Early Careers

Abi

Software Engineer

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

Before UKCloud I worked at a games company and learned the basics of coding from some of the developers there. Once I got the hang of it I knew I wanted to do programming in the future. After doing computing in college and some more experience over a few summers, I completed my degree in computer science at Aston University and from there the logical next step was to apply to UKCloud for my year in industry. I was first attracted to UKCloud by the chance to work in a new industry with different technologies. As the cloud is one of the fastest growing industries and an area only covered in passing in my course I was excited to learn more about the industry and the technologies used in it. It’s proved a great opportunity to put my theoretical knowledge at University into practice.

What motivated you to come back after graduating?

The main reason I decided to return to UKCloud was because of the team I worked with. Everyone was friendly, and were willing to answer my questions and help me grow and learn. The company gave me plenty of opportunities to learn new technologies and try new projects.

What have you learnt?

While working at UKCloud I have learnt a great deal. I learned Ruby, which was my first time using a dynamically typed language outside of university. I also learned a great deal about the cloud and some of the technologies behind it such as vCloud and OpenStack and a role at UKCloud gives you exposure to a range of languages.

Any advice for someone looking to work in your team and position?

My advice would be to be prepared to learn, have the willingness and capacity to pick things up quickly and ask lots of questions. Get to know the team as everyone has a range of skills and expertise.

Ben

Cloud Support Engineer

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

When in university, we had many lectures from current professionals in the field of computer forensics & security. Each of these advised that cloud computing was going to be the next big challenge for the industry. At the time, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge regarding cloud computing, but it was an area which I wanted to develop and I felt that working for UKCloud would be a great chance to do this, therefore I took up the support engineer placement opportunity and have recently returned as a Cloud Support Engineer touching on areas of networking, virtualisation, email, storage and cyber security.

Tell us about your experience

During my placement at UKCloud, I was given the responsibility of working on real business impacting operations. This meant that I could gain a true reflection of what it was like to work not only within the company, but within the computing industry. The company and its employees are very close knit, so I could get to know nearly everyone on both a personal and a professional level. This made it easy to approach people when you required help, and makes the working environment easier and more relaxed.

What have you learnt?

During my placement, I greatly developed both technically and personally. I could work on areas of the technology which I never had chance to, and had chance to work alongside a great team with a wealth of knowledge who were always willing and happy to help and teach me. My networking and computer virtualisation knowledge improved greatly during the year as these were the primary aspects of the role. Working at UKCloud also helped me decide what area of computing I wanted to specialise in when I had completed university.

Why did you choose to return?

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on placement at UKCloud and learnt a great deal. The relaxed and close-knit environment helped with this. Seeing how much the company had grown in such a short space of time was a real incentive to return as I wanted to be a part of what is to come soon. Whilst I had already learnt a lot during my year, I felt like there was plenty of opportunity to develop and grow further.

Suhail

Developer

Shaun

HR Advisor

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

I suppose the thing I was looking for most out of an employer when choosing the company to conduct my placement was the learning and development opportunities and I was surprised how much I learnt in such a short period and the support UKCloud provided through my time. I joined UKCloud initially in 2015 through the Business Operations placement scheme after studying Accounting with Finance at the University of Portsmouth. My placement role involved taking up a range of tasks across the HR, Finance and commercial functions and this really helped widen my knowledge and understanding of how a business functions and underlying exposure. My placement in business operations helped shape my future career path recently returned in a graduate HR role. My current day job revolves around managing a variety of people projects, develop KPI and support the recruitment of our emerging talent network. Across my time at UKCloud I have always been handed real responsibility and the opportunity to make a difference to the future of UKCloud and their colleagues.

Why did you return? 

What has continued to surprise me is the continued support to my personal development, not only did they develop a role to fit my passion and career change to HR. But they are also supporting my future studies, currently studying a part time masters in Human resource management with the end goal of achieving my CIPD qualification in two years. Additionally, the Work/life balanced is highly essential in any full time working role and with the agile working patterns I can work and study remotely and still have plenty of time for family and friends. The team was also a huge factor in making me return already getting along well with a good group of individuals, not to mention looking forward to more Christmas Parties.

How have you developed? 

There is no doubt that I have changed and learnt a lot progressing from when I joined in 2015 to today, more noticeably is my confidence and public speaking something that I had always shied away from. My strategic understanding has continued to develop and there is never a shortage of project work and task to get involved in that can continue to excite and develop your skills. It’s not just technical skills that a role at UKCloud helps develop but also a lot of the softer skills around time management and prioritising workload, valuable skills any student can take with them on their future careers. My career at UKCloud so far has set good foundations for my future career and I’m excited to see where it leads.

