Software Development Apprenticeship Review
at Sky
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Leeds
Review Submitted: March 2022
Overall Rating
4.4 /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!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
3.8/5
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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:
4/5
As a software development apprentice my role is to create easy-to-understand, reusable and tested code. The day-to-day involves participating in daily scrums, following the agile methodology, then going into pairs/trios to work on given tasks.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
It's a great opportunity and Sky really does offer a nice environment for the apprentices to develop their skills, in a collaborative, non-competitive way. It's a non-blame culture.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Definitely. I didn't come from a tech background, so pretty much everything was new to me. I've definitely learned a lot and the pace was good and tailored to each of the apprentices' current level of experience.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I think the programme was well structured. 5 weeks of bootcamp, 8 months of projects with other grads and apprentices, 8/9 remaining months working with other delivery teams.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
10/10 from Sky.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
I think this is the weaker part of the apprenticeship. I thought the bootcamp wasn't well structured, going from too easy at the very start, to extremely challenging towards the middle/end, so I thought it benefited more people who already had more coding experience. Very little teaching and too much time on our own figuring out what to do by ourselves, when I barely knew any coding. The instructor was knowledgeable and available, but I think the problem was with the structure itself. Also, we had a bunch of other apprentices from other companies at the same time, so it was impossible to tailor the learning modules towards everyone.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I think it's an amazing opportunity and a great alternative to university, as the program only lasts 18 months and you get promoted to an associate developer at the end, given you pass all the requirements. Compared to university, this offers a lot more real-life experience, as you get involved with real projects from the start. The downside is that you don't get to learn about computer science to a more fundamental level when compared to university, which can be important.
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
Yes, although covid made everything a bit more difficult. There are opportunities to get involved in extra--curricular activities, both at Sky and at Multiverse.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Sky to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Sky offers a great environment for me to learn and develop my skills. It really has a no-blame culture, everyone works together, and it is a fun place. Sky promotes hybrid working, but incentivises staff to come to the office when they can. My office is nice and modern, and you don't need to dress up in fancy clothes. You can also progress quickly.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Sky?
Sky is all about working with other people, so when applying for a software development apprenticeship at Sky it is more important to have the right attitude than have amazing coding skills, as these can/will be taught.
