Sky Engineer Interview Questions

Application

I applied online. The process took 3+ months. I interviewed at Sky (London, England) in April 2019.

Interview

1) You apply via the application form on their website. You're required to answer basic screening questions. (Why this apprenticeship, etc). Everyone generally gets through this stage.

2) You then take a SST (Situational Strength Test). You had to rate yourself 1-10 based on different scenarios. (For example, are you hard working? 1-10)

3) Unattended Coding Test. They then send you a brief to create a simple website. We had to make shapes flash by pressing keys on our keyboard. You can use any language you want, eg Javascript. Just using HTML5, CSS, JavaScript should be enough to complete this task.

4) Phone Interview. Just like any interview. You can use the STAR technique to answer their questions. Why SKY? How did you go about the unattended coding test? What do you know about us?

5) Assessment Centre. Just want to point out that this was an apprenticeship program. However, they didn't even tell us that we were doing the same task Graduates did. After it ended, I searched Glassdoor and seen that Graduates had done the same task as us, click here to see what I mean: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Interview/Sky-Graduate-Software-Developer-Interview-Questions-EI_IE3903.0,3_KO4,31.htm#InterviewReview_19310931

 It was a complete disaster. It was split in two teams. One team had to create a Database connection with a website and the other team was using C# to create a VR game. None of which is even remotely related to the unattended coding test.
We had to use NodeJS. No one even had any experience using it and they wanted us to create a Database connection. Everyone struggled and we came into this assessment day blind. All everyone did was copy code from StackOverflow as we had no experience or idea how to do the task. Hours spent running around in circles to achieve nothing.

I'm honestly lost for words for how poorly it was run. They expect people with and I quote "no coding experience required" to complete this task. The unattended coding test was very simple and something most beginners can achieve. All our team was lost. We just searched up and copied code as that's the only thing we could do. This didn't work itself as we didn't have the experience to utilise the code or understand it completely. We were in a room for over 5 hours. 1 hour in and I didn't want to be there as we couldn't achieve this task. I didn't want to quit so I pursued a lost cause. Even our team members were confused and tired. We were told that it would be pair programming. Something simple everyone would've assumed, but it wasn't. How can you go from telling us to change shape colours to migrating a database to connect with the other team Unity Engine in C#. Not only us but the other team struggled and couldn't even complete the task too. Overall, we literally had barely anything at all to present at the end of the day. I just wanted to leave.

It was really a complete waste of time and nothing at all like other assessment centres I've attended. Those are more group task based and even when it's programming, it's something simple.

I applied for other Degree Apprenticeships too. The one I got an offer for was to create a calculator application using Python and allowing the customer to change variable values. However, they told us that we were going to be using Python, so I researched and learnt it at home and the task was actually enjoyable and fun. I've already accepted an offer for a Degree Apprenticeship in Digital and Technology Solutions from another company to start in September. I found out two days after attending the Sky assessment centre that I got an offer from another company, so I instantly accepted it. I didn't want to wait for the Sky response as I know I wouldn't have even picked myself for that role.

The Sky process 1-4 was actually good. The assessment centre wasn't. Once it was finished, we all spoke to each other (apprentices) about how it was run and no one liked the idea they came in blind. They said we would find out in a week and yes I didn't make it through. I didn't expect to; I couldn't create their complex program. I could only show the spectators how to copy and paste code. Honestly was humiliating and I didn't want to but had to. Made us look like fools honestly and I just wanted the day to end.