Technology Apprentice Review

At the beginning of my apprenticeship, I was able to choose which department I wanted to work in. I chose the infrastructure department. During my apprenticeship I have worked in the UNIX team, Storage team, Database Team and Virtualisation team. This gives a me a good overall knowledge for any role in infrastructure. Currently I am in the database team, where I work on user requests, capacity requests and incidents. I create new databases and upgrade and patch old ones. I work on audits and help create pages on our help pages for new processes.

When I came into Sky, I loved technology, but had no actual experience or any real knowledge. I learnt general technology knowledge through the apprenticeship work and sessions put on by my assessor. I also learnt absolutely everything I now know about infrastructure and especially databases (which is an area I choose to stay for longer) from the teams and people I work with at Sky. There is too much I have learned to list off.

I absolutely love my programme. I am not a person who does well at college or university. I find my mind wanders to much, so I struggle just sitting and listening. The apprenticeship gives me the chance to learn while I work. I can be shown something and go straight into implementing it myself. This really helps me embed the information. Sky also gives me so much freedom as an apprentice and manage my own time.

Sky puts you into departments and then it’s the teams within the department to work out what you will do for each team you are in. Each time run the teaching slightly differently, but there is always a lot of support provided and a lot to learn. For Apprenticeship work Seetec provide an assessor who then works with you to hit all your units and gives you tutorials around them. I have had 3 assessor so far over my 1 and a half years. This does break up the flow a bit as the new assessor needs to find out where you are and what you need.

Sky provide me with all the support I could possibly need. Firstly my manager is there with me the whole time and very supportive. They set in if they have to and make sure I am being fully supported by my team. We also have a apprentice lead in Scotland, that we all refer to as our mum. She is amazing and is there for secondary support and help with the apprenticeship as a whole.

Unfortunately, Seetec has been a bit of a mixed bag for me. I have had 3 assessors so far over my first year and a half of my two year apprenticeship. My first assessor was OK and provided my first week bootcamp which managed to tick off one unit from my work. I then had a slight struggle to contact said assessor. My second assessor was amazing. She was absolutely cream of the crop and made sure I had everything I needed to finish my first year off. She gave us group lessons on units and did solo if needed. If I could rate Seetec on that assessor alone they would get 10/10 easily. Unfortunately that assessor left two months into my second year and Seetec took over a month to give us details of a new assessor and then a further month by the time they got in contact with us. This meant that the first few months crucial to starting off well were lost and now myself along with the others I am completing my apprenticeship with are working on catching up. Currently I am not getting much support from them, and feel I just need to do it alone.

When I got the training from my provider, it was really good as gave some of the more basic information about technology that you might miss being in more of a specialised team. They also help with some more basic skills such as communication and customer service. There is also specialised units that help you understand why you are doing something and not just doing it.

There is an abundance of activities you can get stuck into at Sky. Sky have networks you can join such as woman in technology, LQBTQ+ and health and wellbeing. There is also the opportunity to help with events at school and colleges promoting apprenticeships for others looking to get into them. Sky also provides summer and Christmas parties for all the staff and can provide team building sessions for teams. They also have networking events and the opportunity for mentors.

Yes

Sky has been recognised as a top employer and it shows. The apprenticeship as a whole is great and provides you with a foot in the door of a top technology company. I have met many people in Sky who have worked there for 25 years plus and wouldn't think of going anywhere. They also provide great benefits and not to mention, free Sky Tv

Try to be yourself and be honest in the application process. Research about Sky and be able to offer examples that you know what Sky do and how they work, the Sky values. When completing any interviews try and provide evidence of what you are asked, even if its not in the questions. Sky looks for the person first and the skills after, they love working in a team and respecting others.