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Graduate Level Apprenticeship Software Development for Business in Computer Science An Overview

Jessica Chen-Burger Computer Science Heriot-Watt University

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GLA Motivation

• 72% of employers in Scotland have reported a lack of

technical, practical or job specific skills in job applicants

• Scottish Government want to fill skill gaps by

providing graduates at the honour degree level

– Graduate Level Apprenticeship

• Work-based Learning Program
• Already running for a few years in England and

proven to be very successful

• Heriot-Watt university’s own “Engineers of the

Future” apprenticeship program is very successful

– 90% got distinction

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[Source: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/our-products/graduate-level-apprenticeships]

Why sign up for GLA?

• You will study for a Honour degree, entirely paid for by the

employer and government

• You will have no student debt
• You will start to earn a salary immediately
• It is easier to secure a role with a leading/blue-chip company

than it is as a graduate, when competition is tougher.

• You will receive training tailored to your work, supported both

by the university and companies.

• You will end up, after 3-4 years at a similar stage as a graduate

would entering the organisation, but with more insights into the company’s operations, people and culture

• Reference: http://www.studentladder.co.uk/School-Leaver-Programmes/school-leaver-programmes.html

Content of Degree Program

• Follow our existing BSc Computer Systems

Honour degree program closely

– https://www.hw.ac.uk/study/uk/undergraduate/computer

• systems.htm
• Add courses from Software Engineering and

Business Studies where appropriate:

– to meet the minimum 30%+ business, personal and project management course content required by GLA framework

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GLA Approach

• Four year program

– To produce graduates at honour degree level

• Work based blended learning

– Industrial apprentices educated in the university – Not university plus internship

• Company recruitment

– Direct recruitment – Advertise via Apprenticeships Scot:

• https://www.apprenticeships.scot/
• Flexible education approach

– 1-2 days/week on campus required, over 12 months – Multi-entry (inc. dates and years when suitable)

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Courses Offered

• 1st year

– Software foundation technologies (inc. data structure and algorithm), object-oriented design and programming, interactive systems, legacy system, system configurations, change control and release management

• 2nd year

– Data structure and algorithm, hardware-software interface, interaction design, programming languages, database management system, software design, web

• r structural programming and enterprise and

business Environment.

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• 3rd Year

– Data communication and networking, artificial intelligence and intelligent agents, large group software development industrial project, management applications (inc. operations management, organisation behaviours, human resources management and finance for business).

• 4th Year

– Computer network and security, large one-year- long software development dissertation project, mobile communication and programming, data mining and machine learning, strategic and project management.

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Who can be an apprentice?

• New and existing employees (inc. of SMEs)
• 16 years old and over
• Resident in Scotland before the start of Graduate

Level Apprenticeship

• Have the right to live and work in Scotland
• The premises of work must be in Scotland
• Employees who have already studied or achieved

a degree level qualification are still eligible to apply, if it leads to a higher level of qualification

• r a new area of learning.

8 Source: https://www.apprenticeships.scot/become-an-apprentice/graduate-level-apprenticeships/

How to apply?

• Express an interest to the GLA team at the

Heriot-Watt university via

– gla@hw.ac.uk

• Apply to companies’ own web site by

searching for “Graduate Level Apprenticeship” and “Software Development for Business”

• Apply via Skills Development Scotland’s web

site:

– https://www.apprenticeships.scot/become-an- apprentice/graduate-level-apprenticeships/

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Any Queries ?

visit https://www.hw.ac.uk/business/graduate-level- apprenticeships.htm; Or contact Jessica Chen-Burger at y.j.chenburger@hw.ac.uk; or email gla@hw.ac.uk

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