Software Engineering Apprentice Review
at BAE Systems
Degree Apprenticeship
Warton, Carnforth, UK
Review Submitted: May 2024
Overall Rating
3.8 /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!
3.5/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.4/5
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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
6 placements of around 6-7 months rotating around the business. Work varies depending on the placement and time of year but generally consists of: software changes, testing, design, documentation or requirements engineering.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
While some placements are more exciting and engaging than others, overall the apprenticeship is enjoyable and teaches you a massive amount, particularly if you get a placement who has a good amount of time to give to apprentices.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I've learnt multiple new programming languages, new concepts and massively improved the skills I had already.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The placements are organised at the beginning of the apprenticeship so you can see the full schedule for the entire 4 years. Handovers between placements are generally smooth depending on the apprentice there before you. Sometimes the heavily structured nature of the placement schedule can work to the detriment of the scheme, making it difficult to change placements if you decide you'd like to return to a team/try a different one to what is scheduled. Communications between the company and university can also be poor sometimes, resulting in strange timetables and missing some important sessions.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I receive plenty of support with my work, most people are very happy to put time aside to help you and are generally patient and informative. Some placements have less time than others to give to apprentices, which can sometimes make learning harder when managers/team members are busy with other work.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
All placements are generally very understanding of the time required to complete university work and often give days off during reading weeks or half term if it's required to complete assignments. Many managers also often go out of their way to provide work which displays the competencies required to complete the level 4 diploma, which makes it far easier to achieve some of the harder to achieve criteria.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I feel that many of the degree modules we do translate well over to the workplace, and vice versa, with placement and university work generally complementing each other well. That being said, some university modules are less applicable and the level 4 diploma does not serve to help me perform better in my role at all.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
2/5
While there are some extra-curricular activities on offer, such as tours of other sites, social meet-ups or networking events, software engineering apprentices are generally offered fewer extra-curricular activities than other schemes.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Most people at BAE Systems are very knowledgeable, helpful and are happy to put time aside to teach apprentices and improve their knowledge/ability. The company is also very supportive in terms of completing qualifications and has several exciting projects ongoing to get involved in.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems?
Show a genuine passion for the subject area you're applying for, provide examples of work/projects you've completed in that area, and make sure you're always willing to learn. You will not be expected to know everything from the word go, being willing to try anything and learn is far more important.
