Denis, Tim & Georg, Apprentices Software Development

Hi, my name is Tim, and I've been in training as an IT specialist for application development at CHECK24 in Berlin since September 2023. There, I support the development team in web development.

Hey, I'm Denis, 23 years old, and I've been in training at CHECK24 since 2021 as an IT specialist specializing in application development. Programming has also been my hobby for about eight years.

Hey, my name is Georg. I completed my training at CHECK24 and have been working as a Junior Application Developer at Vergleich Profis in Berlin since June 2023.

I came across the career page of CHECK24 on the internet back then. Due to the diverse principles of CHECK24 and its sustainability ambitions, my interest was immediately piqued. After the interviews, the positive first impression was ultimately confirmed.

After dropping out of my studies, I was looking for something that would give me more practical experience in software development, so I applied to various cities in Germany. In the end, CHECK24 in Berlin was the best fit.

During my school days, I searched the internet for apprenticeship positions in Berlin and the surrounding area because I wanted to start an apprenticeship right after finishing school. After a long search, I discovered a job offer from CHECK24 for the apprenticeship as an IT specialist for application development through a job platform and applied directly.

It's very hands-on. During my training, I didn't have my own small practice projects; instead, I was able to work directly on the comparison platform from the beginning, which provided me with exactly the practical experience I was hoping for.

I find it very exciting. You learn a lot of new things very quickly. The feeling of seeing your own changes and implementations live on the website is very thrilling and motivates me to keep going. Also, it never gets boring because there are always new topics waiting for me.

As a newcomer, you are assigned a buddy with whom you discuss the setup and familiarization steps, and you already start pair programming on simpler tickets together on the first day. As an apprentice here at CHECK24, you are immediately a solid member of the team. Your own opinion is valued, and you can contribute in meetings like everyone else.

My workday usually starts at 8:00 a.m. I arrive at the office and head straight to my workstation. After booting up my computer, I check emails and see if there are any urgent messages or tasks that need immediate attention. Every day at 9:45 a.m., we have our stand-up meeting. During this meeting, we discuss the progress of our current projects and plan our next tasks. I also briefly present what I will be working on and any challenges I may have encountered the previous day. There are no specific topics I work on because after completing each project, I receive a different task, which makes the work as a software developer incredibly exciting.

I arrive at the office at 7:40 a.m. as one of the first ones and get a brief overview of the topics I'm currently working on. At 9:40 a.m., we have our stand-up meeting, during which each team member briefly shares what they are working on that day. I work normally and have my own tickets that I handle until release. We have lunch at 12:00 p.m., and on Wednesdays, we have CHECKito-Lunch, where everyone selects a meal in advance to eat together as a team. Then, the most important meetings take place, if any are planned. Later, I visit our snack box, which is filled with new treats daily. I finish work at 4:30 p.m.

I've been working on the same tasks as the experienced developers from the beginning, albeit with smaller and simpler tasks at first. However, these tasks have steadily increased in complexity over time as my knowledge has grown. My workday usually starts around 8:30 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., we have our daily stand-up meeting where each team member briefly shares what they are currently working on and discusses any initial appointments if necessary. Around 12 p.m., I go to lunch with colleagues, either for CHECKito Lunch or to restaurants/snack bars in the area. Then I get back to work until I leave for the day at 5:30 p.m.

Every month, we have a Tech Day where everyone can delve into new technologies or topics. On these days, I work with others to develop a web interface for ordering food for the CHECKito Lunch, through which all CHECKitos in Berlin can select their meals.

I actually have two highlights. One was the opportunity to be 'loaned out' to the Android team. Here, I had the chance to collaborate with a working student to build software with the intention that it would be further developed and widely used by CHECK24 in the future.

The second highlight was a rather significant task where I was tasked with building a calendar for our customer service teams. In this calendar, customer service representatives could set their early or late shift days, allowing for potential callback slots to be scheduled in another calendar, also developed by me.

My highlight so far in the training was implementing our newly redesigned landing pages. In this project, I was given significant responsibility. While implementing the redesign, I collaborated with other team members. This collaboration allowed me to learn from their experiences and receive valuable feedback. When I saw my changes live on the landing pages at the end of the project, I was very proud of myself and motivated to continue.

I believe it is a significant advantage to work on a large project right from the start, as it allows one to learn how to build code properly. A good coding style is taught directly, as colleagues always review the code before it is added to the codebase. Additionally, I could always rely on my friendly and helpful colleagues if I had any questions or encountered problems.

To anyone looking for a versatile, varied, and exciting job, I can highly recommend pursuing an apprenticeship as an IT specialist for application development at CHECK24. Even as a beginner in this field, you learn programming quickly and with quality, which is why I am still 100% satisfied with my career choice.

At CHECK24, you are well supported by competent developers and work productively within a large company directly on the product. Moreover, you have the opportunity to learn both web and app development.