What did you find most challenging about your placement? 

For me the biggest challenge was adapting to working life. On top of this a big challenge is managing workloads, prioritising tasks and projects. You soon get into the swing of things but the first couple of weeks can be daunting and will push you out of your comfort zone but it all pays off in the long term.

Any advice for someone looking to work here?

If you’re looking to apply do your research, understand what it is we do and how your skills fit with the tasks at hand If I could give any words of wisdom to applicants or students starting their career at UKCloud it would be to go for it, take up those opportunities and push yourself. The support from your line manager and HR team is there so don’t be afraid to speak up and suggest new ideas.

Neil

Technical Operations

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

Before joining UKCloud I was studying Computer science, I have always had an interest in working for a tech firm and I wanted to avoid the larger tech firms where you can often get lost in the system. UKCloud was the perfect opportunity for me, a relatively smaller organisation that can support my growth, development and exposure to a range of technologies and high priority projects.

Tell us about your experience 

The best part of working for UKCloud is being able to mould the company and effect positive change. UKCloud is always looking to improve in any way possible, and being a part of that improvement is extremely worthwhile. My role has varied over my placement and I have been given the opportunity to work across a range of teams and functions, some of the areas I have had hands on experience with include resolving internal IT issues, automating workloads, monitoring our platform, resolving engineering and networking issues, triaging customer issues, and working with customers to support them in whatever they require. Regardless of where I am, most days are busy for me, and I enjoy every second of it.

How have you developed? 

I have developed in many ways both professionally and personally at UKCloud. I have learned much about myself during my time here, and have been offered several opportunities to progress my skills and achievements.

What have you found challenging about your placement? 

UKCloud has a fast-paced, constantly changing environment. You need to always be on the ball and prepared to react to anything that may come your way. High-pressure situations can be challenging, but providing you can handle them and react well under pressure, you will find these situations to be highly rewarding.

Any advice for someone looking to work here?

Say ‘yes’!  Make the most of the opportunities UKCloud have to offer. It’s a company that you can make a big impact and difference to. But as well as this you can gain so much knowledge and experience by seeking out tasks that you want to do.

James

Technical Operations

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

Before joining UKCloud I was a student at the University of Portsmouth. What attracted me about the role in technical operations was the ability move around into different departments, understanding how different parts of the business work together, whilst gaining technical and soft skills associated with the roles.

Tell us about your experience in your role 

What I really enjoy about my role at UKCloud is being able to work in live enterprise and on active equipment, implementing change and improvement to help the customer experience or to fix problems. I have been able to work across a range of teams in my time at UKCloud including Internal IT, Networks and infrastructure roles. The extra benefits including free Friday breakfast and socials also add to the value.

What have you learnt? 

I have greatly developed both my soft and technical skills. I have learnt how to prioritise my workload, learnt the “business etiquette” and work under pressure.

Any advice for someone looking to work here?

To take every opportunity given, regardless if it is out of your comfort zone. Sometimes these opportunities are the most rewarding and will benefit you the most.

Adam

Cloud Support Engineer

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

Before I joined UKCloud I was a Student at Bournemouth University, studying Forensic Computing. I previously had four years of experience in retail, where I built up my people skills. What was attractive about a placement at UKCloud was the fact they are at forefront of the Cloud technology. The company benefits were also enticing, with the regular socials and free breakfast on a Friday morning all being appealing factors

Tell us about your experience 

I really enjoyed my position at UKCloud as I thrive working in dynamic customer service environment where you constantly adapt having to adapt to changing procedures and methodologies. A typical day in customer service revolves around resolving a range of customer tickets and technical issues as well as regularly team meeting. I developed a lot over my placement year gaining a lot of exposure to UKCloud’s Infrastructure. There were also frequent training session around new services as well as role specific training for the cloud support team

What was most challenging about your placement? 

What was initially challenging were the first couple of weeks, the team doesn’t hold back in chucking you into the deep end so you learn quickly from the offset but it can be a challenging picking up all the procedures, getting to grips with virtualisation and the infrastructure in place at UKCloud.

Any advice for someone looking to work here?

I really enjoyed my position at UKCloud as I thrive working in dynamic customer service environment where you constantly adapt having to adapt to changing procedures and methodologies. A typical day in customer service revolves around resolving a range of customer tickets and technical issues as well as regularly team meeting. I developed a lot over my placement year gaining a lot of exposure to UKCloud’s Infrastructure. There were also frequent training session around new services as well as role specific training for the cloud support team.

