DevOps Engineer Review

Item: DevOps Engineer at KPMG
Rating: 3.6
Author: Anonymous

at KPMG

Higher Level Apprenticeship

Information Technology

Manchester

Review Submitted: April 2023

Overall Rating

3.6 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

3.5/5 - Overview of Role

3/5 - Skills Development

3.4/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

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

3/5

In the Cloud Engineering team within KPMG, you start off in frontline where you pick up very basic tickets for the internal clients from other teams. You get to rotate in various teams where you will work on different projects. Each team has got different projects and you might get more work or less work. You also need to be proactive about getting work as you get to learn more and will be assessed over this at the end of the year based on colleagues' feedback. The tech stack is usually a scripting language (e.g. Python), Azure or AWS (this entirely depends on which team you are in. There is one team only that uses GCP. You need to have a working proficienty of linux commands, git, ci-cd pipelines and preferably terraform. You are strongly encouraged to have good diplomatic skills as things move very slowly within the firm. Some managers do not like being "challenged", so it's best not to hurt their ego. Your intentions might be good, but disagreeing might put you in a negative light. This is one of the most frustrating aspects. However, it entirely depends on the team that you are in. I know a lot managers are very relaxed and transparent. I think it balances it out. At the same time, there are many engineers with big egos. You want to be "polite" and stroke their ego as well, so you can try and learn from them. I'd say there are only a handful of engineers who have the full package and can also train others to become better engineers. Those are the true leaders in my opinion. A lot of them leave for better companies with better culture and pay. All in all, it's a good starting point in your career.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

4/5

The Corndel apprenticeship is good. The tutors are super knowledgeable. However, the gaps between each module made me forget a lot of the materials as they weren't being used at work. This is not by any means their fault as the programme provides an overview to DevOps. The content gets updated regularly. There is plenty of 121 support. I think it's just if you do not practice it, you sort of forget it. It's hard to master every topic, but I think it's good that we are being introduced to them, so we can have some familiarity.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

3/5

Yes, you get to work with many different tools. As I previously mentioned. It entirely depends on the team that you are in. You get to work with aws, azure, github, ci-cd pipelines such as Jenkins, but it is now decomissioned. So, you will need to learn github actions. Moreover, you improve your collaboration skills. I think you can learn a lot more if you are in a good team where you constantly get given tasks.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

4/5

It's quite organised. We had monthly classes with workshops followed by a weekly review. We are expected to work on our project exercises every month and get to have 121 calls with tutors if we are stuck. I'd say people who tend to procrastinate will find it difficult to manage as there are so many things to juggle with from work, apprenticeship and other things in life. You can get overwhelmed if you fall behind.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

2/5

There is definitely room for improvement here. Although you get plenty of learning materials, it's very hard to translate them at work as oftentimes you do not get the context of the tasks that you are doing. You are expected to know the infrastructure. You are expected to ask a lot of questions, which is fine, but oftentimes you get very vague answers which confuse you even more. So, it's okay for senior engineers, but for junior engineers can be quite challenging as they do not know what they do not know. So, they do not know how to ask the right questons yet.

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

4/5

I think the Corndel tutors such as [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the Higherin Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] are super friendly and knowledgeable. They always help you and try to guide you on how to solve the problem yourself rather than giving you the right answer. They know their stuff and they know how to find out the right answer. Kudos to them.

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

3/5

DevOps engineering requires a broad range of technical skills, such as coding, automation, cloud infrastructure, security, and collaboration. Corndel provided me with a comprehensive understanding of these areas, as well as practical experience with tools and technologies commonly used in DevOps. That being said tech is a constantly evolving field, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies is critical. So, what we learnt in the past might not be used in the future. Nevertheless, it's about rpactice.

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

4/5

Participating in a mentoring scheme like the IHF provided valuable personal and professional development opportunities. As a mentor, I developed eadership and coaching skills, as well as gain exposure to different perspectives and experiences. My mentee benefits from the guidance and support of a more experienced professional, as well as gain new insights and perspectives on their work and career.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend KPMG to a friend?

Yes

Why?

Working at a well-known company can provide a number of benefits, such as exposure to best practices and industry standards, opportunities for mentorship and professional development, and access to a wide range of resources and tools. This can help you to build a strong foundation of skills and experience that you can carry with you throughout your career.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to KPMG?

Remember the values.
The values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, and For Better are important principles for any organization to live by. By doing what is right, an organization can establish a culture of honesty and trust, which can build strong relationships with clients, customers, and stakeholders. Never stopping learning and improving is essential to staying ahead in a constantly evolving world, and demonstrating the courage to think and act boldly can help an organization take calculated risks and achieve ambitious goals. Respecting each other and drawing strength from differences can lead to a diverse and inclusive workplace, which can foster innovation and creativity. Finally, doing what matters is key to an organization's success, as it allows the organization to focus on its mission and values, and make a positive impact on society. By embodying these values, an organization can create a positive and meaningful workplace culture, and make a difference in the world around them.

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