Helping people learn new skills and build their careers in the tech sector is something we’re proud to support. From our very first Made Tech Academy way back in 2017 and many graduates later – today I’m delighted to share the next step in that journey. Made Tech is now an accredited apprenticeship provider!
If you’re looking to sharpen your programming skills and learn to ship high-quality code on projects that make a difference, we’re opening applications for our new Level 4 DevOps programme on 13 November 2023.
Why choose an apprenticeship?
Modern apprenticeships have come a long way since they were first introduced in the 90s. There’s now over 800 apprenticeship standards and they cover all types of careers across many different sectors. One of the great benefits of apprenticeships is that they’re designed by employers to meet the needs they’re seeing in the workplace. This means you’ll be learning in-demand skills from experts in your field – while earning!
Apprenticeships are a popular option over traditional university courses and can work for any education level. They span from level 2 GCSE, right through to level 7 Masters degree, so there’s something for everyone. Our DevOps apprenticeship is level 4, which means we require you to have a level 2 Functional skills (or equivalent) in Maths and English and not hold a degree in a related subject.
There’s also no age limits on apprenticeship programmes, so they’re a great option for school leavers and careers changers alike. As long as you meet the criteria, you can take your first steps and earn while you learn.
“Creating rewarding careers in digital for people from all backgrounds regardless of their access to formal education is something we feel truly passionate about.“
Chris Blackburn, Chief Operating Officer at Made Tech
Start your career in tech
For years we’ve been helping train and support people on their journey to a career in tech. Making sure we’re bringing new talent into our sector with people from different careers and lived experiences is how we see new ideas and perspectives. Launching our own apprenticeship programme felt like the natural next step.
We’re excited to open this programme to people from all backgrounds, whether this is your first job, a change of direction or a return to work. As long as you’re excited by the idea of shipping high-quality code that can make a real difference to the public sector – we want to hear from you.
You’ll learn from team members who have spent years perfecting their software engineering knowledge and skills. Our apprenticeship also comes with the added benefit of giving you experience of working with a variety of client organisations solving a range of societal challenges – from housing to healthcare. Our expert mentors will teach you everything you need to know to grow in your role as a great consultant.
“Having taken over 100 people through our Academy since 2017, we’re really excited to launch the next chapter as an accredited apprenticeship. With digital and technology skills in short supply in the UK, as a society we need to do more to grow our own.“
Chris Blackburn, Chief Operating Officer at Made Tech
What to expect
We’re taking a blended approach to this programme, which means you’ll experience a mix of face-to-face learning and virtual sessions and tutorials over 18 months. The first 10 weeks will act as a bootcamp, helping set you up with a strong foundation. During this time we’ll teach you the software engineering basics you’ll need before you go on to live projects, including responsible coding, test-driven development and consultancy skills.
To make sure you’re getting the most out of the programme, you’ll have a review with your technical coach and line manager every 6 weeks. They’ll also be ongoing assessments during and after each module so we can make sure you’re on track, provide any extra support if it’s needed and prepare you for your final assessment.
From week 11 you’ll start working as part of a team on real client projects. This is where you’ll apply everything you’ve learnt so far. From this point in the programme you’ll also attend structured learning days where we’ll teach you theoretical knowledge on 7 modules that you can apply to your new day-to-day role. Learning days will take place every month and be a mixture of in-person and virtual learning.
Once you’ve successfully completed your final assessment and the apprenticeship programme, you’ll have earned a level 4 DevOps qualification and have developed a clear pathway for your career at Made Tech.
Dates for your diary
If this sounds like the perfect programme for you, here’s some important dates to remember. Applications will be open from 13 – 27 November 2023. If you make it through to the next stage you’ll come along to our in-person event on 8 January 2024 at our Bristol office – don’t worry about your travel costs, that’s on us. Finally, if you’re successful, day one of our apprenticeship programme will start on 26 February 2024.
If you have any questions about the apprenticeship you can reach out to Bil Badul from our talent team at bilal.badul@madetech.com. Or if you’d like to know a bit more about what life is like at Made Tech, you can take a look at recent blog posts by the team.
About the Author
Cheryl Peet
Learning & Development Team Lead
Chez is our Learning & Development Team Lead. She’s worked in learning and development for as long as she can remember and has many years experience working with apprentices. She thrives off learning new things, walking in the countryside and visiting new places.
