DevOps Engineer Apprenticeship Level 4

Combining software development and IT operations helps to shorten the development lifecycle and ensure continuous delivery in your organisation.

With a focus on infrastructure, automation, rapid development, and deployment at its heart, a Kaplan DevOps Engineer apprenticeship is anything but standard.

Your apprentice will develop the technical skills to build, test, and maintain the infrastructure and tools for the speedy development and release of software, giving you the ability to drive business technology forward.

expand_more Who's it for?

Ideal for new talent in the organisation with an interest in software development or existing staff taking on a DevOps role.

expand_more Job roles and career progression

Automation engineer, Build and release engineer, Deployment engineer, Devops engineer, Full stack developer, Infrastructure engineer, Platform engineer, Reliability engineer, Site reliability engineer - but this list isn’t exhaustive, it’s more about what you do in your job role than the actual title.

An apprentice’s journey doesn’t end when their apprenticeship has finished. This is just their first step to becoming a DevOps professional. The next steps could be to move to a level 6 or 7 Apprenticeship, or undertake product-specific vendor training.

expand_more Eligibility

To do this apprenticeship you must have at least a grade of 4/C GCSE (or equivalent) in Maths and English. If you don’t have this level of Maths and English, Kaplan offers free resources and support to make sure you have a strong understanding of the subjects by the end of your apprenticeship.

Apprentices on this standard must be working in a full-time DevOps environment where they will implement and support software, (such as operating systems, middleware and applications) and supporting components such as databases.

Apprentices typically have one of the following:

A Level 3 Apprenticeship
2 A Levels or International Baccalaureate or any other Level 3 qualification such as a BTEC Extended Diploma
12 months of work experience in the last 24 months if they do not have any other Level 3 qualifications

21 months with Gateway at 18 months

Costs / funding

Levy payer

£17,000

Non levy payer

£850

Learner

Free

Qualifications received

DevOps Engineer Level 4 Apprenticeship

Optional: PCEP – Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer Certification, Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals, AWS Cloud Practitioner, HashiCorp Infrastructure Automation Certification, BCS Foundation Level Certificate in DevOps

Looking to upskill your staff?

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About the programme

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Keep your business future proof

The DevOps philosophy aims to replace siloed Development and Operations by creating multidisciplinary teams that work together with shared and efficient practices and tools.

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Learn skills and technologies that are in high demand

Including Linux, Microsoft Azure, AWS, kubernetes, docker, PowerShell, Cmd, Jenkins, and Terraform.

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Work with stakeholders and across teams

A DevOps Engineer apprentice will work alongside other members of agile development teams, IT and business departments, as well as third-party suppliers. They will ensure that valuable working software gets to users frequently and safely, reducing time to market, and improving the quality of digital services.

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Supported by an industry experienced Talent Coach

Each learner has regular 1:1 contact and progress reviews to keep them on track, review their portfolio, and get them fully prepared for their End Point Assessment.

Training modules

Our DevOps Engineer apprenticeship programme integrates seven modules of technical training with work based projects. This ensures that learning and skills are directly applied to the apprentice’s role, and maximises the time used as part of off-the-job training.

For each module, learners benefit from attending small, scheduled Live Online classes taught by a subject matter specialist, combined with additional online learning that can be completed at their own pace. Each of our live classes are interactive and involve lots of practical discussion, giving learners quality time both with tutors and industry peers to spark new ideas and get new perspectives. Learners get practical lab time to hone their skills and learn from each other, as well as their tutor.

5 days

DevOps Introduction

This module introduces DevOps concepts, including:

Origins
Benefits
Culture and teams
Automation
Lean
Measurement
Sharing
Common roles
Practices and techniques
Methods and approaches for team.

Apprentices will be able to take the optional BCS Foundation Level Certificate in DevOps (not included as part of their core apprenticeship).

5 days

Python Programming Fundamentals

Python will be used as the main language for training. Apprentices will be able to use their learning to pick up other programming languages they may need to use in the workplace.

