have to do alongside work and university, the work we do towards it does not help in the day to day work at all and is more of a compulsary qualification to get out of the way. It uses the work you have already done, where you reflect upon it and document it. Reflecting on the work is useful as you can identify strengths and weaknesses, but this is already done on a regular basis with project managers and skills coaches. It feels more of a chore than a learning process.

Yes, there are many groups at the office that everyone is encoraged to take part in such as sports and games. We are given the oppertunity to do paid voulenteering through the copany, which is nice. I have been invited to a few project events such as meals since I started in September 2019, where I had the chance to get to know member of the team better. There are events that we often get invited to such as apprenticeship council meetings, where the company will pay for travel and other costs in order for us to attend.

Yes

The apprenticeship has been amazing so far. I always feel like a valued member of the team, and the oppertunities they provide us are incredibe. We are given company credit cards for when we are away (such as university weeks) where we can claim meals and hotel costs. About a month after starting, they sent us to spend a week in the lake district with the Outward Bount Trust where we had the chance to socialise with other apprentices from over the country and to develop key skills that would come in useful in the apprenticeship. It is clear that BAE systems invests heavily into their apprentices, and because of that all the apprentices are supported the whole way though. I am more than happy to be part of the BAE Systems apprenticeship scheme, I think I am incredibly lucky.

The application process involves an initial online application, followed by online aptitude tests. The tests can be practiced so make sure to do that. If you pass this stage then you will be invited to an assessment center where you will go to the office. There, you will be interviewed, will be asked to present a topic of your choice to assessors, and you will take part in a group activity. Normally there are some current apprentices there with you who will be able to answer your questions and are all friendly! If you are sucessful, you will be notified by email and will be asked to complete some security checks. The apprenticeship starts in September. If all goes well, then the first week of work with htake place in Preston where you will be given an introduction.