Sam P.
About me
| Sam P. | |
| Physics | |
| Physics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| James | |
| 2017 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Early Careers programme | |
| MBDA | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Digital and IT services | |
| Large business (250+ employees) |
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A day in the life of a Early Careers programme in the United Kingdom
Make sure you stand out
My career goals when I graduated
Software engineer. Anything that allowed me to program, but also be able to afford a cute flat somewhere. I'm still working on the flat.
My advice to students considering work
It's not enough to excel academically, you have to show a broader spectrum of interest. Recruiters know what skills a degree equips you with, so they look for what else makes you stand out.
What I do
I'm currently on the Early Careers Programme at MBDA, with a focus on software. It involves four six-month placements around the business- three local to software, and one external to another area of the business.
Skills I use and how I developed them
To me, software engineering is problem solving in its broadest possible sense. Skills I require to do my job involve solid interpersonal skills, the ability to react quickly to changing requirements, and obviously the ability to code. Studying physics equipped me with most of these, thankfully.
What I like most
The work/life balance here is pretty good, as is the benefits scheme. Management are approachable and accommodating, and if you can make a business case for training you can pretty much do any courses you like.
What surprised me most
The change in pace of work from university to the office. At uni, everything needed to be done yesterday, and you were guilt-tripped into working when you should be asleep. The office is totally different- you can work 8-5, drop everything, and pick it up again the next day.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Sam’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Sam a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Sam to be your mentor.