RDT has been hiring apprentices for a few years now. We feel it’s a great way for a young person to study for a degree while also gaining work experience.
We began looking for our next apprentice in 2019 but we were so impressed by the calibre of applicants that we ended up taking on two instead of one. We spoke to them to find out what makes them tick, why they decided to apply for an apprenticeship with us, and what they hope for the future.
Tom and Phoebe
Phoebe Chapman:
Before coming to RDT I was studying for my A-levels at Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School. I play video games in my spare time, and this is where my interest for IT and technology came from.
I knew I wanted to get into the IT industry but I had no idea how many different jobs there were! I saw an apprenticeship at RDT as an opportunity to gain a degree at the same time as getting valuable work experience, which will help me in my career.
Everyone I spoke to at RDT during the recruitment process was welcoming and helpful. I had a lot of contact with HR and they invited me to attend an apprentice day in the office.
The day consisted of teamwork and a programming task, as well as a technical interview and an interview with HR – I was given a great opportunity to show my strengths. I was thrilled when I learnt that I had been successful and RDT wanted me to join them as an apprentice engineer.
Phoebe in her interview
I like working here as everyone is really friendly and happy to answer any questions I have. The atmosphere is relaxed, but plenty of work gets done, and I enjoy playing pool at lunch. Jack and Joe are my mentors and we have weekly catch-ups to how things have been and whether I have any problems. My team have been very helpful with the settling-in process and giving me support with all my training.
I aim to finish my degree course and use what I’ve learnt to improve my skills at work. I hope to continue being a valuable team member and put my training into practice.
Tom Juniper-Clark :
Hi, I’m Tom and I’m an apprentice engineer here at RDT.
Before coming to RDT I was in sixth form completing my A Levels. I’d decided to defer my entry to university and was looking for an apprenticeship when I heard about RDT’s program.
The recruitment process felt very positive to me as HR were always available for questions. The apprenticeship day gave me a chance to meet the employees of RDT. Everyone was welcoming, which made my nerves disappear, and there were a lot of fun activities to do, such as an agile game and a coding challenge. It was a great experience with a lot of friendly people involved.
Tom in his interview
I realised I wanted to be a software developer when I was in year 8. At the time we had just started coding our first game, I had never coded before and it opened my eyes to an industry which I’d never really thought about. Since coming to work at RDT I’ve realized that there are many fields in the software industry other than developing, such as quality assurance (QA), architecture, engineering and infrastructure.
I enjoy working at RDT. The people are friendly and always willing to answer questions. The atmosphere at lunch is great as it’s very relaxed, with a pool table, football table and an arcade machine to play on.
I’ve been given training in both development and QA. This training has allowed me to explore new technologies such as SpecFlow and Angular. I have weekly catch-ups with my mentors to go over the week and they provide help if it’s needed.
My short term goal is to finish my degree. After that I want to work my way up to senior developer/QA. Ultimately, I want to learn new technologies and continue to learn, as well as becoming more confident in the work I produce.