How to Jumpstart Your Career in Tech with Sainsbury's

Wondering how you could join and learn from some of the nation’s top experts in the Tech, Data and Design space? Look no further than Sainsbury’s Engineering Jumpstart Programme.

If you’re imagining what it’ll be like, we’ve got you covered in our Jumpstarting my Career in Tech with Sainsbury’s series where we go behind the scenes and speak with real-live Sainsbury’s Tech Academy candidates and find out how they help create better retail experiences for Sainsbury’s customers using tech. Let’s meet Rosie Wardman!

What made you apply for the Engineering Jumpstart programme with Sainsbury’s Tech Academy?

I joined in 2018 when it was the Argos Tech Grad Scheme, after being shown the job by a recruiter. Coming from an Electronic Engineering background – not Computer Science – what attracted me the most were the rotation options. This meant that I could try out different technologies to determine which one I preferred rather than taking a job in one specific area.

What were your expectations before joining and has the experience lived up to this?

I wasn't sure what to expect, aside from three rotations. My experience with the scheme was fantastic and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I was supported by other engineers and managers throughout and learnt a huge amount. I was amazed that I was pushing code into production within the first month. I started having not written much code at all and finished the scheme feeling confident in my skills and able to contribute to the teams I worked in.

What is the biggest learning you’ve taken away from the experience?

Perseverance and networking – let me tell you why.

​​Perseverance: I've learnt to keep pushing through problems and bugs to reach a solution for a complex problem, and those challenging tasks are often the most rewarding.

Networking: Having worked across so many different teams, you build up an invaluable network of colleagues. I've learnt how important it is to maintain this as you never know when you will be working on something where a bit of help or guidance from that person could make the difference.

What was your favourite rotation and why?

My favourite rotation was my time working on the Argos Global Navigation and Homepage team. I learnt React for the first time on this project, which I really enjoyed. The team were really supportive and set me gradually more challenging tasks so I learnt a huge amount. The work during my time on the team was to replace the header of the Argos homepage, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I shop on Argos.co.uk, knowing that I am using code I wrote, and also that my family and friends will be too! There's really something special about writing code you know millions will be using every day.

Which part of the tech stack you use(d) was easiest to pick up, and which was a bit more challenging?

I found React the easiest to learn, as it felt fairly similar to code I'd written in the past, and joined a team that was working on a greenfield project which meant I was able to see how to start from scratch with a project. I found Java more challenging to learn as I'd not seen Object Oriented Programming before. However, I was still able to pick it up thanks to great support from engineers in my team, and learning resources provided by the company.

What surprised you most about the experience?

How quickly I was able to contribute to code in production - within a month or so of joining I was able to make changes to code on the Argos.co.uk homepage!

If you could give any advice to someone looking to join the programme, what would it be?

Don't worry about what you don't know. Everyone has different strengths coming onto the scheme, and you'll have plenty of time to learn new things you've not encountered before whilst on your rotations.

Applications are now closed.