The ‘Dare to Dream’ Bursary provided me with the opportunity to pursue my passion for software development when I needed it most. I was a varsity student about to start second year – the halfway mark through my degree in IT. I was hungry to learn and incredibly passionate about the IT industry. But this was 2021, and COVID had hit; these were trying times; I did not know what would happen with the varsity as there were no finances available for me to enroll.
My dad said I should not worry about it. I had applied for the “Dare To Dream” bursary online, submitted my documents, and was waiting in anticipation. When I thought all hope was lost and was about to give up on my dream, I received a call from BET Software telling me I had been chosen and awarded a fully-funded bursary towards my varsity fees. It was the most exciting moment and memory of 2021. BET Software ignited a dull flame in my life.
That varsity student is now a junior full-stack developer.
As a junior full-stack Software Developer, I investigate and solve live issues within internal and external applications and systems. We develop applications from the ground up to support business requirements and features within applications for the business. I also collaborate with different team members to produce a fully functional application or system.
This is what a day in my life as a junior full-stack Software Developer and BET Software Bursary-recipient looks like
- I come into the office at 8 am, set up and open Teams and emails and check messages.
- I check tickets for daily tasks and follow up with the various team members involved.
- I attend a daily stand-up to discuss what is planned for my day, such as tasks to complete and meetings and projects.
- I work on tasks such as coding and research.
- I take a lunch break – I generally go grab some food and go for a drive to get some fresh air.
- I come back to the office for more coding and to complete tasks according to tickets logged on the SCRUM/Kanban Board.
- I perform deploys if I have a feature, bug fix, do additional features for systems and applications.
- I attend scheduled and necessary meetings allocated on my calendar.
- I meet deadlines and close tickets and complete work allocated dependent on the outcome of work done during the day.
- I pack up my desk and head home.
In addition to my core development tasks, I also engage in peer code reviews and attend technical workshops to continually improve my skills and stay updated with industry trends.
My advice for university students coming from the BET Software Bursary Programme into the BET Software Graduate Programme is:
- Have the drive and passion to learn.
- It’s a year-long interview (the graduate programme) so always be mindful and take it seriously, but don’t forget to engage with teams and colleagues and to have fun while you do it by managing your time wisely.
- Be eager to try new topics and step outside your comfort zone in order to grow.
- Put your hand up to try different technologies.
- Be daring and have the courage to take on a task and complete it – it’s all in your mindset.
The BET Software “Dare to Dream” bursary programme is more than just financial support—it’s an opportunity to ignite your passion and set the foundation for a rewarding career in the IT industry. If you’re a driven and ambitious student facing financial challenges, this fully funded bursary could be your stepping stone to success, just as it was for me. By joining the programme, you gain access to mentorship, career opportunities, and the chance to be part of a thriving tech company.
Apply today and take the first step toward realizing your dreams and becoming a future leader in tech!
