Software Engineer Review

I've really enjoyed my time at Thales so far. My manager has been very supportive of my MSc apprenticeship and my development more generally. My project has provided plenty of opportunities to learn and I've been given the time and support to do so in a psychologically safe environment. I have autonomy and am trusted (and encouraged) to reach out for help when I need it.

Testing my code in the lab on hardware, writing new libraries and try to get third party libraries to work. Debugging and problem solving. Working with multiple programming languages and writing documentation to support.

I work in a relatively small team so it's easy to see the impact of my work. My objectives are also tied into the wider project and departmental objectives so I understand what my contributions are to my project.

It's easy to manage our pension contributions and they're matched by the organisation up to a certain percent. Hybrid working works really well for my role as I can have focus days at home then spend my time in the office collaborating and testing my solutions. We also use flexible working to work longer hours Mon-Thurs so we can take a half day on Friday.

I am given plenty of learning opportunities both through my university and my day to day responsibilities. There are plenty of mentoring opportunities, employee networks and regular let's learn sessions to help me shape my learning and clear development pathways within the organisation.

I am given time to learn the necessary skills and concepts to complete tasks on my project. The organisation has robust development lifecycles and policies in place to encourage growth. I have had to learn a lot on the job however this is my preferred way of learning so it has worked well for me! If I need support (either technically or from a more general career perspective), I am always pointed to someone who can help.

Hybrid and flexible working is utilised to ensure we maintain a healthy work-life balance. I have focus days at home and take my OTJ hours while working from home to ensure I am undisturbed while studying but can also collaborate and benefit from being sat near colleagues I can learn from on the days I am in the office. Leave is booked by hours which is convenient for appointments, etc and we are encouraged to work longer days Mon-Thurs so we can have a half day Friday (or take it off completely).

In addition to hybrid and flexible working policies, there are a number of employee networks to support various minority groups including women, LGBQT+ and a disability network. The organisation promotes psychological safety and there are a number of events throughout the year to encourage team working (including summer BBQs, Christmas dinners, etc).

Although there is still a way to go to achieve a more diverse workforce and reduce gender pay gaps, there are a number of EDI initiatives in place including numerous employee networks to support minority groups. Employees must also complete mandatory training courses on EDI and prevention of harassment.

Yes

When I joined Thales I had switched careers from marketing to software engineering and they have made the transition much easier than it could have been through their support and encouragement. My team have been very patient with me as I pick up the technical skills and always on hand to answer my questions. They have also always encouraged any development activities I carry out (including my MSc apprenticeship!).

I joined the organisation through a bit of an unusual route as I was offered a position on the condition that I completed my sponsored place on the coding bootcamp I was on so the details of the role were a little generic on joining however I was invited in to meet my manager and department head before starting and to join the graduate onboarding week for a day which all helped to make me feel comfortable and provide more context for my role before starting.