Graduate Level Apprenticeship Software Development for Business in Computer Science An Overview Jessica Chen-Burger Computer Science Heriot-Watt University 1
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 2 [Source: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/our-products/graduate-level-apprenticeships] – 90% got distinction
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 4
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) 5
Courses Offered • 1 st 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 • 2 nd year – Data structure and algorithm, hardware-software interface, interaction design, programming languages, database management system, software design, web or structural programming and enterprise and business Environment. 6
• 3 rd 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). • 4 th 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. 7
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 or 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/ 9
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 10
Recommend
More recommend
