Software Development Apprentice Review
at Newcastle Building Society
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Newcastle upon Tyne
Review Submitted: March 2021
Overall Rating
5 /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!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
5/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
My role involves working alongside my team developing software both in house for various departments within the company and externally for clients. Every day is different just like most jobs, however the usual day to day tasks consist of our daily scrums to discuss with our team what we are working on today and any blockers we have etc. The tickets(tasks) you work on will vary depending on the type of project you're working on and the stage you are in. It can be anything from planning, working on the UI/Front End to Back End to Documentation or working on your apprenticeship work.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I thoroughly enjoy my programme and truly believe it was the best route for me. I love that I am able to train while being in a role and I think it's so beneficial to be around people with tons of experience in what you're training in at a young age.
You can not beat the culture of NBS, everyone is so friendly and you're fully supported.
You can not beat the culture of NBS, everyone is so friendly and you're fully supported.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I have never stopped learning since I started in my role. This is both from work activities and my training provider. I have become proficient in C# and developed my soft skills.
The society provides a lot of training and focus on your personal development, i've never known a company to be so invested in their employees. I have had access to PluralSight (an online training platform), which we are encouraged to use to upskill and was assigned a mentor who hosts regular sessions to learn new topics and set goals for myself to achieve over the year.
Baltic provide us in depth online sessions, I've found the practical sessions to be super beneficial to develop my programming skills.
The society provides a lot of training and focus on your personal development, i've never known a company to be so invested in their employees. I have had access to PluralSight (an online training platform), which we are encouraged to use to upskill and was assigned a mentor who hosts regular sessions to learn new topics and set goals for myself to achieve over the year.
Baltic provide us in depth online sessions, I've found the practical sessions to be super beneficial to develop my programming skills.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
My programme is well structured. It consists of 12 Assignments (1 per month) and 3 Training weeks throughout the year. This makes it really easy to organize your apprenticeship work around your sprint work. You are fully supported throughout by various people including your assessor, coordinator, mentor within the business and manager.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I can not fault the support NBS provides to their employees. Throughout my apprenticeship I have had regular meetings with my manager and my mentor who have both provided more than enough support to help me upskill in every area possible and succeed in training weeks and exams. We also have support available within programmes provided by the society in which is made clear regularly on the intranet.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
Baltic are impeccable at providing support for their apprentices. If ever I have a question or concern at all about one of my assignments I can guarantee a fast reply from my assessor. I have also personally seen in online classes trainers guide students through tasks and ensure to ask that we all fully understand it.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
I feel as though if anything the training has helped me develop my soft skills. A lot of the time due to the dates my training weeks fell on I had already covered it within work tasks or I had to research it for an assignment. However, I did know a lot of theory behind programming before entering my role, I have no complaints about the training I just found my work tasks more challenging and that I developed my skills way more from my mentoring experience more than anything.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
There are lots of events to get involved in such as volunteering, swap department days, networking talks related to your area and social department events!
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Newcastle Building Society to a friend?
Yes
Why?
As mentioned in previous questions, I really think the company culture makes NBS a great place to work, you are supported throughout and never made to feel small despite being an apprentice. NBS is truly committed to your personal development and it is honestly the best apprenticeship experience I have seen out there.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Newcastle Building Society?
Research our behaviours, if you're keen do some extra curricular activities related to the role and most importantly be yourself. There isn't a face to fit with NBS, we are truly a company of different characters and I think that's what makes the environment so great :D
