Technology Degree Apprentice Review

I am currently on my final placement of the TDA programme. I am in an agile software development team and carry out both frontend and backend development work using python and typescript. My day-to-day consists of attending stand-ups, meetings with other developers and working on my assigned tasks. Outside of software development there is opportunities to get involved with other types of work, such as testing, project management, student recruitment and many more.

The degree apprenticeship taught me how to code without having any previous coding experience. Placements at PwC reinforced the learning from the university teachings and brought my skills closer to industry standards. Placements also allowed me to learn new coding languages and frameworks that were not taught in the university curriculum. The mentorship of PwC and being in a cohort of other Tech Degree Apprentices allowed my skills to develop much quicker. The large range of different projects at PwC has meant I've gotten placement experience in different disciplines, such as DevOps, Full-Stack development, testing, to name a few. I also improved my soft skills greatly over the course of the apprenticeship.

I highly recommend this programme. I really enjoyed the software engineering degree content. Placements throughout the 4 years means you have more placement experience then other graduates. I was initially worried I wouldn't enjoy the course content but soon realised that I love the problem solving aspects of Software Engineering. A highlight of joining the course is that you will be in a cohort of other apprentices and meet experienced professionals on placement which forms a strong network to learn from.

The programme is well organised and structured. The degree content and lectures is same standard Software Engineering pathway at Queens. During university terms, you are treated as a normal university student and attend lectures with the rest the software engineering Queens students. I liked how placements and university term do not cross over.

The apprenticeship team do a good job at supporting you. There is engagement sessions during university term which help you get ready for placement and know what type of work you can get involved in. You get to meet lots of different professionals from different technology professions. The apprenticeship team support you in getting onto projects that help you reach your career goals.

There is regular check-ins with PwC to check how you are getting on during university. During my placements, I have received preparation time and exam fee coverage to achieve several qualifications in cloud services (Azure, GCP, AWS). There is strong encouragement within my team to take time to develop skills and gain qualifications. There is various opportunities during placement to have qualifications paid for if they are of value to your business unit.

The qualification feels like it could help you go into any role as you become a competent problem solver and team worker. However, most of your skills will actually be developed on the job. I didn't have much prior coding experience, and the degree content teaches you from the ground up. This helped prepare me for my placements

My office (Belfast) is a great vibe, it is right in the centre of the city and has lots of activities to get involved in (5 aside, friday pay day drinks, regular social events, etc). Individual placement teams will often have socials to get involved in. PwC also have socials for TDAs at christmas. In terms of Queens, you can get involved in society's and freshers events the same as any other student.

Yes

You get the best of both worlds by getting to attend university terms while also starting getting a head start on your professional career. Getting a salary takes the stress away from having to work part time jobs and allows you to focus on your degree. The network of people you meet is also amazing to learn from and grow your career.

Research the PwC Professional leadership framework and try think of experiences you have had that relate to these areas ahead of interviews. Apply for the PwC virtual insight week to get a head start if you are a lower 6th student. Attend information evenings on the apprenticeship to ask questions and gain additional knowledge of the course.