Flexible learning and great colleagues are a boost to Admiral apprentice

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we talked to one of our degree apprentices who is studying to become a software engineer, while working at one of Wales’ best-known employers.

Say hi to Emma 

Emma from the South Wales valleys joined Admiral 11 years ago. She began working directly with customers, before applying for an internal role as a junior test analyst. In 2021, she registered as a degree apprentice, studying Applied Software Engineering while continuing to work in the company’s IT department.

‘I’m a test automation engineer,’ says Emma, ‘which means I write code to test software and then do some manual testing. My main job is to work closely with engineers and look at the software they’ve created, and look for defects and bugs before that's released into the environment for people, the end users, to use it.’

‘What I enjoy about my role is I like taking things apart and putting them back together, so I like understanding how things work. I want to be involved in the bigger picture, so I want to be involved in producing good software for people to use.’

The OU’s degree apprenticeship helps companies upskill their staff, who can study towards a degree while earning a salary and getting experience. The degree apprenticeship is fully funded by the Welsh Government, which means that there are no course fees for the student nor their employer.

Flexible studying

While her office is the iconic Tŷ Admiral in the centre of Cardiff, Emma works part of the week at home. The surrounding countryside is in stark contrast to the centre of the capital, which gives her a chance to spend part of her day in nature.  

‘I will start my day with walking my dog outside in nature just to freshen up’ explains Emma. ‘And then I usually do a couple of hours of studying, and then out again in the woods with the dog on my lunch just to try and break things up - get a bit of green therapy! With the flexibility of the OU, I’m able to put my studies down and come back to it in the evening.’