Software Engineer Review

I am a Junior Developer on the Innovation team. Day to day work involves contact with the client, and regular meetings to find out requirements. We work in 2 week cycles where we first find out the requirements for a new project. We then work to implement and develop this, before presenting to senior managers and the client to gain feedback, and continue this until the project is complete, at which point we roll it out and continue maintenance and improvement.

I had some development experience before this job, but it was limited as it was only at an educational level. Since being in my job I have learned a variety of programming languages including Java, JavaScript, Handlesbars, Sass, and ExpressJS. The job has also given me a lot of skills with client work, learning how to present, document projects, etc.

I enjoy my program very much. This is exactly the job I had in mind throughout my educational career, and once here I landed my ideal role. There has been a lot of support and guidance which has helped me grow my skills and become the developer I wanted to be. The job has many benefits and is overall a very pleasant place to work, and one that will be great for career progression.

The program is very organised. We have a clearly defined structure and we know who to go to with questions. We have an apprenticeship manager and support team who are on hand to deal with apprenticeship questions. We have a university tutor who we can contact for help with studying. We then also have our job based contacts, such as line managers, hr contact, people advisers, career Councillors etc. However, everyone in the company is more than happy to answer questions and point you in the right direction if you ever have any questions.

We each have a career councilor who guides us through our employment progression; this person is our first point of contact for anything we need during our time here. Our head of apprenticeship is very useful in clearing up misconceptions and providing guidance when we need. I also have a line manager who helps me with my work and any role-based questions I need. The company also provides us with private healthcare, which includes a 24/7 support line, and this is very useful for support through stress and mental health issues etc.

As I am attending University, the learning is a lot more independent, and therefore the support can sometimes be a little bit less than at the college. However, the lecturers always give us their emails and contact info, and we can always contact them with any queries. We do not have a councilor or any type of support through the uni, but this is provided by work so it balances out. I enjoy attending Uni, and although sometimes the lecturers do not give the support we might feel like we need, I am managing fine so far and enjoying it. It can sometimes feel a bit too independent, and sometimes they are not great for helping us, but as it is university this is rather expected.

The languages and skills we are learning at Uni do not translate into my job entirely, because in my day to day job I work on a lot of full-stack work, and I use different languages to those taught at uni. However, the knowledge is still useful to me because some of the skills are transferable. We also do a lot of project management etc, which helps build my knowledge on the business side of things.

There are a lot of social events through Accenture. Level 13-11 are part of the TAG committee, which holds regular events, which include mini golf, meals, etc. There is also a huge sports and societies network which anyone can get involved with, available through the website. You can also set up your own social activities, which many do, eg Football. We each get 3 charity days a year to use on any volunteering work we would like to get involved with. There are plenty of chances to network and engage with senior staff, for example Thirsty Thursday which allows you to talk to higher ups and help network with them.

Yes

Since being here I have greatly enjoyed my time, and I have learned more in six months here than my 2 years of software development at school. The business is a really fun, friendly place to work, and there is always help and support available, something which is important to me. There is plenty of social activities and chances for you to enjoy your work; it never feels like just a job, and there is always something enjoyable about coming to work. Additionally, knowing that my education is being paid for, and that I am being treated as a full member of the company instead of just an apprentice, makes the company a really friendly and beneficial place to work.

The application process can be quite difficult, but they are looking for outgoing people who can get on well with others. Although it is a development job, you do not need to have prior experience, and some of my best colleagues came in without previous experience. To get a job here it is all about having the right attitude, trying hard, and showing a passion for learning. It is a lot of responsibility to take on, so you have to be prepared to make sacrifices to succeed.