What people say about the BJSS Academy

Spotlight: BJSS Academy

For this Spotlight, we've done something a little different. To highlight the excellent BJSS Academy, we spoke to a few of the 2020 BJSS Graduate Academy... well... graduates, about how they got here, what their time in the Academy was like and what they are doing now. We got loads of great content speaking to Tom, Abigail, and Luca, and we’ve picked some of the key bits out.

Interns and Placements

We asked a number of our interns and placement students to give an account of their experience, starting with the question: What did you enjoy about your experience as an intern/placement student at BJSS?

The Academy was an amazing experience that helped prepare me for starting as an engineer at BJSS. We got experience working as a team, as well as learning the fundamental skills needed as a software engineer. The diverse team is super supportive and create a great environment to work in. A few months in, I still really enjoy going to work every single day!"

Romy, Graduate Software Engineer

Getting the opportunity to be an Apprentice Software Engineer at BJSS was the best way to start my career. When I started, I knew some basic JavaScript that I’d learned from online courses. By the time I’d finished, I’d worked on several enterprise systems for various clients, using a wide range of technologies and programming languages. Not only did I learn how to code - I also learned how to collaborate with people in different roles, design systems within a team, and conduct myself in a professional environment. I finished my apprenticeship with a whole new set of valuable skills, newfound confidence, new friends, and the opportunity to expand my career in a job that I love."

Jack, Software Engineering Apprentice

I was exposed to such a wide range of technologies during my time on the Academy. It was a terrific opportunity to collaborate with the rest of my cohort, learn from one another, and develop something that we could all be proud of. By the time we’d finished, I felt like I was prepared for any technical challenge that came my way!"

Sam, Graduate Software Engineer

As a career changer, the Engineering Academy was an amazing introduction to both BJSS and the industry. All the of the content covered, from concepts to technologies, were industry leading and incredibly relevant, putting me in good stead for whatever challenge came my way. The tutors were engaging, and I had a great time getting to know my fellow peers - with ample opportunity through Agile project work and socials throughout!"

Emily, Retrainer Software Engineer

I am now on my way to completing my Business Administration Apprenticeship and it has been a fantastic experience. I have learned a lot working with BJSS, and this role has really helped me work on my confidence and interpersonal skills. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to join this company, while developing my admin skills and improving on my IT knowledge in such an enjoyable and supportive environment. My colleagues have taught me so much and have given me a multitude of training opportunities in support of my course. It has been a pleasure getting to know the wonderful people who work here!"

Leanna, Business Administration Apprentice

Towards the start of my apprenticeship as a Junior Content Creator, I spent a few days integrating with the Engineering Academy. It was a lot of fun from the start, and I was made welcome by all of the other graduates. It involved taking part in fun team-building activities to help us work in an Agile way with people I had never met before. I received coaching from a professional about public speaking and how to be more confident in the way that I present myself. On top of the fun and inclusive activities we had done, it was followed by a murder mystery social event where we were split up into random groups. It was a great introduction into BJSS to see the culture of the business and how much of a fun place it is to work!"

Josh, Digital Marketing Executive

Women In Tech

There's still work to do across the IT industry to address the gender imbalance. At BJSS we are committed to increasing our opportunities to those from under-represented groups too. Ever wondered what it's like as a woman joining a predominantly male-oriented career and how the Academy helps?

Apprenticeships At BJSS

As we move towards the beginning of a new academic year, BJSS is excited to welcome a whole new group of apprentices to kickstart their careers in the tech sector. BJSS apprentices will be trained to become everything from software engineers and IT support to marketing professionals, with the organisation determined to support individuals at all stages of their careers in learning the vital skills to help them grow as technology professionals.

With the technology skills gap heavily documented and highly visible across organisations in all sectors, we believe that tech businesses have a responsibility to nurture long-term talent pipelines. Technology organisations have the intellectual capital to teach professionals across multiple stages of their careers how to both upskill and reskill. By recruiting people at early stages of their careers, technology businesses can help nurture a new cohort of tech workers.

Having Jack on the Starling team was brilliant. He brought enthusiasm and curiosity to everything he worked on. I knew I could rely on him to do what was asked of him - he asked for help when he needed it, listened, learnt and implemented what he learnt. I never saw Jack as “just an apprentice” - he was a fully-fledged developer and carried his share of the work. I had to remember to support his learning and plan work to give him opportunities in different areas, and he excelled in every task he was given. Because of Jack, I have actively asked for apprentices to be considered for roles on other projects. I feel we were very lucky to work with him and I look forward to having him on a project team in the future."

It was great to be able to support Jameson’s growth as a software engineer here at ITV. Joining us as an apprentice, he contributed so much energy and enthusiasm over and above his development work, and we will always sign off our standups in the manner he first coined."

Joe has grown in confidence and with the smaller team has stepped up in being vocal at refining, sizing, and standup. He is always willing to attempt anything new and often undertakes spikes to provides solutions or outputs. He is a key player now... he has recently led on a successful live deployment for the first time. Joe is definitely a team player, he joins in discussing best options for resource allocations at planning."

Luca is a fantastic team player and although he excels individually he never puts himself before the team. He is also very good at building relationships with other teams. He is without question the most passionate and dedicated engineer in my team. He is always the first to volunteer himself, one of the most vocal in ceremonies, and I know I can rely on him to give 100% to everything he works on. He’s a breath of fresh air. Luca is a tremendous asset to the team and is destined for a leadership or SME role in the future. I want to thank him for everything he’s done for my team so far. It’s greatly appreciated."

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What people say about the BJSS Academy

Spotlight: BJSS Academy

Interns and Placements

Women In Tech

Apprenticeships At BJSS