RDT
apprenticeships

Before joining RDT, I was studying A Levels in Design and Photography, along with a BTEC in Music Production, at sixth form. But even from Year 10, I was already freelancing. I started by creating song covers for people on Spotify, which eventually led to designing logos. This progressed to building websites, and I grew my network of clients by handing out flyers to local businesses like pubs, takeaway shops, and hotels. I also connected with friends’ dads in the construction industry who needed help with websites. Alongside school, I was juggling my freelance work and working part-time as a delivery driver for Chinese food.

I joined RDT in April 2023 as an Intern Software Engineer on a fixed-term contract for six months. Before the contract ended, I was offered a permanent position by August. I initially joined with a strong design focus, working in one of the Tech Teams, where I started with front-end design work. But as I took on more coding-related tasks and developed a curiosity about programming, I naturally enrolled in RDT’s degree apprenticeship program.

Currently, I’m focused on building web products for our clients. My team handles everything—we don’t have a BA, Delivery Manager, or QA—so I enjoy being involved in every aspect of the workload and working collaboratively. I use Blazor, Visual Studio, and Azure DevOps on a daily basis.

What I love most about RDT is two things. First, I really like the people I work with. My team is young, but I also work alongside senior software engineers from whom I can learn a lot. Second, I love that RDT isn’t a massive corporate environment. I feel like I have the freedom to pitch ideas directly to the Execs, without worrying about being young or just starting out. This has given me the confidence to take initiative and drive products forward.

I’m passionate about building things and seeing them through to the end product. Outside of work, I’m a big fan of golf and have recently gotten into paddle tennis. My passion for design will always be a part of me, and I still take on a little freelance work when I can.

I feel incredibly supported at RDT. I have great management, and I feel safe and comfortable in my role. The opportunity to earn while learning, especially with a degree that comes without any debt, is something I think is amazing. I’m managing my workload and coursework well, and the Open University has been fantastic with extensions when necessary—though I haven’t needed to ask for one yet. RDT provides me with one study day a week, and they’ve made it clear that if I need more time, it’s available to me.

Before joining RDT, I was studying A Levels at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, where I achieved an A* in Maths and an A in Further Maths and Computer Science. I had the opportunity to attend two work experience placements at RDT, and it was the second one—where I spent a week working closely with a software development team—that made me realise this was the career path I wanted to pursue.

I was lucky enough to secure a degree apprenticeship with RDT before finishing my A Levels, and I officially joined in September 2024. I’m currently working on web applications for RDT customers as part of a team of four. I’m actively involved in all aspects of the development process, from gathering requirements to development and testing. We work collaboratively, sharing the workload, and I mainly use Visual Studio and Microsoft Azure DevOps, which I had to learn quickly to be fully operational.

At first, I was a bit apprehensive about transitioning from being a student to a full-time office job, but I’ve felt fully supported at RDT. My manager played a big part in making the change seamless, and I quickly settled in. During my onboarding, I had plenty of meetings with my manager to discuss my progress and the next steps for my development, and this continues on a fortnightly basis. Balancing my coursework and job has been going well, and I’m happy with the results I’ve been getting for my assignments.

Outside of work, I’m passionate about music. I play the piano and am teaching myself to play the electric guitar. Back in sixth form, I even formed a band, and I was worried that by not going to university, I’d miss out on joining a music group or society. However, I’ve discovered that quite a few of my colleagues here also play music, so we’ve been talking about starting our own band, which would be amazing!

Before joining RDT, I was working part-time at Tesco after finishing college in the summer of 2023. I’ve always been interested in technology and wanted to find a path where I could keep learning while gaining real, hands-on experience. During college, I particularly enjoyed the problem-solving side of computing, but wasn’t sure how that would translate into a full-time career. When I came across the Software Engineer Degree Apprenticeship at RDT, it felt like the perfect opportunity to start my journey in tech, gaining valuable industry experience while earning a degree.

Joining RDT meant relocating over 220 miles from home. It was a big step, but one I’m really glad I took.

Since joining, I’ve learned so much in a short space of time. I’ve been developing my C# skills, building familiarity with Azure, and learning how software development works in a real business environment – from using Git for version control to understanding how changes progress through development, UAT, and production environments. It’s been eye-opening to see how collaborative software development is, and how different it feels compared to coding on your own at home. The experience has helped me understand not just how to write code, but how to build reliable, production-ready software as part of a team.

What I love most about working at RDT is the people and the culture. Everyone is approachable, friendly, and always willing to help. My manager and team have been incredibly supportive, especially as I’ve settled into a new area and learned to balance university studies with real project work. RDT also gives me the flexibility to dedicate time each week to my degree, which has made it much easier to manage both sides of the apprenticeship.

Outside of work, I’m passionate about Formula 1. I love following the races, the rivalries, and the engineering behind each team’s performance. That same curiosity about how things work is what first drew me to software engineering. Moving 220 miles to join RDT has been a huge step for me personally and professionally, and I’m excited to keep learning, growing, and building my career here.

Before joining RDT, I was studying A Levels in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Computer Science at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls. I fortunately got the opportunity to attend two sets of work experience with RDT and spent two weeks with them, learning about both the company and the degree apprenticeship opportunity in software engineering. This confirmed my interest in this field as a career I wanted to pursue.

During my last year of A Levels, I was lucky enough to secure a degree apprenticeship with RDT. Since my official start in September of 2025, I have worked on a variety of different projects. I’ve learned new languages, like C# and JavaScript, and quickly adapted to tools such as Visual Studio and Azure DevOps. Every day brings something new, and I’m enjoying building my skills across all areas of development.

What I love most about RDT is the people and the collaborative environment. Everyone is approachable and supportive, and my manager and team have been amazing in helping me settle in and grow. They’re always willing to offer advice and guidance, which made the transition from school to full-time work so much easier. To have dedicated study time each week, and flexibility when needed, has been a huge help in balancing work and my degree.

Outside of work, I am passionate about reading and photography. I really enjoy getting to explore the world around me with my camera and relaxing with a good book. Additionally, I enjoy dance, specifically ballet, which I find both challenging and rewarding. Working at RDT has been just as rewarding, and since joining, the company has been wonderful in helping me settle in. I look forward to continuing my journey with them.