Software Engineer Degree Apprentice Review

by Vodafone

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

7.5/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

i am a software engineering apprentice, this means that my daily role is contributing to building software that vodafone group will provide to its customers. because im a part of vodafone group in VBPS, our customers are companies. currently i am working on a call flow editor as part of an interactive voice website

10/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

i have learnt alot of new skills and developed a few existing skills. i came in with only an alevel in computing where i only learnt python. in this period i have also learnt html, css and react javascript. i have also learnt how to work professionally in a corporate world.

8/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

i really like the company, its very diversive and everyone is helpful and kind. seems very flexible in working location/hours. its a lot of work however but you need to make it clear to people that you are a degree apprentice so you do need spend a bit of time on uni work

7/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

the degree is pretty good, however it is all online which is hard at sometimes. but this is a computing degree so thats not as bad as if it was something else. blackpool offers a lot of resources that help me do well in my degree and the tutors always reply on microsoft teams.

6/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

not much support academically as its very seperate but that is fine. my manager is really kind and he helps me out alot and always offers advice, so thats good. there are alot of teams and groups in vodafone that offer support and a sense of community. if not from vodafone, specifically, then the benefits they offer help everything you could think of.

8/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

a lot, as previously stated, blackpool has a lot of resources that will help us with out studies. like Helms who check and mark our essays to their virtual library. also the tutors always offer to have one on one meetings and they reply to our messages ASAP. im enjoying it very much.

7/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

i one hundred percent feel that my qualification helps me to perform better in my role as it teaches me the basics of how the software engineering world works in theory, then in my role i learn it practically. it has taught me about scrum processes, about what makes a good team, and taught me how to code in c#

6/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

due to covid, im not sure at the moment as ive started remotley. however i do know that there are many webinars and social teams to join remotely. the apprentices of this cohort are also going on a week long residential to an outdoor adventure facility after lockdown to get to know eachother.

8/10

9a. Would you recommend Vodafone to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

its really fun, challenging and diverse. the people are there to support your growth and help you develop as a person. they have put time into ensuring the apprenticeship runs as smoothly as possible and this is evident through the events and opportunities they provide for us. the benefits are great too.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Vodafone?

research the companies values, what makes someone a good fit for vodafone and see if you see yourself fitting in there. make sure you do extensive research about your course aswell, and your specific job role. practice interview questions and prepare for the assesment centre by watching youtube videos on the company and on assesment centres.