Software engineering degree apprenticeship.

Hi, I'm looking at applying for a degree apprenticeship in software engineering.

The company is going to be migrating some of their legacy products to a cloud-native structure which I assume is AWS from the statement below,

"Working with services such as AWS and programming languages such as C#, Java and .NET".

I have GCSE and A-levels in Computer Science and ICT and for computer science, we used vb.net as the programming language for our coursework. After sixth form, I went on to truck driving for over a year and I don't remember much about computer science.

-Would gaining the AWS cloud practitioner certification before applying have a benefit or will it be a drawback?
-What could I do to increase my chances of getting into the apprenticeship?
-There are going to be assessments. Does anyone know what they will consist of (Programming, Computer science and ICT basics, etc.)?
-Would trying to learn the syntax/basics of the above programming language be of any help?

the deadline for applications is 11th of Feb 2024.

I appreciate all the help and advice sorry for the long post

Hi there, I can help you with this.
In general, most software engineering/DTS degree apprenticeships do not require you to know the coding language their company happens to use. There are so many that this would just be unrealistic to expect all of the candidates to know these.
What's more important is showing a willingness to learn - therefore showing that you would be able to pick up the languages quickly when you start.
The way to increase your chances of getting in to the degree apprenticeship is to get lots of work experience/key achievements on your CV to show that commitment and willingness to learn, as well as other transferrable skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication. If you want I can send you a few links which can help you get the experience you need for getting a software engineering/DTS degree apprenticeship - just let me know if you want me to send these through.
Of course doing basic courses on programming languages is a bonus - I'm just trying to emphasise that you don't need to be a master of any languages to get an apprenticeship. If you have a chance to get an AWS certification, I would definitely recommend it as the more the better - however it is not mandatory. It is not like they reject people who are not already competent in AWS and C#. The whole point of an apprenticeship is learning and you will learn these skills on the job.
Regarding the assessments, usually these are not technical - they are strength-based/behaviour-based. Again, if you wish, I can send through some links that cover how to succeed in assessments and application process in general. Just let me know if you want that.
Hope that helps you.

Hey i know im pretty late, but i would love to get those links to help me get more work experience.