Application Development Apprentice

Shajida Akthar

Graphic Design, Information Technology

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Accenture

How did you apply for Accenture?

Before applying for the Accenture Apprenticeship, I joined the Movement to Work Go Tech programme which consisted of 4 weeks of work experience with Accenture. It enabled me to gain an insight of what working in a Technology company was like and the qualities required from us as employees. The Movement to Work Go Tech programme equipped me with the skills needed in improving my CV while preparing me for the interview process through mock interviews. Overall I chose the Movement to Work programme to gain some work experience after college, as I had little career direction but the programme encouraged me to take up the opportunity at Accenture which is what got me to apply.

What was the induction like?

The induction at Accenture was great as we had the opportunity to get to know other fellow apprentices while learning the internal processes and policies of the company. Throughout the induction, we were taught basic Java skills along with other technical terms within Accenture. A bonus was a different lunch every day, including pizza on some days!

What do you do on a daily basis?

On a daily basis I maintain an internal e-commerce store, planning change windows, improving release management using DevOps tools and completing production deployments, while some days my role entails PHP development and testing (programming language).

What do you enjoy most?

I mostly enjoy the opportunities to get involved within Accenture. I have recently joined our Inclusion & Diversity group, where we discuss events and meet-ups for different sub-communities. We also have quarterly social events which brings many of us within Technology together for half a day. Additionally, there’s a variety of roles available to try and move around from projects, which gives exposure to a little bit of everything.

What skills are necessary to perform well?

I think the following skills are required to excel at Accenture; Teamwork and collaboration, communication, problem-solving, adaptability and decisiveness.

What advice would you give to someone applying to Accenture?

You’re already on the right track! Accenture is made up of a diversity of people with different levels of experience in Technology. The support framework here is incredible and as long as you have an interest in technology, there’s no pressure throughout the interview process or settling in at Accenture. There’s a variety of roles that I’ve been able to complete such as project managing to developing and that’s straight out of College with little technical background.

How has Accenture apprenticeship / school leaver programme affected your career prospects?

My career prospects have definitely opened up more since joining the Accenture apprenticeship as I’m working towards gaining professional qualifications while having already picked up a variety of technical and soft skills. These skills, experience and networks created over the past couple of years as an Accenture apprentice puts me in a great place moving forward with my career.