Digital Technology Solutions Degree Apprentice Review

I design automated test cases for Q&A of an important system at UBS. My tests are regularly checked to ensure any new changes made to the system function as expected before the changes are then promoted to the production environment. Outside of work, I spend 20% of my time studying for the Digital Technology Solutions degree.

As someone who has a fair amount of existing IT experience including an A-Level in IT and a Level 3 apprenticeship in the same field, I'm surprised to find that this course has managed to expand my existing skillset. The first year might be deceptively simple if you follow a similar learning path to me, but the new skills and knowledge come into force in the second year and beyond.

The programme is very enjoyable, though quite hard work. University of Exeter provides more than enough resources to meet the challenge of the assignments and end-of-year exams, and open book exams make the prospect of said exams less scary than they might otherwise be. Regular lectures and once-per-term residential study trips allow you to make connections with your cohort such that you can co-operate on any group assignments.

Every part of the programme is strictly scheduled and it is rare that something will come up unexpectedly. Each term is 12 weeks, give or take a week depending on scheduling. These 12 weeks will come with 1 e-learning topic or lecture per subject per term, with an assignment in active learning topics due in at the end of the term. Exams will always be in the May period, along with most at-work learning reports or presentations.

UBS is very keenly aware of what an apprentice is expected to have for them to do the programme properly. In the best possible way, it's as if there was no overlap between the two - the employer support provides a seamless learning experience with no disruptions to any scheduled events on the instructor side.

The University of Exeter's learning portal provides several useful tools for study, including past papers, E-learning content, a library of textbooks you can access with your student login and more. Most lecturers will be open to questions at any time outside of running their lectures, so responses to questions are often snappy. My only complaint is that past paper answer sheets are released at lecturer discretion, so some exam practice becomes difficult to verify as useful or successful.

Q&A test development has played a significant part in my ability to keep up with the Software Development modules of the training, but given there's no overlap in development languages, I can't quite say the same vice versa. While increased understanding of industry practice and subjects surrounding it do add to the job, I can't say one directly increases my performance in the other.

UBS offers plenty of talks and social events to its staff that you can opt into. However, having rarely attended these sorts of things, I can't properly attest to their quality. The lectures and talks are well researched and presented, but I cannot confirm that social events are worth joining.

Yes

Compared to the apprentice schemes offered by other employers, UBS seems to have offered me the perfect example of how an apprenticeship should work and how a manager should support their team. UBS blows its competition out of the water, and I have no reason to believe anyone would drop out of the company as a result of failing the apprenticeship.

While UBS is a great place to work, the entry barrier is a little high. In order to find a place at UBS, you are likely to need a few relevant A-Level qualifications, or to secure a position in one of the lower, level 3 apprenticeships before working upwards to the degree level.