IBM

Did you know that IBM built the System Space Centre that sent Apollo 11 to the moon? Or that IBM collaborated with the Grammys and Wimbledon, using their technology to fuel analytical Insights with IBM’s AI, Watson. 

From building PCs to developing world leading AI, IBM has been at the forefront of technological evolution for over a 100 years. The world runs on IBM, made possible by our IBMers.

At IBM, work is more than a job - it's a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you've never thought possible. To lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world's most challenging problems.

If you want to know who IBM are today, take a look at this video: 

Begin your journey at IBM with skills, not degrees! Whether you have decided to go straight into work, take a gap year before University, or are exploring your options post-education, our IBM School Leaver programmes will enable you to gain the experience, skills and contacts you need to start building a bright future. If you have the right skills, there’s a career for you at IBM. From predicting the weather to artificial intelligence in Healthcare. Our School Leaver Schemes offer a world of opportunities.

You’ll work on real projects, with real clients and real bottom-line deliverables. IBMers have the support of over 380,000 colleagues worldwide and work for leaders who reward diverse thinking and bold ideas. Our opportunities for School Leavers will give you everything you need to build a successful career. All you need is ideas passion and energy. And you will get training, mentorship, responsibility and valuable skills. 

To see how you could begin a career in technology or business straight from school, take a look at the IBM apprenticeships tab above – or the Gap Year tab if you like the sound of it but are not quite sure where you’re headed yet.

Read what our apprentices have to say about working for IBM:

• Tara Suran, Junior Management Consultant - read here.
• Danielle Arney, Business Management Degree Apprentice - read here.
• Jade Carino, Software Developer Apprentice - read here. 

And here are some great application tips written by our Early Professionals Manager - read here. 

Oh, and don’t forget to check out IBM UK’s careers Facebook page to hear more about today’s apprentices to find out where you could be tomorrow.

Apprenticeships have changed. IBM has changed. It’s not all about bits & bytes, cloud and cognitive. Did you know you can now achieve a management accountant CIMA qualification as an IBM Apprentice? Or become a HR Consultant? Or even become a Graduate with a degree qualification? All through the Apprenticeship route.

Apprenticeships at IBM are all about picking up skills for the workplace and embarking on a long and successful career. We have your professional development in mind from the day you join us as a permanent employee. You will get lots of exposure and an experience you simply can’t get anywhere else. In addition to the day job there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in social activities and volunteering with other Apprentices, Students and Graduates.

 Sound good? Here's the lowdown

• IBM apprenticeships take 3 years.
• You'll complete your qualifications in 18 months to 2 years – giving you up to 18 months to hone your newfound pro skills!
• You'll have a task manager to help you balance your workload, a foundation manager to help develop your skills, and an IBM buddy a few years ahead of you to show you the ropes.
• You'll have bags of fun at the IBM social club, which organises weekends away, theme park trips and other cool outings.
• Special networking events will help you meet and learn from other apprentices, more experienced colleagues, and even top managers.
• An IBM apprenticeship is a real job, and you'll earn £21,000 per year, and get 25 days off.
• To say thanks, IBM will reward you with benefits like a laptop, discounts and high-street stores, and travel insurance and private healthcare.

What do apprentices say?

Check out the video:

You will need...

• Higher/Advanced Apprenticeships: 5 GCSEs grade 4-9 including Maths and English Language.
• Degree Apprenticeships: 5 GCSEs grade 5-9, minimum 120 UCAS points (subject to change dependent on university requirements)

Interested in an IBM Apprenticeship?

Click the button below to find out more. 

Register your interest now!

You might be uncertain about whether to start work, complete an Apprenticeship or go to University, if that’s you and you are unsure of what to do next, the IBM Futures scheme is for you. This gap year scheme offers you an invaluable opportunity to work with a world-leading company for 12-months, broadening your horizons and giving you a head start in your career.

We offer roles in both Business, Technology and Design and whichever you choose we’ll give you everything you need to build the career you want, including fantastic support, training and development.

Wow! 12 months of work experience - tell me more!

There are three paths you can go down – technical, business or design. Whichever way you go, there’s plenty of scope to pursue your interests and get plenty of work experience – and you’ll talk about what gets you up in the morning during the application process. Whatever that may be, the focus will be on equipping you with the business and personal skills you need to excel at IBM – and in any career path.

So what will my Gap Year look like?

At the beginning of the year, you’ll spend a week with 20-30 other Gap Year students learning about the business and getting to know your new colleagues.

You’ll have your very own task manager to help you prioritise your workload, and your Foundation Manager will help you decide what you want to achieve during your Gap Year, and set the objectives and targets you need to get the most out of your work experience.

If you go down the technical route, you could be helping to design websites, helping to manage technical projects, diagnosing problems for customers, or developing new software or databases.

What support will I get? 

The IBM Futures Gap Year is about real work experience. It's designed to give you responsibility, and the chance to use your creativity and ideas to make a difference. That doesn’t mean throwing in at the deep-end with no one to help you out!

Meeting the team

Before you even start, you’ll meet apprentices and other Gap Year students on the Facebook page for your office. And when you arrive, you’ll take part in a five-day induction, giving you the chance to meet other new starters and learn the ropes.

Keeping on track

When you start, you’ll meet your "Foundation Manager", who’s a bit like an IBM "mum or dad", and your task manager, who will work with you day to day.

Together, you’ll put together a personal development plan so you can get the most from your year. Every few months, you’ll sit down and review your progress with your Foundation Manager to make sure you’re getting valuable experience, building your skills, and taking things at the right pace.

You’ll also get ongoing feedback on your work so you can do more of what you’re doing well, and focus on areas where there’s room for improvement.

