Consultant Review

My role involves software development and testing. I work on an agile style project where my team holds daily stand up meetings to discuss what work would be carried out that day. Using features like a sprint board helps everyone on the team know exactly what tasks need to be worked on.

When I started my degree apprenticeship, I was quite unskilled. I only knew of the most basic forms of coding in popular languages like Python. I have picked up a lot of coding skills from my degree apprenticeship. There are also many bootcamps to help train you up with new skills.

My programme is very enjoyable. It allows me to study for a degree at university whilst also allowing me to implement my learnings practically by working my day to day job. The team I work with is very friendly and make each day very enjoyable. It far exceeds my expectations.

The structure of the programme is quite good. Having University one day per week was quite difficult at first but easy to get used to. The modules we are taught at university are relevant to the work we do on a daily basis. Support is always available whenever needed from mentors or buddies.

My employer is very supportive of me. My line manager is probably the most helpful. He guides me through any issues I have and is always willing to lend an ear to listen to any problems I have and offer any solutions he can think of. Help is always just a quick message away.

The University of Winchester offers excellent support for its students on the degree apprenticeship stream. Whenever any issues need to be discussed, I can easily book a time slot with a tutor or module leader and voice my concerns. They offer a lot of support and are great in terms of wellbeing.

The modules we study at university are very relevant with the work we do in our jobs. This allows us to implement our learnings into our day to day jobs which allows us to perform a lot better. There are modules that focus solely on work based studies which help a lot.

My company offers you the ability to join the various sports teams. This includes football amongst many others. Various competitions take place within the company and some even externally with other teams and companies. There are also events where people can socialise and network with others in similar jobs to themselves.

Yes

A degree apprenticeship with CGI offers the best of both worlds. Having the ability to attain a degree that is sponsored means you won't fall into tuition fee debt. Also, earning a salary whilst working and implementing your learnings is the best way to cement your studies. Perfect for the more practical style learners.

Be proactive but more importantly, be yourself. Be comfortable with who you are as it can sometimes be painfully obvious when someone is putting on an act just to pass an interview. CGI is an amazing company to work for and I 100% recommend that you apply if you get the chance and it meets what you are looking for.