Amy, Technology Higher Apprentice

With apprenticeship programmes open to anyone, the technology programme gave Amy the perfect opportunity to get a degree and work at the same time

Before I started working at Barclays, I’d been working a part-time job and studying at university for a few years. But I felt like I was lacking confidence and I wasn’t motivated by the work on my degree. I wanted a career path and a job where I knew I could have potential to make a difference.

I chose Barclays because it isn’t just aimed at school leavers. It can really vary, since the programmes are open to anyone, with any background, at any age. For me, the technology apprenticeship felt like the perfect opportunity to get a degree and work at the same time, at a respected and internationally-known company.

I get the opportunity to expand my learning, picking up new and more current coding languages that you just don’t learn at university.

Today, I’m a software developer based in Glasgow, and my typical day-to-day responsibilities are writing code for internal user interfaces; helping new apprentices to settle in; and getting involved with the agile software development process within my team. At the same time, I also get the opportunity to expand my learning, picking up new and more current coding languages that you just don’t learn at university.

I also enjoy being part of a small, tightknit team, working closely together and communicating every day. You get a strong sense of honesty and willingness to help others. When I first joined Barclays my team made me feel welcome from the start by involving me in work and listening to my views, as well as helping me when I needed it.

You have a clear progression plan throughout the apprenticeship, and the team are also open to flexibility, whether it’s working from home or encouraging the right work/life balance. Barclays also support any physical and mental health needs you may have through the BeWell portal.

I think that of all the things Barclays offers, the sheer range of career options is the part I value the most. It gives me something to work towards, and knowing my next steps helps me stay focused. Plus, there’s plenty of challenging work to help keep me motivated and improve my skills along the way.