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.
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.
