Employer Solutions

Software Development Technician - Level 3 Apprenticeship

Build your development team with Software Development Technician apprentices. Develop junior programmers who can contribute to projects, maintain code, and support your development efforts while reducing recruitment costs.

12-15 months
Level 3
Technology
Back to employer apprenticeships

Grow Your Development Capacity

Our Level 3 Software Development Technician apprenticeship helps you build a sustainable talent pipeline by developing junior programmers who contribute to your projects while learning from your experienced team.

What Your Development Technician Will Contribute

Development Support

  • Bug fixes and code maintenance
  • Assistance with feature implementation
  • Testing and quality assurance
  • Documentation creation
  • Participation in code reviews
  • Development tool management

Team Benefits

  • Increase development capacity by up to 30%
  • Free up senior developers to focus on strategic projects
  • Bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your team
  • Improve documentation coverage across projects
  • Enhance knowledge sharing within the team
  • Support a sustainable growth model for long-term team development

Measurable Development Impact

Productivity Gains

  • Faster bug resolution – up to 40% improvement
  • Better code coverage – up to 25% increase
  • More complete documentation – up to 60% coverage
  • Higher team velocity – up to 20% increase

Cost Benefits

  • Recruitment savings: £10,000–£15,000 per hire
  • Efficient junior developer costs
  • Reduced reliance on contractors
  • Lower staff turnover rates

Structured Skills Development (College Delivery)

Programming Basics

  • Core programming concepts
  • Version control with Git
  • Basic web technologies
  • Development environment setup

Practical Development

  • Framework introduction
  • Database interactions
  • Testing fundamentals

Team Integration

  • Real project contributions
  • Code review skills
  • Agile methodology participation
  • Professional practices

Government Funding Support

Financial Package

  • Up to £15,000 funding available
  • Up to 100% of training costs covered
  • No upfront fees

Programme Benefits

  • Structured learning pathway
  • Industry-recognised certifications
  • Mentorship support
  • Career development planning

Perfect for Development Teams

Team Scenarios

  • Growing development needs
  • Junior task backlogs
  • Documentation gaps
  • Testing requirements

Business Types

  • Software companies
  • Digital agencies
  • Tech startups
  • In-house IT teams

Structured Learning Journey

Workplace Learning

  • Real code contributions
  • Pair programming sessions
  • Team collaboration
  • Project involvement

Professional Training & Development (College – Off the Job training)

  • Programming theory
  • Full delivery of the Level 3 Software Development Apprenticeship Standard
  • Best practice training
  • Tool certifications
  • Industry standards

Success Indicators

Technical Progress

  • Code quality metrics
  • Contribution frequency
  • Bug fix rates
  • Learning milestones

Team Integration

  • Collaboration effectiveness
  • Knowledge sharing
  • Initiative taking
  • Problem-solving ability

Why this matters

By integrating a Level 3 Software Development Technician apprentice into your team, you gain measurable productivity improvements, cost efficiencies, and sustainable talent growth—all while building your future development capability.

Ready to strengthen your development team?

Schedule a consultation to discuss how our Software Development Technician apprentices can support your development efforts.

Ready to Hire?

Speak to our employer services team about hiring apprentices for your business.

0207 377 0731
employers@vestacollege.co.uk
Business Benefits

Government Funding

Up to 100% of training costs covered

Skilled Workforce

Train employees to your standards

Business Growth

Improved productivity and retention

Cost Effective

Lower recruitment and training costs

Programme Details

Duration

12-15 months

Level

Level 3

Sector

Technology

Training Structure

Off-the-job training provided

Start Dates

Flexible starts available

Government Funding Available

Reduce training costs with government support for this apprenticeship

Maximum Funding Available

£11,000

Per apprentice

Training Costs Covered

Up to 100%

For eligible employers

Key Funding Benefits

100% funding for 16-21s

Full training costs covered

Additional incentive

£1,000 for hiring 16-18 year olds

Business support included

Account management & mentoring

Up to 100% funding for most employers

Up to a 5% employer contribution

Off-the-job training: 370 hours minimum (20% of working hours)

* Government funding rates and eligibility criteria are subject to change. All information is correct at time of publication but may be updated by government policy changes. Please contact us for the most current funding information.

Learn about eligibility, payment schedules, and how to claim