Introduction to Python and computer programming
Data types, variables, basic input-output operations, basic operators
Boolean values, conditional execution, loops, lists and list processing, logical and bitwise operations
Functions, tuples, dictionaries, and data processing.

3 days

Cloud Services

Apprentices will gain an understanding of the foundational business and technical elements for cloud and cloud-based services. They will learn how cloud services are provided with Microsoft Azure and AWS Cloud.

Cloud concepts
Azure services
AWS services
Core solutions and management tools on Azure
General security and network security features
Identity, governance, privacy, and compliance features
Azure cost management and Service Level Agreements
Basic global infrastructure of the AWS Cloud
Appropriate solution using AWS Cloud services with various use cases
AWS Well-Architected Framework.

Apprentices will be able to take the Azure Fundamentals or AWS Cloud Practitioner exams (not included as part of their core apprenticeship).

5 days

Infrastructure and Security

This module covers the fundamentals of Network Infrastructure and Security.

Understand IPv4 and IPv6
Set up and configure DNS, DHCP and other Networking services
Differentiate between wired and wireless networks
Using Monitoring Tools
Principles of Information Security
Penetration Testing Principles
Threat modelling and Vulnerability Scanning
Security risks
Infrastructure as Code.

5 days

DevOps Tooling

This module introduces various DevOps Tooling including:

Containerisation concepts using Kubernetes and Docker
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) vs bespoke vs enterprise tooling
Using CI/CD processes using Jenkins
Server automation using Ansible
Using Configuration Management Tools
Linux command line.

3 days

Scripting and Automation

This module covers the use of basic scripting to execute IT tasks. Apprentices will learn how common tasks can be automated and how automation allows control of manual, error-prone processes by running scripts. It will build on the previous DevOps tooling module.

Using PowerShell to automate tasks
Using Windows Command line to troubleshoot problems
Major components of the Linux operating system
Linux command line
Understanding of security and administration related topics such as user/group management, working on the command line, and permissions.

2 days

EPA Readiness Training

This two-day workshop will take the apprentice through a practical application of a DevOps project.

Apprentices will be provided with a practical project structure which will involve working through coding and deploying activities. This will include being given a requirement specification to create functioning software, testing and deploying this.

The EPA Readiness Training will help support the apprentice in preparing them for their End Point Assessment giving them an opportunity to build their programming skills in an immersive exercise getting real time feedback as they hone their skills.

expand_more View all modules

date_range Timetables

Programmes are running regularly throughout the year. View our timetables for scheduled Live Online sessions to see when the next one is running.

View timetables

Why choose Kaplan to do a DevOps Engineer apprenticeship?

Industry tailored

Our DevOps Engineer apprenticeship programme is flexible, future facing, and can be tailored to industry.

Leading partners

Underpinned by specialist content and learning labs co-created with leaders in their field: Linux, Microsoft Azure, AWS, kubernetes, docker, PowerShell, Cmd, Jenkins, and Terraform, developing your skills in a range of technologies and platforms, not just one.

Flexible learning

Learners attend scheduled, interactive Live Online classes involving lots of practical discussion and application, and combine this with additional online learning that can be completed at their own pace.

Expert teaching

Our tutors are all subject matter experts, with real world experience, and teach small cohort groups of like minded learners.

Support for employers:

Named account director as your key point of contact
Recruitment service to help you hire an apprentice for a new vacancy
Transparency throughout the application and onboarding process for your learners
Named tutor and talent coaches, often a single contact
Accurate, timely and accessible tracking for each learner
Line Manager visibility of your learner’s portfolio dashboards

Support for learners:

Tutor contact via email outside of scheduled classes
Regular 1:1 contact and progress reviews with a named, industry experienced talent coach to keep them on track, review their portfolio and get them fully prepared for their End Point Assessment.
Peer to peer contacts from across the industry as part of a small cohort - creating opportunities to spark new ideas and get new perspectives
Integrated learning system with everything in one place. Access all online learning, track your progress, capture off-the-job activity and hours, manage and capture progress reviews, upload evidence, as well as communication, and leave messages for each other with their Talent Coach
Interactive lab environment to practise and put learning to the test
Student Service support available 362 days a year