Next up in our showcase of apprentices for National Apprenticeship Week 2022, meet Finley, a Software Apprentice, MBDA.

What made you want to pursue a career in the sector and an apprenticeship?

I have had an interest in software from secondary school, which grew while studying computing at college. Having completed work experience during the second year of my course, I felt I was ready to start working whilst studying for my degree.

What is your day-to-day role like, has it changed much due to the pandemic?

Day-to-day, I work within a project team collaborating with other developers on software related tasks. There has been relatively little pandemic effect – I have been working onsite since I joined in September 2020 with the only real change being COVID-19 precautions and their effect on communication.

What has been the best thing about your apprenticeship, has anything surprised you?

My favourite thing about the scheme has been the level of flexibility – while a high-level structure is given to the scheme, the apprentice is given the opportunity to explore areas of their choice. I have been pleasantly surprised by the level of trust that the company puts into apprentices, which only increases the amount of learning that can happen during the scheme.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship to people looking to make a first step in their career?

I would fully recommend doing an apprenticeship – while a certain amount of knowledge can be picked up through classroom-based learning, putting the theory into practice and learning from experienced developers only increases that and puts you into a strong position after the scheme.

What is your advice to someone who would like to join an apprenticeship scheme?

An apprenticeship scheme will put you into the best position possible when you graduate. While it can be tough combining work and education, being primarily in the workplace gives you the chance to practice a whole range of extra technical and soft skills and pick up invaluable experience.

For more information on apprenticeships with MBDA, visit: https://www.mbdacareers.co.uk/early-careers/apprenticeships