Booking.com Compass

Helping students and recent graduates navigate their early and evolving careers

Software Engineering Apprenticeship Programme in Manchester

When you join our Software Engineering apprenticeship programme at our Manchester hub, you’ll be at the epicentre of making travel dreams happen for our users – our Trips department. Here, you’ll collaborate with a supportive team of engineers who will help you learn and grow as you put your skills to the test, building software for every aspect of the travel experience, from airport taxi rides to one-of-a-kind attractions. As you spread your wings, you’ll have the chance to make a real-world impact on our users and set the wheels in motion for a fulfilling career in travel tech.

What do you need to know?

The four-year degree apprenticeship programme is designed to equip individuals with the skills needed for a career in the digital and technology sector. It will start in September 2025, and applications for the programme will open in January 2025.

This programme is a unique opportunity to launch your professional journey, develop your technical expertise, and contribute to our mission of making it easier for everyone to experience the world.

As part of the 4 - year programme, you will

Produce high-quality technical solutions to help our business grow, supported by a team of experienced engineers.
Learn to write high-quality test and production code, use appropriate design patterns, and follow best-practice engineering principles.
Write automated tests to ensure system resilience and create technical documentation to aid collaboration.
Split your time between apprenticeship learning, meeting apprenticeship requirements, and working on team tasks, with weekly 'off the job training' sessions.
Participate in interactive classroom sessions, virtual learning, shadowing, and portfolio tasks to support your apprenticeship studies.
Develop your communication and organizational skills, balancing your role and apprenticeship while seeking out best practices across the business unit.

Our people’s perspectives

During the programme, I worked in a back-end team that prices a taxi ride. I gained invaluable insights into software development, writing and releasing code, and building and maintaining services. As a career changer, I was initially nervous; however, my team supported me in learning new technical skills and praised the ideas and soft skills that I had. The whole experience has been life-changing for me, and I am very excited for my career ahead!

Libby

Junior Software Engineer

Trips

I currently work as a back-end software engineer as part of our Insurance vertical. During my apprenticeship, I have had the opportunity to work on serverless architecture, contributing to various event-based systems and deploying Lambda functions in AWS. The apprenticeship has allowed me to grow in a challenging and fast-paced environment, where I've balanced my college studies alongside hands-on work within the team. Throughout this journey, I've been fortunate to have support from a dedicated mentor and various engineers on my team. Their expertise and encouragement have been crucial to my development. Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue developing my skills and contributing to the company's success as I advance in my career.

Matthew

Junior Software Engineer

Trips

During my apprenticeship, I had the benefit of working on modernising the cars' front-end experience. This required a deeper level of understanding, in which my team supported me profoundly, offering me both technical and other (UX/Product) experiences that enriched my learning and improved my skills as a developer.

Molly

Junior Software Engineer

Trips

Our interview process

1. Application

Write us a CV that expresses your love of learning and interest in developing your technical skills.

2. Technical at-home test

This is your chance to show off your tech capabilities and how they align with the role.

3. Recruiter phone interview

You’re getting close! Now we want to know more about who you are as a person. Share the experiences that shaped you, your expectations of the role and motivations for joining the Booking.com Team.

4. In-person assessment centre

Take a deep breath – you’re in for a fun-filled day of getting to know us. You’ll explore the culture of Booking.com and meet your potential team through one-on-one interviews and group activities.

Find your place at Booking.com

Whether at our Amsterdam HQ, Manchester or Shanghai, our apprenticeships, internships and graduate programmes partner you with talented mentors as you develop your skills. Once completed, we’ll help you level up with an offer of a permanent role, so you can get your career in travel tech off to a flying start.

If you have questions about our programmes, you can reach out to us at graduates@booking.com or sign up to our Early Careers Talent Network for special access to our job opportunities and upcoming events.

Join our Talent Network