Software Engineer Review
at Goldman Sachs Group
Degree Apprenticeship
Finance, Information Technology
London
Review Submitted: April 2022
Overall Rating
4.6 /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!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
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:
5/5
Typically I am working with the business or traders to understand issues and feature enhancements they would like from their application. I'll then develop these solutions either individually or with my team, test them and manage the release to production. We have team meetings weekly and I catch up with everyone on my team very regularly.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I really enjoy the programme and working within Goldman Sachs. The culture pushes for me to constantly strive for improvement and achieve as much as I can. My manager and team are very supportive of the programme and have proved lots of support for me to continue to improve and get the most out of the programme.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
My soft skills - presenting, communication, time management - have noticeably changed and improved since joining the firm. My ability to be resilient and deal with issues as they come up and present solutions has definitely improved as well. In terms of technical skills, my programming ability and problem solving are at levels I never expected to reach, but I know there's still a way to go but have faith the company will continue to help me improve.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
Within Goldman Sachs, the programme is very well run and supported by the programme sponsors and the teams. Appropriate support is given by the managers and sponsors and they are very receptive to our workload from university. Although the university side leaves some room for improvement, it is manageable and forces you to stay organised.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
My manager and team are incredibly supportive and try to support my university studies where possible. They actively offer help and give me work which allows me to be involved with the team and develop my skills. The programme sponsors provide mentors and additional learning opportunities which offers another form of support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
My manager and team are incredibly supportive of my qualifications and provide as much guidance and support as possible. The offer guidance with coursework if it overlaps with areas they know a lot about (for example, big data pipelines and softwares) and tailor my workload where necessary to allow me to focus on studies during more study-intensive periods.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
Some modules from the university apply directly to my learning, for example there are several coding modules and web programming modules which applied directly to my role. Other modules have provided valuable soft skills or skills which have impacted my role more indirectly, such as learning about quality management.
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
The company holds a lot of events and has numerous groups you can join. There are lots of charity days and events to get involved with as well. The firms does have a wide range of sports teams, both social and more serious, which are open to all within the company.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Goldman Sachs Group to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The company puts a genuine emphasis of improving its people. There are so many resources to help you maximise your potential and everyone is supportive of helping you reach your highest level. Everyone I have met has been incredibly intelligent and wanting to help push you further and achieve more. Its a challenge sometimes, but it helps you become the best you can be.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Goldman Sachs Group?
Be honest with your application, your personality is the most important factor. All apprenticeship programmes are tough and are massively different to straight-university, so make sure you are willing to sacrifice that. Make sure you research the company thoroughly and understand how working in financial services may differ from other companies.
