Software Development Technician
Course details
Level

Level 3
Duration

13 months
One-to-one support

Every 4 weeks
You will achieve

Level 3 Software Development Technician
BCS
Common job roles
- Software Development Technician
- Junior Application Support Analyst
- Junior Application Developer
- Junior Mobile App Developer
- Junior Software Developer
- Junior Games Developer
- Junior Web Developer
- Junior Programmer
Roles you may progress into
- Application Support Analyst
- Application Developer
- Mobile App Developer
- Software Developer
- Games Developer
- Web Developer
Delivery of programme
Phase one
Pre-Induction
Before your induction we’ll take you and your employer through the apprenticeship standard and discuss your job role. You’ll also begin your personalised Vocational Scorecard, which assesses your current skill level so that we can develop an individual learning plan tailored to your needs.
Induction
Your induction will take place within the first two weeks of starting your employment. You’ll be taken through the dedicated support available to you throughout your learning journey and will be introduced to our Virtual Learning Environment and online portfolio platform.
Functional skills
We use BKSB tests to determine your current level of knowledge in English and/or Maths. If you require Functional Skills training you’ll undertake 3 remote sessions and workshops before sitting an exam.
Phase two
Modules
What you will learn
- Installing Visual Studio
- Visual Studio Interface
- The structure of a C# program
- C# Syntax
- Classes
- Variables
- Methods
- Data types
- Method return types
What you will learn
- The business context and market environment for software development
- How to recognise that there are different methodologies that can be used for software development
- The roles within the software development team
- The structure of software applications and the particular context for the development platform (whether web, mobile, or desktop applications)
- All stages of the software development lifecycle
- Different types of testing
- How to test code
- The role of configuration management and version control systems and how to apply them
What you will learn
- The theory of User Interface (UI) design, why the design phase is so important and the implications and ramifications when effective design is not achieved
- Designing websites using Adobe Xd
- Designing desktop applications using Visual Studio
What you will learn
- Understand Java fundamentals including use of main, performing basic input and output using standard packages, print statements, import and the scanner class
- Data types including byte, char, int, double, short, long, float and boolean
- Constructing code that manipulates strings
- Constructing and evaluating code that creates, iterates and manipulates arrays and array lists
- Constructing and evaluating code that performs parsing, casting and conversion
- Constructing and evaluating arithmetic expressions
- Constructing and evaluating code that uses branching statements such as if, else, else if, switch, nesting logical and relational operators
- Construct and evaluate code what uses loops such as while, for, for each, do while, break and continue, nesting, logical, relational and unary operators
- Construct and evaluate class definitions
- Declare, implement and access data members in a class
- Declare, implement and access methods.
- Instantiate and use class objects in a program
- Troubleshoot syntax errors, logic errors and runtime errors, such as print statement debugging, output from the java command, analysing code for logic errors, console exceptions and evaluating a stack trace
- Implement exception handling including try catch, exception class, exception class types and display exception information
What you will learn
- How to implement code, following a logical approach
- How code integrates into the wider project
- How to follow a set of functional and nonfunctional requirements
- The end-user context for the software development activity
- The importance of seamlessly connecting applications to databases and understand types of data storage and their applications
- How to demonstrate knowledge of database normalisation
- Why there is a need to follow good coding practices
- The principles of good interface design
- The importance of building security in to software at the development stage

One-to-one support
Your Technical Trainer and Progress Management Co-ordinator (PMC) will be on-hand to support you throughout your apprenticeship. Your PMC will contact you every 4 weeks to discuss your progress made to date and your Technical Trainer will work with you to set and support you with your projects. Once your training is complete, a dedicated EPA facilitator will help get you prepared for End Point Assessment.

Your portfolio
Throughout the apprenticeship, you will contribute evidence towards your online e-portfolio. We use e-portfolios as they are accessible from anywhere, and enable you to track your progress throughout your apprenticeship. You’ll have access to your personal dashboard to monitor your progress and identify any gaps in your portfolio of evidence.

Off-the-job training
Off-the-job (OTJ) training is comprised of, but not limited to activities such as: training with Estio, shadowing, journal entries and projects for e-portfolio. Completed within working hours as agreed with the employer but average at 6 hours per week (20% of your time on your apprenticeship). You can track your OTJ progress on your e-portfolio.
Phase three
Assessment Gateway, preparation & administration week
The Gateway week is used to finetune your skills and offer a simulated Synoptic Project for systems familiarisation, and to ensure that your Summative Portfolio and Employer Reference are completed before entering into EPA.
Phase four
End Point Assessment
You will be assessed by an End Point Assessment Organisation, chosen by your employer. This independent assessor will feedback the results (Pass, Merit or Distinction) and the ESFA will provide your certificate.
Learners who also chose Software Development Technician...
Where can this apprenticeship take you?
The Software Development Technician apprenticeship gives you the skills and experience to work in a range of roles, including Software Development Technician, Junior Developer, Junior Web Developer, Junior Application Developer, Junior Mobile App Developer, Junior Games Developer, Junior Software Developer, Junior Application Support Analyst, Junior Programmer, Assistant Programmer and Automated Test Developer.
You will be well positioned after completing this apprenticeship to stay in your role, and progress within your specialism.
If you wish to further your education in this area, you can progress on to our Level 4 Software Developer apprenticeship, or specialise in becoming a Software Tester with our Level 4 Software Tester apprenticeship.
Software Developer roles
Web Developer, Application Developer, Mobile App Developer, Games Developer, Software Developer.
Software Tester roles
Software Tester, Software Test Analyst
Current vacancies
Get in touch!
Call our team on 01133 500 333 or fill out our enquiry form below