Technology Engineer Review
at IBM
Degree Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Manchester
Review Submitted: May 2023
Overall Rating
4.5 /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!
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
My role is a developmental one, focusing on creating high quality minimum viable products in order to provide clients with a proof of concept that provides value to the client. This involves coding in JavaScript using ReactJS and NodeJS, as well as learning and utilising IBM technologies within the projects.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I enjoy the structure of my programme, where I spend one day a week in university, allowing me to meet other people and to experience the university. I also enjoy working in development, so I feel my role is well suited to me and I feel comfortable with the people around me, making the experience all the more better.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
During my time at IBM I have been taught a great amount of skills. A large focus at the beginning was presentation skills. After that I was taught more technical skills, including JavaScript, React, NodeJS, Git, RedHat OpenShift Container Platform and more. I was provided with every training I needed.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My programme consists of one university day and then 4 days of work. In university there is a set timetable with planned lessons and content. You are able to ask questions to lecturers throughout the week, allowing you to get on with other tasks while waiting for your query to be answered. In IBM you are able to ask for extra study time as well.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
As soon as I started my role, I was given a buddy as a point of contact for support on top of my foundation and task managers. There is also lots of learning materials provided online for you to learn from and earn digital credentials with. This works great with the buddy system, as they can suggests some learning and help you with it.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
I am able to ask my university lecturers for support in person, where they will run through the problem with me, or via email when I am not at university, where they will get back to me when they can. There is also a great deal of online resources for further support, including study skills webinars.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
My qualification involves me learning programming concepts and practices, both of which I can apply in my role to solve problems efficiently and effectively, even if I am not writing in the same programming language that was taught at university. I was also taught web development skills, which allow me to develop websites in my role.
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
IBM offers a multitude of extra-curricular events. Some networking events consist of roundtables with senior or executive staff and social events focused on networking. Other social activities include lunch and learns, barbecues, Christmas parties and socials planned within different groups (e.g your office colleagues or your department colleagues). On top of this, there are many events held, focused on learning about different cultures that you can attend. For those into sports, there are also a variety of events from football games to charity runs that you can participate in.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend IBM to a friend?
Yes
Why?
IBM is a great place to work. There is plenty of support from a great variety of people and lot's of people with different expertises to learn from. The company culture is great and creates a comfortable environment to work in. You are also able to voice concerns easily and have them acted upon, providing a great experience.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to IBM?
A great tip for applying to IBM is to do extensive research into the company. Look not only at the current endeavours that IBM is involved in, but also the roots of the company. IBM also has many applicants, so it's worth having something to help you standout on your application, such as some programming course completions.