Vrush

Product Marketing

Why did you apply to UKCloud?

Before my placement, I was a Business management student at the University of Portsmouth. Alongside this I had a variety of part time roles and enjoyed participating in a range of Societies. UKCloud appealed to me because of its unique product offering and the tremendous growth in the five years it has been operating. I really liked the sound of the role and the variety of tasks and responsibility I would gain exposure to. I wanted my placement to give me a taste for what it is really like working for a technology company and to put my theoretical knowledge of business into practice. I believed UKCloud would give me both. The managers made me feel really welcome during my interview which also encouraged me to work for UKCloud.

Tell us about your experience 

It’s difficult to pin-point just one but I enjoy working with and collaborating with people across the business. UKCloud is a fun company to work for as we have regular social activities such as Casino nights and Go-Karting. I also enjoy speaking to sales as it provides me with useful insight and knowledge into customers and the market., my day to day role varies, if I was to explain it would be something along these line; provide the Products team with analysis on several different areas that have an impact on decision making. Analysis on topics such as the market, competitor, customer service tickets, service availability, finance, pricing and product. My analysis plays a key role in helping the Product Owners at UKCloud make decisions based upon independent data. I also help with the Product Marketing activities such as updating the UKCloud website when new products are released and creating compelling collateral to enable the Sales team when pitching to potential customers and helping with the pre-sale and during sale process.

My placement has been hugely valuable to me and my degree as I have been able to put the theoretical concepts learnt on my Business course into practice. I have been able to contribute ideas and make a real difference to the organisation. I now have both a theoretical understanding for Business and have experience working in a market leading company.

How have you developed? 

Prior to UKCloud I lacked confidence, which is a skill I have improved whilst working on placement. The company provide various opportunities to improve confidence and I made sure I grabbed them with both hands. Apart from confidence I have developed an abundance of skills such as analytics, marketing and website development. I now have a much better understanding of the Products team which will help when making future career choices. UKCloud offered me many additional learning opportunities including: presentations in front of the company, speaking at University fairs, providing training to the Sales organisation and working with suppliers directly. This has helped improve my public speaking, communication and presentation skills. For this reason, there really is no opportunities that you can’t get involved in, if you ask then the support will be there to develop.

What has been the most challenging part of your placement? 

I think the thing I have found the most challenge is adapting to a working life. I started off this job role having just come from university. Starting a 9 – 5 job was a dramatic change from this and I had not had routine in my life for a long time! This paired with the level of responsibility that I have in my job role meant that the first few months were quite tough and I knew I had to learn to organise myself better.

Any advice for someone looking to work here?

UKCloud is a fast-paced organisation with requirements often changing. It is sometimes difficult to juggle multiple activities but this has been a great learning experience and I now know how to better manage my time and prioritise activities.

Simon

Software Development Undergraduate

What’s your background?

I have always had a passion for programming and making things. I’ve always been into video games so I wanted to be able to pass that passion on and create games for others. Before university I was sure I wanted to go into games design, but I decided that doing a Computer Science course was the best path for me to keep my options open. Fortunately for me, there was a unit dedicated to software development where I learnt a lot about Ruby, Java, Git and how Agile teams work together to achieve great things. This is when I knew Software Development was for me.

I’m currently studying software development at the University of Sheffield and I’m currently the tech officer for the gaming society there. This year in particular we’ve had major growth in membership, so I’m doing a lot to improve our infrastructure, website, and social media content. I also enjoy spending a lot of my spare time to work on personal projects. I am currently working on an automation tool that enables me to manage my finance more effectively using the API available through my bank and I’m planning to make the source freely available so others can use it to do the same.

What brought you to UKCloud?

My big drive in joining UKCloud was about putting my knowledge into practice. I have learnt a lot from my own personal learning and at university, but it doesn’t compare to putting what I’ve learnt into practice to build real software for real customers. When I was looking for a placement I had my mind fixed on pushing for a role at GitHub or one of the big Silicon Valley firms and I saw this potential in UKCloud. I first came across UKCloud at an SME networking dinner where I met their Head of Product Management and an existing placement student – the conversation went well and I saw a lot of potential in a career at UKCloud. When I attended the assessment day I saw the way the team operates, the way they interact and that really stuck with me. It was clear from the interview that they were as passionate as me about development and the exceptional talent within the team at UKCloud.

