Apprentice Developer

About Affinity Digital

Affinity has been successfully operating since it was founded in January 2004 (winning best new business of the year at the 2005 CBAs). It has recently achieved significant organic growth (despite the current global market difficulties) with sales revenue increasing year on year and into the current financial year - cementing its strong financial standing. The company remains independently owned and has no borrowings.

Affinity’s current and prospective client base comprises a real mix of both public and private sector organisations (which means that it is able to prosper even during economic downturns) and includes some exceptional leaders in their respective fields, e.g. Lotus Cars, Seiko, Haymarket, The Eden Project, ODI and Sparex. Indeed, we were recently successful in a European wide tender published by The Government Digital Service (part of the UK Cabinet Office) and are now the provider of open-source web and e-commerce solutions to several high profile UK Government departments; including HMRC.

We remain ‘technology-agnostic’ - accessing the most appropriate technological solution in each individual case - and whilst we have gained in-depth experience of a number of leading open-source packages (specifically Magento, Drupal and WordPress), we have resisted the offer of becoming a technology partner to any one single provider or platform. This way, we do not have any ‘re-seller’ targets to meet and are able to remain completely unbiased in our recommendations and technology choices when architecting solutions.

In a market where project delivery can sometimes be problematic, Affinity’s partnership approach and proven project management methodologies (incorporating both Agile and Waterfall depending on the client’s preferences) has had a notable success rate and gained a reputation which it will build upon to maximise its growth.

Affinity has a number of competitors nationally and internationally but none of these have the same level of skills and experience available at such a competitive and cost-effective day rate (which is only possible due to the low overheads experienced at our Head Office in Truro, Cornwall – where our development and technical support staff are based). Our ‘blended’ day rate is, we believe, approximately 60-70% of the equivalent London-based resources. Furthermore, we have become expert in open-source software and this, coupled with our skill set in UX and UI development, makes us rare if not unique

Overview of the role

You will receive training and direction to enable you to assist in the development of a diverse range of web-based projects for both public and private sector clients using Open Source software within the framework of either Waterfall or Agile project management methodologies.

Supported by a senior developer and directed by a project manager or scrum master, you will undertake iterative software development, research and testing across several different projects using Open Source development tools.

Responsibilities/duties:

Within the remit of the specific project, the post holder will be required to:

1. Undertake software development, research and testing as directed by the senior developer or project manager assigned to the project or undertake small work packages as required from time to time by Affinity Management.

2. Attend project meetings as requested by the project manager or senior developer.

3. On a weekly basis, record time spent on each project on a day by day basis to the required level of detail

4. Remain current regarding changes in relevant technology and systems to ensure that technical knowledge is up to date.

Requirements and Prospects

Qualifications Required

You must have completed compulsory education and acquired an NVQ or equivalent.

Skills Required

Ability to work under pressure across more than one project, when required.

Good written and verbal communication skills.

Personal Qualities

You will have a customer service ethos.

Future Prospects

The right candidates following successful completion of their apprenticeship will be offered full time employment. You will receive training and direction to enable you to assist in the development of a diverse range of web-based projects for both public and private sector clients using Open Source software within the framework of either Waterfall or Agile project management methodologies.

Additional Information

Training Provided

Programme Content

Technical Competencies

• Logic: writes good quality code (logic) with sound syntax in at least one language
• User interface: can develop effective user interfaces for at least one channel
• Data: can effectively link code to the database/data sets
• Test: can test code and analyse results to correct errors found using either V-model manual testing and/or using unit testing
• Problem solving: can apply structured techniques to problem solving, can debug code and can understand the structure of programmes in order to identify and resolve issues
• Design: can create simple data models and software designs to effectively communicate understanding of the program, following best practices and standards
• Analysis: can understand and create basic analysis artefacts, such as user cases and/or user stories
• Deployment : can understand and utilise skills to build, manage and deploy code into enterprise environments
• Development lifecycle: can operate at all stages of the software development lifecycle, with increasing breadth and depth over time with initial focus on build and test.
• Can apply good practice approaches according to the relevant paradigm (for example object oriented, event driven or procedural)

Can interpret and follow:

• software designs and functional/technical specifications
• company defined ‘coding standards’ or industry good practice for coding
• testing frameworks and methodologies
• company, team or client approaches to continuous integration, version and source control
• Can respond to the business environment and business issues related to software development
• Can operate effectively in their own business’s, their customer’s and the industry’s environments
• Can apply the maths required to be a software developer (e.g. algorithms, logic and data structures)

Technical Knowledge and Understanding:

• Understands and operates at all stages of the software development lifecycle
• Understands the similarities and differences (taking into account positives and negatives of both approaches) between agile and waterfall software development methodologies
• Understands how teams work effectively to produce software and contributes appropriately
• Understands and applies software design approaches and patterns and can interpret and implement a given design, compliant with security and maintainability requirements
• Understands and responds to the business environment and business issues related to software development
• Understands and applies the maths required to be a software developer (e.g. algorithms, logic and data structures)
• Underpinning Skills, Attitudes and Behaviours Logical and creative thinking skills Analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to work independently and to take responsibility
• Can use own initiative A thorough and organised approach
• Ability to work with a range of internal and external people
• Ability to communicate effectively in a variety of situations
• Maintain productive, professional and secure working environment

Assessment

On-Programme Assessment of Knowledge and Technical Understanding:

• The apprentice must pass the exams for the following professional qualifications;
• BCS Systems Development
• Essentials At least one other software development qualification

Truro And Penwith College - Learning Provider

Interested candidates please contact Tammy McDermott on 01872 242711