Software Developer — training, pay and apprenticeships

The route, drawn out

DWG EDAB · 5 stops · 2 years to qualify

Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
2 years Fully qualified around £30k
+3–5 years Experienced up to £60k
Then Your own business you set the rate

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Software development apprenticeships are now a mainstream route into tech, and many employers prefer them: you learn their stack, their codebase and their process from day one, and you are productive long before a graduate would be.

You will work in a real team with code review, version control and deadlines, while studying the underlying principles. Degree apprenticeships (level 6) exist, fully funded, for people who want the qualification as well.

A typical day

Write, test and debug code to an agreed specification
Use version control and work through code review
Build and consume APIs and work with databases
Write unit tests and fix defects found in testing
Work in an agile team with stand-ups and sprints

How you get in

Typically 5 GCSEs grade 4 (C) or above including maths and English; some want A-levels or a T Level
Evidence you have coded something on your own counts for a lot
Logical, persistent problem-solving mindset
Many employers use online coding and aptitude tests

Where it leads

Level 6 digital and technology solutions degree apprenticeship
Specialise in backend, frontend, mobile, data or cloud
Senior developer, then tech lead or architect
Contracting or building your own products

Where to train for this

218 colleges and training providers on our list cover Software Developer training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 10