As part of our commitment to becoming a Centre of Digital Excellence, DVLA invests heavily in developing our own skilled workforce. Development programmes form a big part of this as we take on upcoming students and apprentices and give them first-hand experience in their specific field. Recently, students have enrolled in our Software Engineering MSc (master’s degree) programme, successfully showcasing their final year project across the Information Technology Services (ITS) directorate.
The MSc in Software Engineering is a 2-year programme which combines academic learning from the University of Wales Trinity St David with practical experience at DVLA. Throughout the course, students work closely with various teams on real-world projects, allowing them to gain a greater understanding of how what they’ve learned is applied to real-life scenarios. Most of the students’ time is spent at DVLA, but dedicated time is allocated for university studies to ensure a balanced focus on both practical and academic aspects.
On the day, members of staff from across the directorate were welcomed along to view the students’ projects and find out more about what they worked on. Following the showcase, we sat down with Saeed Osman and Liam Kelly to hear how they found the showcase and what the past 2 years of the programme has been like for them.
“My learning definitely aligns with my job at DVLA…and has significantly contributed to my progress.”
Hi Saeed and Liam, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Saeed: I studied software engineering at Cardiff Metropolitan University and joined DVLA in 2022.
Liam: I’m 29 years old and live in Bristol. My background before software engineering was in pharmaceuticals but I started learning how to code during the pandemic. I made a career move to the Civil Service and then to DVLA with the MSc Software Engineering programme.
What tasks and projects do you get to work on in your role?
Saeed: In my role at DVLA, I started by shadowing my peers to learn the ropes. After gaining some experience, I transitioned to working on individual tasks. My main focus is on developing internal UI, which I particularly enjoy working on.
Liam: Currently being a part of the drivers core team, I’ve worked on a variety of projects over the last 2 years, including 10-year renewals, tachograph, sale of marks and updates to driving licences.
Does what you’re learning align with your job at DVLA?
Saeed: My learning definitely aligns with my job at DVLA. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from both DVLA and the university. It has been the most important learning curve in my life and has significantly contributed to my progress.
Liam: Yes, for the most part it does. The main staples of my course such as Java programming and RESTful web services have definitely helped me with my job.
Do you feel that you’ve learned new skills since starting the programme?
Saeed: During my time at DVLA, I’ve learned a variety of software tools that I use daily and have gained valuable insights into DVLA operations. This experience has also allowed me to develop new workplace skills, which are crucial for my role and career growth.
Liam: Yes, definitely – learning Java programming and software testing from scratch being the main skills. In relation to my final project, learning Python (a programming language) and how this is utilised in machine learning has been a poignant learning curve.
How did you find the recent project showcase?
Saeed: I found the showcase to be a great experience because it allowed me to present my dissertation project to my DVLA peers. It was rewarding to share the work I had dedicated so much time to and see how others viewed and appreciated it. The feedback and interactions were valuable, making the event both enjoyable and insightful.
Liam: I enjoyed, it was really good. It gave me the chance to showcase a project I’d been working on for a number of months last year as well as to see, in detail, what my peers had completed their project on.
As you’re approaching the end of the programme, can you tell us how you’ve found it?
Saeed: As I near the end of the programme, I’ve found it to be a great opportunity for personal and professional growth in a supportive environment. I would definitely recommend it to any graduates looking to advance their skills and career prospects.
Liam: I’ve loved it and wouldn’t look back. The time dedicated to learning new content at university alongside learning a new job role has been a commitment, but the support has been unmatched both from the university and DVLA, be that the CoDE team or colleagues in drivers core team. Now it has finished, and I can compare to where I was this time 2 years ago, I’m incredibly proud of myself for completing the course and doing all the hard work needed to get here.
Find out more about DVLA’s Year in Industry programme and the other development opportunities they offer.