And after...?

Take the business route, and you could be helping to manage projects, finding out what’s going on in the industry with market research, figuring out how to sell to new customers in marketing and sales, or keeping every part of the business joined up in the operations team.

But it's not just about work experience. 

If you choose to go on to university at the end of the year, you’ll be paired up with an IBM mentor, who’ll support you throughout your academic career. And IBM will do what they can to get you into holiday placements if that’s what you want to do.

What else do I need to know? 

As if all that amazing work experience isn’t enough, you’ll get paid a salary equivalent to £18,500 a year, 25 days off and your own work laptop. Do well, and you’ll receive a bursary of up to £1,000 at the end of the year to spend on whatever you want.

You’ll also get discounted theatre trips, theme park trips and trips away with your colleagues, as well as access to exclusive discounts in more than 1,200 stores. That’s not to mention all the sports and networking events you’ll be able to take part in!

How do I get onto the course?

Of course, you need heaps of passion, curiosity and energy. And there are a few academic requirements too...

5 GCSEs grade 4-9 including Maths and English Language. You will also need to have completed further education or equivalent.

Click the button below to find out more. 

Register your interest now!

If you love the sound of what’s on offer from IBM but are going to university straight from school or college, IBM’s graduate scheme could be a great stepping stone from university to your career.

IBM’s graduate scheme catapults you into your chosen area of the business, with opportunities available in a wide range of roles:

• Consulting: IBM is all about change and improvement, and in this role you'll be at the forefront, talking to clients and figuring out ways to use new technology – like cloud computing – to solve problems better.
• Technology: If software, programming or IT is your thing, the technology grad scheme is an amazing way to stretch yourself in an environment where the only boundary is your imagination.
• Design: IBM is led by its clients, not the other way round, so its technology not only has to work, it has work seamlessly, so users feel right at home.

 

IBM Consulting Associates

Joining IBM as an Associate offers you an opportunity to work on client teams, using technologies to help businesses transform the way they work. As an Associate, you’ll develop relevant skills and quickly gain meaningful experience. Your network of experts and mentors will provide career coaching and experience with leading technology, while you solve clients’ most challenging problems with future-defining solutions.

 

What are the top skills required to work in Consulting?

1. Flexibility to adapt to different environments.
2. Collaboration and being a team player.

 

IBM is a rewarding, yet challenging place to work. Do you have any advice for entry level candidates thinking of applying to Consulting, and what they should expect?

 

In the consulting world, we don’t necessarily work out of an IBM office every day; we work on a client’s site the majority of the time. You need be prepared mentally and expect to travel as part of the role. We tell our consultants that travel could be as much as 90% of the time, but it really depends on the client’s location and project. One week you could be working from home, and the next week you may be working at a client site. For some candidates, this role could be an exciting opportunity to travel and meet with different clients, but it’s not for everyone.

 

Technical Sales Graduate Program

At IBM, our sellers are technical experts and strategic advisors who help drive a client’s technology strategy to solve their most complex problems. They apply business insight to build and maintain client relationships, incorporate hardware and software into client-valued solutions, and ensure client readiness for the implementation of technical solutions.

 

What are the top skills required to work in Technology Sales?

 

We look for people with a strong technical acumen and a passion for technology. In terms of top skills, it’s all about communication and being influential. Technology Sellers are client facing, so you’re the first point of entry helping IBM to sell, demonstrate products, and nurture our client accounts. You need to be able to communicate effectively, confidently, and influence decisions through your technical knowledge. This will be the key to success in this field.

 

Another key skill is curiosity and having the mindset to ask questions and always wanting to learn more to better yourself, your team, and your clients.

 

What we do isn’t for the faint-hearted – it’s as difficult and complex as it is rewarding. Motivation, perseverance, and resilience comes from knowing that every client challenge is an opportunity to learn, grow, and positively shape the future.

 

3 Tips for Becoming a Successful Candidate

We hope you found these suggestions and advice helpful as you decide to apply for an Entry Level Technology Seller role.

 

We leave you with three tips from our technology sellers on how to become a successful candidate:

1. Prepare by talking to other people at IBM and learn from their experiences.
2. Think about what you’ve done so far and what experiences led you to success and expand on that.
3. Sell yourself. You are your best advocate!

 

Entry Level Developer Program

Our developers are the transformation that drives solutions to our customer’s most complex challenges. Their ideas, creativity, and curiosity to solve problems inspire new possibilities that make a lasting difference on the world.”

 

What is the best way to approach a technical interview?

 

Be knowledgeable about the areas you’re familiar with and be honest about the areas you don’t know. If someone asks you a question that you’re not sure about, tell them what you understand, explain how you would approach the problem, and demonstrate how you would go learn it.

Also in the technical interview, make sure you present what you’re proudest of in your technology expertise and background. Talk about what you’ve done that would be of interest to the interviewer and how it’s valuable to their company. At IBM, we’re looking for technical leaders, so mention how you’ve used your skills in problem solving or creativity when you’re working on problems in class, passion projects, or at a company you may have started in college or high school. Explain what drives you. Passion is so important and will help drive you and your career forward.

 

What resources would you recommend candidates check out when preparing for the interview?

 

PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. There are many resources out there to help you get familiar with completing coding assessments online that are free to sign up for, including:

 

• Leetcode.com
• Pramp.com
• Hackerank.com

Visit IBM’s graduate scheme pages to find out whether this could be the right path for you.

By the way, if you’re undecided about university, check out the Gap Year tab – you could use a year’s work experience with IBM to decide whether work or university is the right step for you.

Interested in the IBM Graduate scheme?

Click the button below to find out more. 

Register your interest now!