FAQs
...and if they're not, ask us directly
The Application
No, you do not need to have had any formal education in tech. We actively encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our Academy. Our training is designed to upskill those without any previous experience in technology.
However, if you are applying for software engineering, you do need to have a basic understanding of one or more programming languages.
No, a degree is not a requirement when applying to the Digital Futures Academy.
At Digital Futures, we assess for potential. Our online assessment is in two parts. The first part looks for your unique traits, strengths and cognitive capability through a series of task-based challenges. If you pass, you will be invited to complete the second part of the assessment, which will assess your aptitude for the pathway for which you have applied. If you are successful, you will be invited for an interview with a member of the Digital Futures team.
No, the interview is conducted remotely using Microsoft Teams.
The Finances
No, successful applicants to the Digital Futures Academy do not pay for training or any additional training, certification or specific development provided whilst an employee of Digital Futures.
We make a significant investment in you, and every one of our engineers, so we expect you to finish your training and stay with Digital Futures during your 2-year placement with our clients.
No, but you will be receiving world-class, industry-oriented training completely free of charge, which will set you up for your successful career.
Once you become a permanent employee of Digital Futures your starting salary will be £27,500 per annum, with the opportunity of salary increases during your 2-year client placement.
The Terms & Conditions
Unfortunately not. We require that you have the right-to-work-in-the-UK status and you are able to evidence it as part of your onboarding into our Academy. We are also unable to accept applications from people who are still in the process of applying for a visa. We are currently unable to sponsor Tier 2 visa.
Yes, you can but you will need to have at least one year remaining on the visa.
We understand that sometimes big decisions are hard to make, which is why we give you 2 weeks from the start of the training to notify us of your intent to leave the programme. Following this, you might be required to pay an exit fee equivalent to the cost of training for the 12 weeks. The requirement to pay back fees only applies to the training contract and is not part of your employment contract.
We are really proud to have an ethical retention policy and therefore you will not be subject to an exit fee should you choose to leave once you are working full time for Digital Futures on your placement. You will be on a six month notice period, as per the expectations of our clients.
Once you become an employee of Digital Futures you will be entitled to the following benefits:
- Statutory pension contributions
- 28 days annual leave, including bank holidays
- Discounted shopping cards, vouchers & e-vouchers
- Percentage discounts & savings on brands online & in store
- Cashback – get paid to shop online at your favourite brands
- Concierge service – travel & tickets
- Doctorline – GP access & prescription service
- Employee Assistance Programme – legal advice & counselling service
The Training
Digital Futures is a technology services and training company. We train all our engineers in technical disciplines and those who graduate from our Academy become employees of Digital Futures. All of our training is delivered by industry accredited trainers and you will receive the relevant professional accreditations aligned to each pathway.
All our pathways require you to complete 10-20 hours of pre-work before you start your training at our Academy.
You should think of attending our Academy as a full-time job. Training runs for a minimum of 12 weeks and is delivered during normal business hours (9am-5pm).
Our training is delivered remotely, but all teaching is done live with your instructors. There may be occasions where you are asked to come into one of our offices, in which case we will cover your travel expenses.
We don’t recommend it. Due to the intensity of the training and the time commitment, you will be short of spare time to allocate to another course.
Anyone who is accepted into our Academy is expected to have their own laptop. In some instances, we will provide a laptop to those with extenuating circumstances.
We have had a large number of engineers graduate our Academy on all pathways with little or no coding experience. The content is difficult, and you will need to work hard to build the knowledge quickly, but it is possible to start with zero experience and successfully graduate. A basic understanding of one or more programming languages is required for the software engineering programme.
No, this is not possible due to the structure of our immersive training programmes. We will make exceptions on a case-by-case basis for religious holidays and family emergencies.
There are three steps you must complete to graduate.
- You must demonstrate your technical proficiency by successfully passing the relevant certification
- You must complete all challenges and projects during training, to the satisfaction of your instructor
- You must also demonstrate your professional development by successfully completing a competency interview with your engagement manager
Once you have graduated from the Academy, we will work together with you to secure your client placement. Once your placement has been secured, you will be offered an employment contract with Digital Futures and start your placement with one of our clients.
The Placement
To become eligible for a placement, you must complete the necessary steps to graduate from the Academy. We will then work with you to secure that placement. There may be instances where the timing of client demand and the graduation cycle from Digital Futures are not perfectly aligned. In this instance, you may be offered the opportunity to be employed by Digital Futures and support us on internal projects before a client placement becomes available.
No, it can take a number of weeks after graduation. We call this the transition to employment period. This will allow you to take a break after finishing an intensive training period and will allow you to revise and prepare for your certification, conduct interviews with our clients and onboard as an employee of Digital Futures.
Our clients are some of the most innovative companies in the consulting, financial services, media and telecoms, public services, and retail industries. All of our clients are selected on the basis of their alignment with Digital Futures culture and values.
Your industry placement will be located in London or Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh or Livingston). You must be able to commute or relocate to one of these locations for your placement.
We will always aim to match your skills and capabilities to the appropriate organisation, and we take into consideration your long-term career aspirations as well as location and industry preferences.
Some of our engineers have already been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to travel within the UK whilst on their placement. Should you need to travel as part of your work, we will cover your expenses.
Throughout your placement, you will have direct access to an engagement manager who will oversee your development and provide continuous technical and pastoral support. You will also have access to the whole Digital Futures team, all of whom have an open-door policy and you will also be invited to take part in our company wide CSR and social events.
Yes, probably. Whilst this does depend on client demand, so far, all of our on-site engineers have been placed with at least one other member of their cohort.
There are three possibilities when you come to the end of your placement. You may have the opportunity to permanently join the organisation at which you have been placed, you can also seek a rotation to a new company as a more experienced Digital Futures engineer or finally, you can choose to end your employment with us.