Software Developer Apprenticeship

Assessment

Each apprenticeship course has a standard set of competencies – Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours – that are focused on throughout the programme. The Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours are evaluated through the End-Point Assessment (EPA), which is completed in the last month of the apprenticeship. The EPA is conducted by an external assessor, and will include the following elements that need to be completed in order to finish the apprenticeship.

1. A portfolio
2. A professional discussion
3. A workplace observation

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements may vary depending on the requirements of the employer. Usually, a Level 3 qualification such as A Levels, NVQs, a BTEC or a Level 3 Apprenticeship will be required. Employers may also expect a minimum of 5 GCSEs with grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English and maths. Apprentices that don’t have GCSE English and maths at the required level may need to undertake mandatory Functional Skills as part of the apprenticeship to achieve Level 2 prior to End-Point Assessment.

Cost

This apprenticeship programme costs £18,000, all covered through the Apprenticeship Levy. Even if your business doesn’t pay into the Levy, the government funds 95% of all apprenticeship training, with your business only paying 5%.

Software Developer Apprenticeship Standard

The Software Developer Apprenticeship standard outlines that this course is designed to teach learners to build and test simple, high-quality code for software. Duties you may carry out as a Software Development apprentice include:

• Taking and interpreting given software development requirements to estimate effort to deliver the work product to enable accurate costs to be established.
• Breaking software development activities down into logical units of work to enable sequencing and ensure the best possible structuring of activities to deliver a high quality product right first time.
• Reporting progress accurately throughout the development life-cycle stages to ensure adequate audit trails of key worksteps such that the organisation can demonstrate how the product has been created for quality and commercial purposes.
• Identifying and reporting any impediments to software development activities and propose practical solutions.
• Converting customer requirements into technical requirements, both functional and non-functional to ensure that customers’ expectations are accurately reflected in the software products developed.