My apprentice job summed up

When I first joined, I was focussed on learning how to code in Java, learning about Agile development and test driven development, which I put into practise through live projects. I then joined the Cloud Services team and was involved in a range of projects around the automation of virtual machines, including building a web portal for storage of customer data; where we could monitor customer usage and activity to ensure we were providing the right service to meet customer needs. I also managed authentication rights to users on a new secure service, and built process documents to ensure security of the system was maintained.

I got the opportunity to spend time in different teams, to give me a wide experience and help me decide which area I wanted to focus on when I finished my apprenticeship.

What impact do you feel you had during your apprenticeship?

During my apprenticeship I was involved in different parts of the business, where I had many different experiences. I believe that I made a good contribution to the business both in my core role and with other internal projects such as designing and building community pages for BlueKiwi, our internal social networking tool, which involved working with several senior stakeholders. I was also involved in charity activities, organising bake sales in our local office and partnering with a local primary school to help restore a local community church.

What did you learn during your apprenticeship?

I believe the training and work that I did during my apprenticeship not only improved my technical abilities but also improved my soft skills too, as I became more confident in myself. During my apprenticeship I became more proficient in languages such as Java, HTML and CSS. Additionally, as the company is so large I had many chances to network, make friends and shadow senior colleagues. This benefitted me throughout my apprenticeship and helped me understand what I might like to do in the future.

What are you doing now?

I am now a Junior Demand Manger within the Cloud Services department. This role entails monitoring our capacity in storage and backups, as well as forecasting for additional customers joining Atos in the near future. I’m also responsible for daily capacity reports and the monthly reports used to bill our customers for using our services.

Outside of my job role I am now joint head of the apprentice committee where I am the voice of fellow apprentices and help to drive initiatives to benefit not only apprentices but the whole Graduate, Intern & Apprentice community.

Have you continued studying since your apprenticeship?

After completing my apprenticeship, I have now signed up to study for a degree apprenticeship with Atos, which will gain me a BSc in Digital and Technology Solutions. I have chosen the data analyst route, which has been really interesting so far. Once graduating, I hope to continue to work with Atos and continue to make my way up the business.