Software Developer Review
at NatWest Group
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Edinburgh
Review Submitted: May 2022
Overall Rating
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
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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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
I attend meetings with my team every morning to discuss the plans for the day and what everybody is doing. I will then be assigned tickets to complete. These tickets include instructions for UI that I need to display on the screen of a website. Towards the start of the apprenticeship I spent most of my time learning how to code and what different languages do.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I would say overall the programme has been good. The main reason being due to the flexibility that comes with working from home and having flexible working hours. Working from home means I save time and money on travelling to and from the office everyday. The learning aspect is pretty straight forward but can sometimes be a pain due to me teaching myself. I think having a tutor/teacher would definitely make the experience better.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learned the fundamentals of a fair amount of coding languages including Java Script, CSS, HTML, React and some PHP. I have also developed upon my communication skills and time management due to having to keep a schedule and attending various meetings every day and speaking to different members of my team.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My programme is very well organised. As I said in a previous question, I have scheduled meetings everyday and also every week with my Line manager. I also have meetings with my apprenticeship provider who gives me modules that need completed to earn my diploma and he gives me a lot of time to get them done.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
My employer has given me a lot of support and also a fair amount of leeway if I struggle to complete work due to my lack of knowledge. My Line manager is always there to help if I need it and has been very supportive throughout my time at Natwest.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
My training provider has been able to offer me support whenever I have needed it and they have helped me on numerous occasions to understand the work I have been given and have definitely made it easier for me to work towards my qualifications including both the modules and the practical coding work.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
My qualification doesn't directly give me knowledge on the coding languages that I use for my day to day work but it does give me a baseline to go off of and provides me with a brief understanding of what to expect with coding in general and overall I would say it has definitely made it easier to understand my work as a whole.
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 has been quite a few extra-curricular activities to get involved in such as group meetups, work nights out and I've even heard that some people go for a game of football at lunch. We also have a Microsoft teams chat where people post what seats they are in at the office if people feel like they want a catch up with other employees.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend NatWest Group to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Working at Natwest has a lot of benefits. Like I mentioned earlier, the working hours can be flexible and you have the chance to work from home which I think is very good in itself. The salary is also a very good salary as far as apprenticeships go which has boosted my motivation to work.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to NatWest Group?
My advice would be to not stress out too much before the interview as the interviewers were very relaxed and friendly. I'd also recommend that if you do end up getting a job here, make sure to take regular breaks from the screen to ensure your eyes don't get too tired and just enjoy yourself.
