Software Engineer Review

I'm generally working with clients on their systems, they're often quite complicated but it's really enjoyable as I get to have a behind the scenes look into how they work.

My programming in both Java and SQL has improved significantly over the last few months and I'm also beginning to learn the importance of networking and the impact this can have

There is a lot of hard work and sometimes, especially when university is busy it can be quite a challenge to find a good balance, but we do get study leave to help us with this and as I get more experience, I'm getting a lot better at managing my time

It's very very weird how well aligned my program is to what I'm doing in university and it shows that a lot of thought and attention to detail has gone into the development of the program from all angles, this being pay, progression and how the program fits into what you're doing

I get a set amount of study leave every year on top of the days off I get to attend university, so from that perspective it's amazing, but I'm also finding that working with experienced professionals is amazing with how much you learn, for example seeing something in university the one day and then the next day seeing what you learnt in a live system (at a significantly bigger scale is really quite amazing)

My training provider has again been very good, they're very aware we're working and not typical university students, and they know that we're busy outside of the university. When we're in university they help us a lot with any problems we have, now we're getting back to being in person it's also getting a lot easier to ask questions and properly engage in the sessions.

Being that it aligns so closely with what I'm doing in work it's tremendously helpful. There are a few bits I would say that perhaps aren't so relevant but on the whole, it's been very good

There have been loads of these since I joined the company, which is particularly good given that a lot of this was in covid, there are nearly weekly virtual events but also at least once a month there are in person events to, some company wide, some for apprentices only

Yes

Capgemini has recently been certified as a great place to work and I would definitely agree with that, they're very supportive and have a people-first approach from what I've seen. Because of the attention to detail in the management structure of the company, it means that it's very easy to go and talk to someone very senior if you ever would feel the need to.

Be yourself in the interview, it's also worth remembering that an interview is a two-way conversation so make sure to ask questions yourself. If you're applying for an apprenticeship, remember it's an apprentice hire and not an experienced professional hire, they're not looking for the finished product, as an apprentice you're someone the company can train