Digital Technology Solutions Apprentice Review

The apprenticeship involves me spending 6 months in various teams in the technology division of the business. Therefore my day looks different depending on the team. In mobile development I spend time implementing features in code and creating/reviewing pull requests for mine and the teams work. In UX&UI I spend time creating designs for Ideagen's products. In R&I I spend time researching new technologies and creating proof of concept projects.

Before starting my apprenticeship I had no experience of coding & software development. I have now developed skills in various coding languages such as C#, python, C++, Java, HTML & CSS. I have also developed my team working skills to allow me to work effectively in the agile working environment at Ideagen.

I really enjoy the flexibility of my apprenticeship programme. I am able to get experience in a number of different areas by spending time working with different teams. This also allows me to put what i learn at university into practice in a real world business setting. The programme also supports me to give me the time to complete my university work to a high standard.

The programme is very organized and well structured with a clear plan set out for all 4 years. Within the workplace I have a rotation plan which tells me which team I will be spending time with at each point in the 4 year programme. The course at university is also well structured to fit in with my workplace rotations.

The teams I work with at Ideagen are very supportive in giving me time and advice to support my learning. I am given one day a week for self-learning and completing my university work. Along side this all team members are always willing to assist when I get stuck on a problem or show me how the topics I learn are applied in real world.

The university support me by providing live lectures on campus, recordings of lectures or pre-recorded lectures, laboratory sessions for practical experience and post teaching support sessions. Lectures are also willing to offer additional support via Microsoft Teams where it is needed. Regular feedback sessions are also held so we can help the university to improve the teaching & course material.

My qualification is directly providing me with the skills I need to be practically successful in my role. I am learning code languages and software design principles that I can then apply in the workplace to create code for enterprise applications. My qualification also helps provide me with soft skills such as giving & receiving feedback, communication skills and self reflection. These soft skills also help me to succeed in a professional setting.

We have regular extra-curricular activities that take part during lunch breaks or after work. These include yoga, running clubs, HIT workout sessions and more. There are also regular social activities in the office and online on Teams to allow people to network. For example, when the new company values were launched, a social day was organized in the office to promote and learn about the new values and fun activities were arranged.

Yes

Ideagen are really supportive in progressing their employees in their careers and providing them with the training they need to reach the next level. They also offer a number of benefits to employees such as free gym membership, medical access and discounts at some retailers. They also offer hybrid working which allows more flexible working.

I would encourage them to visit the Ideagen website and research the industries that Idean operate in and some of the customers that use our products. If applying for a technical role I would also make sure you list specific experience on your application such as which specific coding languages you have experience using and examples of the projects you have worked on.