Apprentice Software Engineer Review

by BT

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

4.1/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

Very little opportunity to develop in a Software Engineering role. I feel my responsibilities hold little value to myself or the company.

3/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I have developed some 'soft' skills but feel that the lack of learning in a software environment has made me insecure about future endeavors & increased anxiety for post-graduation

4/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

I enjoy the program for the people that i work alongside day-to-day rather than the work I carry-out. Stress from the poor organisation of the scheme seeps into my personal life & has had negative effects on my mental health.

4/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

The programme seems to change frequently in terms of rotation to different teams, learning provider requirements, payment frameworks etc. These changes have caused vast confusion for several cohorts. Clarity to changes is poor.

3/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

In terms of line manager, I receive plenty of support & they always go the extra mile to make the best out of our position. In terms of early careers, they are rather unhelpful & feel like they are working against our best wishes.

4/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

Most of our lecturers are helpful in class & usually have the time to offer us help outside of lecture time (e-mail comms). Some essay structure & Off the job log formatting has been fairly unclear.

6/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

Some of the modules seem to hold little value in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, the work within my role usually doesn't align to the training provider course due to a lack of software opportunities in my area of the company

4/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

I don't personally choose to partake in extra activities but am aware of various activities around the office & site.

5/10

9a. Would you recommend BT to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

Despite the negative criticism above, i would generally recommend BT. The salary is good, the degree is subsidised, i know a number of people have had positive experiences. Also, I joined in a difficult time (mid-pandemic, strike action, company-wide reorgs, rebranding)

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BT?

Make yourself known & say yes to opportunities. The more people that know you & see you as a trustworthy individual, the more chance you'll have of having a positive experience.