Lucy Spiteri-Beale

"My types were Communicator, Coordinator and Trainer. I think this makes a lot of sense to me personally as when I was younger I was really passionate about being a teacher - and these qualities do align with that. They are still relevant to what I do now though, as communication is key to working in teams, especially when you rely on each other to do code reviews for example - being able to explain what you've done and why is vital to having a successful review. Some of the skills from the 'trainer' type such as breaking down complex information and relay that to others can be valuable when a new person joins the team and its up to you to help them get up to speed with the work that you're doing."

"As an apprentice the starting salary was ~£16k in 2016 but that can vary between companies, and the level of apprenticeship you are on. Once graduated, typically you're looking somewhere between £26-30k, depending on your experience and specific role. One thing I've really loved about my job is the ability to do really cool side-projects that aren't your every day work. I was on the team that created the Renishaw Gromitronic for the Gromit Unleashed 2 tour in Bristol, which was incredible to be a part of, and I also love going out to schools and speaking to young people about getting into STEM, and all the different options available to them. Most of my days consist of coding, but depending on the team you're in, the options for what you could be creating are endless."

"I'm still pretty close to the start of my career, so there's not been a huge journey to where I am now, aside from education. I'm currently still considered an apprentice though I've just completed my final project for university, and so when my results come through I will receive a title change from 'Apprentice' to 'Software Engineer'. I was originally inspired by my love of technology which I get from my dad, and grandad, and then during a sixth-form taster session I attended computing on a whim and absolutely loved it so chose it for one of my A-level options."

"In my spare time I like to play and learn with my daughter, who is currently 2, play music on my guitar, and I also participate in pageantry, representing plus-size women. I loved English at school so I also enjoy writing, and have recently won a small writing competition. I'm really passionate about food too, and will often try out new recipes or spend some time baking treats for my family and friends."

"I usually start by checking my emails and instant messages, and then check my schedule for the day so I know what meetings I need to be prepared for. We usually have a stand-up meeting early on where the team discuss their progress and talk about what the next step is in terms of work being completed. Then I will spend time working on tasks that have been assigned to me - these may be reviewing work that others have done, fixing bugs, adding new functionality, or creating tests etc. On some days I get to go out and do STEM Ambassador activities in schools which I really enjoy, or I spend some time furthering my learning using things like PluralSight for educational videos. The main aim of my days are to continually improve the software tools that we can offer to our customers and ensure they are easy and efficient to use."

"After GCSEs I went on to sixth form and studied English, Photography, Maths and Computer Science in Year 12, and then took CS, maths & Photography through to the end of my A-Levels. I then applied for a software engineering apprenticeship through Renishaw PLC, where I worked with them whilst also completing a \"Digital and Technological Solutions Degree\" specialising in software engineering with the University of Exeter. I took a year out after my 3rd year for maternity leave, and have just completed my final year alongside returning to work and caring for my daughter. Just waiting for my final results now but was on target for a 2:1. "