What to expect from a BJSS apprenticeship

By Josh Devenport, Content Creator at BJSS and
Zainab Mahmud, Marketing Content Producer at BJSS

Josh's Story...

My name is Josh Devenport, and I am an apprentice junior content creator at BJSS. Here’s my story as to why I opted for an apprenticeship to kick-start my career.

My journey into the world of work initially started at university, studying marketing. I studied at university for a year and realised it was not the type of learning for me.

During the interview process for BJSS, the leading technology and engineering consultancy for business,  I spoke in-depth about what it is like to work for one of the UK's fastest growing technology companies. This initial conversation was enough for me to realise that BJSS was perfect for me to start my career and I was really pleased when I was offered the job. I started at BJSS in November 2020, working remotely from home. It was strange starting a job without meeting anyone in person, but BJSS made my onboarding very welcoming and everyone on my team was very friendly.

I couldn’t be happier. I found myself learning similar topics to university, but learning on the job whilst earning money! I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who has a hands-on approach and wants to start working.

What I’ve learnt so far

So far in the three months that I have worked at BJSS, I’ve completed various projects in work whilst learning theory through The Juice Academy and Apprentify. I’ve written various blogs, content for job adverts, web pages and created internal content too. My apprenticeship allows me to take the theory that I've been learning and then apply it to real life situations so that I can understand it more deeply. In my situation, my apprenticeship has been a far better option than university.

Zainab's Story...

I’m Zainab Mahmud, a 17-year-old marketing content producer at BJSS. Deciding to launch my career with an apprenticeship was unquestionably the best decision I have ever made.

My journey as an apprentice began when I was due to sit my GCSEs last summer, however COVID-19 halted those plans. It was eventually decided that exams were cancelled, and grades would based on a ‘standardised algorithm’ or teacher predicted results.

When I received my results, I was devastated but decided to be proactive about it and look at apprenticeships. After applying for 30 apprenticeships, I became disheartened as I’d pass interviews with colleges/apprenticeship schemes but was unable to secure a job. I felt like maybe I wasn’t good enough for the positions I was applying to.

Fortunately, through The Juice Academy, a Manchester based apprenticeship scheme, I managed to land an interview with BJSS. Out of all interviews, this one stood out to me the most. The managers convinced me that even for someone who has no experience in the ‘world of work’, they’d always be there, guiding me to kick-start my career.

What I have learnt so far:

Starting a professional job can be overwhelming especially when you need to start remotely. However, in the short three months I’ve been here, everyone at BJSS has made me feel really welcomed. My team and others in the company have always been there to support and guide me through projects when needed.

So far, I’ve worked on internal campaigns for the business creating content and influencing decisions. I’ve also gained a range of skills on digital platforms such as the website and social media. This apprenticeship has allowed me to learn theoretically while enhancing my practical skills through incorporating learning into on the job training.

Working at BJSS has given me many practical opportunities like managing two campaigns and being featured in an article for Manchester Evening News. It feels so surreal to state that I have only been working here since November 2020!

Why opt for an apprenticeship

Apprenticeships are a unique style of learning. They are not for everyone, but if you enjoy practical learning, it is perfect for you. For people who want to focus on a specific career, where you can gain hands-on experience and apply your new skills as you learn them, it’s the obvious choice.

Why consider an apprenticeship with bjss

Our people are what set us apart. We’re known for recruiting and developing outstanding people. This means you’ll be working and learning from some of the best people the industry has to offer.

We want our people to make the most of their talent and potential, so we’re committed to supporting their personal and professional development. Our reputation for excellence means we can provide exciting career development opportunities, working on rewarding engagements for some of the world’s leading organisations. Your learning won’t stop when you complete your apprenticeship, you’ll keep learning beyond your certification.

Choose your Career

Chart your career journey by attending cross capability meetings and events. With the help of your Squad Lead and Capability Lead, we want you to pursue a career that gets you excited to come to work every day.

Keep Learning

We offer training, opportunities to gain accreditation through company-sponsored qualifications, have a dedicated online learning platform and access to O’Reilly Online Learning so that you’re always learning.

Relax on Us

Each of our offices hosts a yearly weekend away to celebrate our achievements. Our employees and their families are invited to a weekend of activities and relaxation.

Community Involvement

Our local communities are important to us. There are lots of opportunities to get involved and give back. Our people are also offered the chance to help upskill our BJSS Academy members.

Refer Your Peers

Our people know the kind of skills and personalities that make people fit in here. Our referral reward scheme is the best in the industry.

 Worldwide Opportunities

We operate across the UK, USA, Europe and Australia, providing opportunities to develop your skills and experience work in other cultures.

What are the options at the end of the apprenticeship?

We have hired apprentices into a wide range of roles, including both client facing and support roles. The business areas where we have previously hired apprentices include:

• Business Support
• Our Internal IT team
• SPARCK
• Software Development
• Software Testing
• Marketing

Those people have gone on to some of the following roles:

• IT Engineer
• Automation Test Engineer
• NFT/Technical Test Engineer
• Software Engineer
• User Researcher
• Software Engineer in Test

At BJSS we always offer a full-time position into the business for those who perform well during their time working as an apprentice.

a bit more about bjss...

BJSS is the leading technology and engineering consultancy for business. Trusted by our clients, we collaborate to deliver complex, innovative technology, engineering and industry solutions that millions of people use every day.