What work are you excited about now?

What is exciting and rewarding about UKCloud is the fact there is no distinction between undergraduates and senior staff. I often get told by the team that they forget I’m just an intern – as a placement student you can add real value and make a difference. There is a real opportunity to add value and make a name for yourself at UKCloud. I am excited to continue to develop great software and learn on the job from industry professionals. Everyone in the team is given a few hours a week to focus on personal development. Currently I’m going through an online React/Redux course which I hope to put into practice when work shifts towards making a user interface. There is also a significant piece of learning that comes from peer review – once we complete a piece of code it gets reviewed by other members of the team, followed by a QA engineer. It’s a great way to improve your code or uncover new features you could include that you might not have encountered before.

Something that is really exciting to me on a personal level is contributing to the open source community. There are lots of exciting tools out there that can make your working day easier. It’s incredibly to see the skills and experience in the team and when I first started I was regularly meeting new members of the team who have contributed extensively to the open source community and quite often it had been a tool I had been using on a personal project for quite some time!

What does your day to day look like?

A day in the software development team starts with reviewing our Kanban Board at the daily stand up – seeing where we are, what’s need to be progressed, what needs to be done, what’s ready for QA, and ultimately working towards finishing the sprint. My team revolves around Ruby on Rails development with Docker and we are currently working on a large customer project and proving the proof of concepts needed to justify features we’ll implement in the future. We also spend a lot of time doing ‘pair programming’ where effectively one person ‘drives’ (does the programming) while the other individual one directs the flow and discusses the code. Working together like this ultimately makes peer review easier as the work is the combined product of two minds.

There is also a big social side at UKCloud. Everyone has a quarterly social budget and there are some great ideas and events coming up. There is a close Early Career network as well – after getting the placement, I arranged to share a house with four other undergraduates, so we regularly spend our lunchtimes catching up. There are also a lot of evening social activities such as weekly board games and gaming sessions so there is always plenty to look forward to.

What is your ambition for you and your team? Inc. technologies

My personal ambition is to become a stronger software developer. It’s something I am passionate about and every day I am picking up more and more tools I can use on my personal projects. I want to replicate what many of the experienced developers at UKCloud have done, and that is to make a name for myself in the open source community. It’s a big ambition but it’s what drives me every day.

The team’s main ambition is to deliver customer value, but another big ambition of the team is sharing knowledge and developing the potential of its colleagues. There is so much knowledge at UKCloud and a big part of your role will be learning and sharing knowledge across UKCloud. We are currently spending a lot of time developing training sessions and building up knowledge transfer across UKCloud.

What piece of advice would you give to someone looking to join UKCloud?

I would encourage everyone to do a placement but more so to go beyond what you learn at university – go out and put your theory into practise, work on your own personal projects or attend hackathons. Using what you know to do things of value to you will develop your passion for software development, enable you to network, and fast-track your learning. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Since joining UKCloud I have put myself forward to demonstrate proofs of concepts to the development department and yes, I was incredibly nervous, but I have grown so much in just a short period of time at UKCloud.

I have done a lot of hackathons over my university experience and I have met some incredible people, networked with some of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley and also had a great time too!

Sophie

Product Marketing Undergraduate

What’s your background?

I am currently on a placement year, which is part of my 4 year course at the University of Sussex, where I am studying Computing for Digital Media. Whilst undertaking my first 2 years of university I worked part-time at Waitrose primarily as a Sales Assistant in the Customer Service team at Lewes, with the goal of becoming trained in all sections of the branch (achieved April 2018). In addition to this, I also volunteered at my local church helping to teach children of various ages, lead the music and write articles for the website.

What brought you to UKCloud?

Before searching for a placement, I listed a set of desirable requirements that I would use to then compare each company before applying for the placement. One of my top requirements was the location, as although I could adapt to living in a city, I would have preferred an area with lots of countryside as I regularly go for long walks and like to explore. Another is the customers, my goal since I was a child has always been to work with the public sector due to my family working in various companies within the medical, fire and delivery departments over the years. I found UKCloud to tick many of these requirements and after coming to the interview, I found the company to be friendly, down to earth and a perfect opportunity to gain experiences with multiple teams within the companies.

What work are you excited about now?

I’m excited to gain more experience and exposure at UKCloud. There are lots of opportunities for learning outside your direct role and these will help me establish the career path I want to pursue after University. In my first few months I have already found Product Management to be both exciting and engaging, I am excited to see where the next 10 months will take me.

