Software Engineer Review

I work on a DevOps team, specifically on the operational support team, which means I am responsible for fixing bugs, designing and developing service improvements, and deploying and maintaining new versions of our service into the production environment. This is done through manual checks, as well as automated monitoring and alerting.

I have developed a variety of technical skills in my role. I am proficient in Docker, Kubernetes and other platform related technologies. I have a deep knowledge of distributed tracing, monitoring, and alerting, and have become adept at software testing, as well as development in languages such as Java and C#.

My enjoyment has varied over the course of the programme. While I generally enjoy my role thanks to the variety of tasks and opportunities for development it provides, I often find myself frustrated by the training providers (we started at Aston university and transferred to Sheffield Hallam) due to inconsistent teaching quality and consistently poor quality feedback from assessments, as well as vague marking criteria that makes it difficult for us to determine what is actually being asked of us for any given task.

The structure of the programme feels generally fine, but it sometimes feels like communication between different parties can break down, which leads to apprentices missing out on info, or being given incorrect info. This has happened between the company and the training provider, but also within different departments within the company.

The Capgemini early and emerging talent team are generally quite supportive, and try to make sure there are no issues on a regular basis. However, within the wider organisation, there sometimes feels as though there's a lack of understanding of the responsibilities apprentices have outside of their job role, which can lead to apprentices being given more responsibilities than they can realistically take on given their university obligations.

Support has been quite inconsistent from our training provider, to the point where it varies wildly from module leader to module leader. Some can be helpful to some degree, and will try to answer questions to the best of their knowledge, but some give the impression they would rather be doing anything else while you're talking to them. Overall, I've stopped considering training provider support as a valid route of escalation when I have a problem, as Google is more helpful and reliable in my opinion.

The key knowledge, skill and behaviour areas that are developed through the training provider do provide a solid basis for good performance in software engineering roles. I would prefer it if a wider range of topics were covered practically, and there was less of a focus on essays and self reflective documentation, as that sometimes feels like nothing but a box ticking exercise and a chore with no real benefit other than compliance.

Capgemini has an incredibly broad and active set of communities for such activities. There is always something going on that you can get involved in, regardless of your role or business area. Such activities are usually listed on the Capgemini event hub, so you can log on and register for any event that appeals to you.

Yes

Capgemini is a great place to work, and has many opportunities for development and growth. It is an open, accepting and diverse workplace that promotes talent and innovation, and has a keen focus on providing clients with the best possible quality. I am quite happy working here, and hope I can continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Given the high cost of university education, the degree apprenticeship is definitely the route to go. Even if you have little experience in a technical field, Capgemini care more about who you are as a person, so make sure you showcase yourself to the fullest extent if you apply for the programme.