Technology Degree Apprentice - Study First Pathway Review

As I am on the study first pathway, a lot of the year is spent at university, so my day to day routine is attending lectures and self study. In the summer, I’ll work in one of the teams as part of a summer placement. There are many different business areas to choose from, and the team provide lots of support such as meetings to help you decide what you’d like to do.

I have learnt many new skills while at university. I am learning how to code in many new programming languages, fundamental maths knowledge relevant to computer science, computer architecture etc. Through group projects I’ve also learnt team skills and meeting experience which will be useful in any role.

I am really enjoying the programme. I like the balance between studying at uni and working at the company along with a much larger placement later in the programme. I love the things I’m learning and also getting good experience in a business environment.

The programme is very well structured and this is down to lots of hard work from the programme team who always keep in touch with us throughout the year. There are also meetings throughout the year while at uni that introduce us to different areas of the business and things we can get involved in.

There is lots of support available if we need it. The programme team is really helpful and always replies to emails so quickly if we ever need help with anything. They are all very friendly and supportive.

The university offers lots of lab sessions and tutorials so that we can get extra support if we need it. Lots of the lecturers are also happy to answer questions sent on Teams. We also get personal tutors. Mine is very nice and is so helpful if you ever need anything.

The things we’re being taught are going to be really beneficial during placement thanks to the teaching of many different programming techniques and in different languages. Also the group work will help a lot as we will of course be doing lots of this during placement with our teams.

At the university, of course there are countless societies and sports group and activities to get involved, both academic and non-academic. The company also offers similar things, so there is always something to get involved in. We have already had a couple of networking events throughout the year and it was really nice to meet apprentices in later years who can share some of their advice and experiences.

Yes

Very well structured programme, very good skills and education taught as part of the course, and the opportunity to gain business experience at a large, international company.

Do lots of interview practice with other people so that you can gain confidence in answering questions on the spot, however don’t panic if you stumble. Research the company’s ethos and values so that you know what sort of things they’re looking for.