IT Computer Officer Apprentice

Job Description

Employer description: Churchill College is one of the thirty-one Colleges of the University of Cambridge and was founded in 1958 as a national memorial to Sir Winston Churchill.The College has about 250 Fellows and By-Fellows, 375 postgraduates working for a higher degree or diploma, 485 undergraduates working for a first degree and around 170 non-academic staff. Out of term, the College provides accommodation and other facilitiesfor residential and non-residential conferences.The College is strengthening its Computing Department to accommodate the increasing needs of its users.Overview:We are now looking for an eager candidate to join us as an apprentice.You will have the opportunity to gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience as you complete a Level 3 Software Developer Apprenticeship.The role is offered on a fixed term basis for 16 months, subject to a 6-month probationary period.The Role:To further increase the skills and resources of the team, the College is creating a new role of Junior Developer Level 3 apprentice. In this role you will develop the digital skills and technical grounding needed to become a well-rounded, entry-level programmer.Working as part of a small development team you will learn to build simple software components on web or standalone apps to be used by other members of the College.This apprenticeship is suited to anyone with an analytical mind and a keen interest in coding. Whilst prior knowledge in the industry is desirable, we are also open to candidates who can demonstrate a strong aptitude in the area of programming.Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide first line software and development support and provide initial support to classify severity and priority of issues and schedule bug fixes where necessary.
  • Handling and triaging end-user bug reports.
  • Providing support throughout the development lifecycle, including user acceptance testing and final release to production.
• Assist in maintaining the Colleges in-house software and web systems (primarily Visual Basic, and PHP-based frontends to SQL Server databases).
  • Perform selected database development duties on the database servers.
• Assist the development process for major new in-house software systems and facilities, including server-based software, user applications and web-based facilities.
  • Requirements gathering (elicitation) from all stakeholders.
  • Converting customer requirements into technical requirements.
  • Identifying non-functional requirements (i.e. what maintenance of the software would be needed, how secure it is, how usable it is, how will it perform etc).
  • Applying security principles and practice to the software development tasks assigned.
  • Writing logical and maintainable software solutions in line with given specifications to meet design. requirements and organisational coding standards.
  • Apply appropriate recovery techniques to ensure that the software solution being developed is not lost, e.g., working with source control.
• Assist in the problem analysis, research, design of system architecture, user interface design, testing, and management of software roll-outs.
  • Identify and reporting any impediments to progress in development.
  • Maintaining appropriate project documentation throughout development tasks.
  • Reporting progress against metrics on software development activities accurately throughout the stages of the software development lifecycle.
  • Communicate outcomes from development activities to team members and other stakeholders.
  • Undertake the testing of solutions to meet guidelines.

What we are looking for:Essential skills:

• Ability to work to deadlines and prioritise workloads independently
• Ability to follow defined procedures
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Remains calm under pressure
• Able to maintain confidentiality
• Willingness to work flexibly
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• IT skills (which can be demonstrated through an aptitude test or through relevant qualifications)

Desirable skills:

• Proficient in at least one programming language such as VBA, VB.Net or C++/C#
• Knowledge of Microsoft SQL, and the various pieces of functionality provided within it
• Knowledge of Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power BI, Power Automate)
• Knowledge of OS X and Linux systems
• Ability to use standard scripting languages - PowerShell, VB Script, Linux shell scripts etc.

Entry requirements:

• 5 GCSEs [especially English, Mathematics and a science or technology subject]
• Other relevant qualifications and experience
• Or an aptitude test with a focus on IT skills

You must not hold an existing qualification at the same or higher level than this apprenticeship in a similar subject.You may also have a combination of qualifications and experience which demonstrate the minimum foundation needed for the programme. In this instance you could still be considered for the programme.If you hold international equivalents of the above qualifications, at the time of your application you must be able to provide an official document that states how your international qualifications compare to the UK qualifications.Find out more here:https://Qualifications/UKQRS/Default.aspxSalary:£20,408 per annum.Benefits:

• The College provides a generous pension scheme with maximum employer contributions of 14%.
• A healthcare cash-plan, which includes cover for dental and optical treatment and access to wellbeing services
• 5 days of annual leave (including public holidays per annum)
• A meal on duty
• Free parking
• Social and sporting facilities, including free us of the College gym.

Future prospects:Upon completion of the apprenticeship there may be opportunity to progress into a permanent role within the college.Important Information:QAs apprenticeships are funded by the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), an executive agency of the Department for Education.To be eligible for a Government funded apprenticeship you must have lived in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA) for the last 3 consecutive years.