Degree Apprenticeship: Software Engineer – Instil

- Posted by Fearghal Quinn
- Posted in Careers Blog
Launch Your Career with the Instil’s Degree Apprenticeship Programme!
Are you finishing school or college and eager to begin a career in IT? Instil is now accepting applications for our Computing Systems/Software Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Programme, designed for curious, driven, and tech‑minded individuals who want to learn, build, and grow in a real engineering environment.
What You’ll Get at Instil
A Fully Funded Degree: Study one day each week at our partner university:
- Ulster University – BSc (Hons) Computing Systems Degree Apprenticeship
Hands-On Industry Experience: Spend four days a week working within Instil’s engineering teams, with the opportunity to rotate across areas such as:
- Software Engineering
- Cyber Security
- Data & AI
Earn While You Learn: Receive a competitive salary throughout the programme and graduate with industry experience and zero student debt.
A Supportive, People-First Culture: We’ll set you up for success with:
- On‑the‑job coaching
- Regular check‑ins and development plans
- A collaborative environment where learning is part of every day
Impactful Work in a Leading Engineering Consultancy: You’ll be embedded in our Belfast team, contributing to solutions used by customers across the UK, Ireland, and beyond.

What We’re Looking For
Academic Requirements
- Predicted or achieved BBB at A‑Level (or equivalent) by August 2026
- We particularly welcome candidates with A‑Level Software Systems Development, Computing, Computer Science, especially those with coding experience
Passion for Technology
- Show us your curiosity, whether it’s personal projects, hackathons, coding practice, gaming mods, online courses, or anything else that demonstrates genuine interest.
Personal Qualities
- Motivated and proactive
- Eager to learn
- Great communicators
- Collaborative team players
Application Details
- Start Date: September 2026
- Right to Work: Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK
- Application Process: After completing our interview process and receiving a conditional offer, we’ll support you in the formal university application process (subject to DfE funding)
- UCAS: This programme is notavailable through UCAS
Offers of employment are conditional upon:
- Meeting the academic entry criteria for the chosen university programme
- Meeting the eligibility criteria for the Department for the Economy’s Higher Level Apprenticeship scheme
- Confirmation of DfE funding approval for the apprenticeship place
If you’re excited about beginning your career in technology straight from school or college and want to learn in a supportive engineering environment, we’d love to hear from you. Start your journey with Instil!
Applications close 9th March 2026 at 12pm
