IBM Apprenticeships 2019

No, why?

Hey ho everyone,

Should preface by saying I am not an IBM spokesperson in any way - just putting myself out here to help you guys out.

Thought it would be good to get this thread up and running to centralise questions and discussion.

For reference I am a Degree Apprentice at Exeter doing Digital and Technology Solutions and I started at IBM in May 2018 so I've been here a little over 6 months (as of writing this post).

I cannot go into massive detail regarding the interview/online tests process as I will lose my job but I'm happy to answer questions about the application process, the uni and what kind of work you may be doing.

99% of the info regarding opening dates, general job descriptions and entry requirements can be found here :- https://www-05.ibm.com/employment/uk-en/school_leaver.html

Firstly, hello! How's the apprenticeship going, work, study, hope you're doing well.

I'm a 16 year old sixth form student who's finishing Year 12 very soon, and am really interested in a degree apprenticeship at IBM after leaving school. Don't want to bombard you with questions and make things difficult but I'm just really keen and enthusiastic!

Wanted to ask, how is the balance between work and study going? How often do you have to be on campus doing study, and how often do you have to be working in office per week?

Also, when you applied for the apprenticeship, did you have any previous coding experience or any sort of technology-related work experience in the past? If you did, would you say this played a significant role in your acceptance to the apprenticeship? Or did you just have the grades/qualifications? (and a well written CV, of course )

hi, does anyone know what the application is like and the process, can someone please explain it step by step, is it a personal statement

When applying to an apprenticeship within IBM, it generally consists of 5 main stages:
- Initial Application (From the job board)
- IPAT/BMAT Cognitive aptitude and workplace aptitude tests
- Application form
- An Assessment Centre following a successful review of your IPAT/BMAT results and the application form.
- A business interview related to a job role that matches your assessed skillset and qualities proceeding a passed AC.

I've just done my AC, hoping for the best when my results come tomorrow!

what was the initial application like and what does it ask i wanna start preparing thanks

The initial application is just literally just down to finding the job on the job board and clicking Apply - that's the easiest bit though unfortunately! After that you have an IPAT test, which asks cognitive questions based on mental arithmetic; for example, it will ask you to identify the next number of a sequence, or it may ask you an algebra question. For the second test, I meant "WBI" not "BMAT" my bad on that one! The WBI is a workplace aptitude test, and will assess you based on how well you match qualities that IBM values in their employees. After all that, you have your application form, which involves you writing down long answers to questions you would expect in an interview. You may also have a video interview, involving you recording yourself answering various questions. You will be expected to write about times where you showed certain qualities in detail. Granted you pass these steps, you will then most likely be invited to IBM Hursley for an assessment centre, which lasts the morning/afternoon and involves two group assessments and a presentation which I cannot go into in great detail (lets just say that collaboration and leadership in your group is ideal, and you should always display IBM's core values at all times). After this, if you succeed, you will be put into a matching process! Congrats at this point, as you have passed the hardest bit of the process and just need to wait for an invitation to an interview to pop up for a position within IBM. My advice is to do your research on the company, its products and its values and keep all of that in mind throughout the process. Good luck!

Does anyone have any idea on the maximum wait time possible after passing your AC?

I have been in touch with the recruitment team twice just to clarify I am still in the 'matching pool' which I apparently am, but am beginning to get concerned I am lost in the system so to speak.

Today marks 3 months since I had my AC and was informed I had passed! I know the matching pool can take a while to fulfill but is this long a wait normal?

Just hoping for any advice or experience anyone else has in this process? My only feedback for IBM would be to keep applicants more involved in this part of the application process as it feels somewhat helpless and unknown!

Hey, I’ve been in the matching process since the end of April-ish, I turned down one offer (which I’m started to regret now) and have not heard from them since. I have no idea how much longer I will be in waiting. I contacted recruitment and they said at this stage you are not guaranteed a job with IBM and they don’t know how long it will take or whether there will be another match. Which is frustrating because I’ll end up rejecting another offer in the hopes that IBM will pull through :/ Does anyone know if they take your application forward for the next intake year if you haven’t been matched so far?

Hi! Out of curiosity who would you be rejecting? Offers can be hard to come by so perhaps you want to think long and hard before rejecting an off