What does your day look like? Inc. technologies

Each day is different from the next depending on the type of projects i set myself and the team I am working with. A usual template for my day is meeting with the Software Development teams and our UX designer, to review our plans for the week, our projects, research and help in designing and creating different aspects of the products we deliver as a company through the Scrum Methodology.

What is your ambition for you and your team? Inc. technologies

My ambition is to learn new skills, gain experience in all teams and take ownership of a product by become a product owner. In doing this I will gain experience and expand my knowledge in working with a team, leadership skills as well as gaining the understanding of different career paths so that I can better understand which career path I wish to follow. My ambition is also to increase the level of communication between my team and others both in the social and professional manners within the company

What piece of advice would you give to someone looking to join UKCloud?

To gain experience in all areas as to truly understand a product you need to look at it from all angles. This not only helps you to meet all the teams and get to know your way around the company but also will help in your day to day tasks. Also though there are many opportunities to learn and experience from at UKCloud, don’t wait for the opportunities to present themselves to you, be a self-starter – go out and find them.

Zach

IT Support

What attracted you to the scheme here at UKCloud?

I was attracted to the apprentice scheme at UKCloud because it offered the opportunity to gain experience and start to build on my knowledge, without requiring any degrees or certifications. I get the chance to work hands on in a field, which I had an interest in but no former experience with, learning on the job and attend the academic courses.

What are the benefits of being on the scheme with an SME?

As part of an SME you are a real part of the team.  From day one you are treated as an employee, which brings its own benefits and challenges. No matter which department you move to and work in, you get to be a full member of the team.  This is preferable to having to shadow someone or be stuck with the smaller, less representative tasks of the department, which might happen within a larger company.  This experience feels so much more valuable than just having the academic knowledge.

How will this scheme contribute to your future career aspirations?

At the end of this scheme I will receive a Microsoft Technology Associate Certification.  This provides a good starting point in the technology field and displays my understanding of a wide range of fundamental technical areas. I will also gain a year of experience with UKCloud, which is invaluable to future career prospects.

What’s it like to work with the UKCloud team?

Working with the UKCloud team is fantastic.  Everyone is helpful and friendly from day one and treat you as a member of the team. Everybody understands that we’re here to learn and become a useful, knowledgeable team member, are always able to sit down and explain a concept or problem that we may be having problem with. This friendly, helpful attitude of all the employees makes the apprenticeship a lot easier and stress free.

What are the challenges of your role?

The biggest challenge for me is trying to learn enough to take on more responsibility in my role. As part of a small department within UKCloud, it’s a challenge to find the time to learn and to solve problems that come my way.  It is always rewarding to figure out the solution to a problem and be able to apply that to a real situation to help people. The decisions I make can sometimes be a bit daunting as they can have consequences, but with any job you will make some mistakes and the important thing is to learn from them.

What tips would you give to others considering an apprenticeship?

Research the company you are going to work for.  Try to understand what they do, how they work, and be open and honest when it comes to the interviews. Your employer needs to understand how much work and responsibility to give you, otherwise you can end up with a lot more than you can handle.

Han

IT Support

What attracted you to the scheme here at UKCloud?

I was attracted to the scheme as it was much more IT sovereign than other placements offered and could supply a more rewarding place to work whilst studying. Working with UKCloud would allow me to get a good understanding of the sector and allow me to work with many experienced IT professionals.

What are the benefits of being on the scheme with an SME?

The scheme gives you a role and a responsibility straight away, putting you into the company as a fully functioning member of the team. This also allows you to progress faster as you learn on the job which in turn benefits in exams as the roles reflect your study.

How will this scheme contribute to your future career aspirations?

Becoming qualified as an Advanced Infrastructure Technician along with working at UKCloud will allow me to have a wide range of knowledge, which will help me progress through my career.

What’s it like to work with the UKCloud team?

It is a great place to work as you are given freedom to control your day and how you work. You can always join in on training and projects.  This is a great way to work with other teams more often as everyone is friendly and willing to help.

What are the challenges of your role?

The most challenging part of my role is that I am always learning whilst trying to work. This goes hand in hand because the more I learn the better I become at my work. You have to make self-led decisions and use your intuition.  This is not something you are always used to coming out of education, but you always have a team around you for your questions.

What tips would you give to others considering an apprenticeship?

If you want your foot in the door in a specific line of work, an apprenticeship is a great choice as you can join a large company and progress within, whilst gaining your qualifications.  This can give you a chance of staying on after the apprenticeship.