On-Board Software Develper Review
at JLR
Degree Apprenticeship
Engineering
Gaydon
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
3.3 /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!
2/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.2/5
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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 each day I am involved in a series of meetings, usually with my close or wider team, where we discuss progress on tasks that we're involved in working towards a diagnostics software product. I use Visual Studio code and Git Lab frequently in order to contribute to this product and ensure it is robust and clean before it is onboarded onto vehicles.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
1/5
At this point in time, maybe due to Covid, work is fairly dull. Some apprentices have licenses to drive vehicles and do on-vehicle testing which sounds a lot more active than what I do which is sitting at a desk most of the time, so in general at the moment I don't really enjoy work all that much, but maybe it will change once we are able to go into office a lot more after COVID
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
Yes, I am developing lots of skills in software writing, reading and editing, and in version and merge control. Because of this I will have a great tool-set after the apprenticeship to go forward with either a career in Jaguar Land Rover or beyond, as I am a lot more employable instead of coming out of university.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
The On-Boarding of the program for the apprenticeship is second to none, the interviews and application programme is very well organised and structured. Within the company however, there is not an opportunity to get around and see other areas of the business, when you've been assigned to your area, whether its the place for you or not, you're stuck there unless you have good reason to move. In that case I believe it isn't very well structured, however training is very well provided, teams are very friendly and want to help out a lot which is a definite plus, including a great buddy scheme to help you feel welcome in the company.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
IT and HR support is adequate, when a ticket is raised they generally respond quickly and solve the problem quickly. My manager is very supportive and good at what he does and is quick and understanding to my questions. My mentor is fantastic as he is not a lot older than me so it feels like I'm related to.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Support on the university side is generally good, the lecturers are very helpful, there are regular scheduled meetings from your apprentice tutor which helps you get on top of what needs to be done. I enjoy university side however will be a lot better once we can have in person teaching.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
In my role specifically my studies compliment my role extremely well, as there are many coding opportunities in my degree and so supports my role nicely. There are some other modules which i won't use a lot but I see the value in it for other apprentices that I know.
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
There would be a lot of activities I feel if it weren't for COVID, which is very frustrating, but recently as of May 2021 I have had the opportunity to see collegues outside of work, but in terms of organised events, there have not been any yet until the restrictions are fully lifted.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend JLR to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It's a great environment to grow and learn for anyone interested in software or engineering, as the company moves towards electrification of vehicles, there are thousands of opportunities to grow your skills and have some fun in this new area of the automotive industry. Would highly reccomend for apprenticeships or graduate schemes.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to JLR?
I would say that when applying think about selling yourself as much as possible and include everything that you've done that may contribute to software engineering. If you're looking for a place to hone your skills and a place to put your software abilities to use, Jaguar Land Rover is the best place to be.
Industrial Operations: Manufacturing Undergraduate
at JLR
- Placement (10 Months+)
- Liverpool, Halewood.
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