Shadowing technology teams at Tesco
What I observed during software development, IT operations and cybersecurity placements.
In 2025, I spent time at Tesco Headquarters on a software development placement and was invited back for a dedicated week with the cybersecurity team.
The experience was an opportunity to observe how people work together. I was shadowing staff, rather than administering Tesco’s systems.
Software development
I attended team stand-ups and observed code reviews, automated testing and deployment workflows. Seeing those activities together helped put the individual tools into context: writing code is one part of getting a change ready for other people to use.
It also gave me a clearer reason to pay attention to tests and review in my own projects.
Cybersecurity
I shadowed security staff to learn how SOC teams investigate alerts and coordinate incident response. The placement gave me an introduction to the work of a security team and reinforced my interest in cybersecurity.
Earlier IT operations shadowing
In 2024, I observed infrastructure automation and incident management at Tesco and practised basic PowerShell scripting. That was another view of the work behind the applications people use every day.
Where it fits now
I’m now in Year 12, studying Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics and Economics. Alongside school, I’m building web applications, running a home lab and looking for further cybersecurity work experience.
Glyph is one place I’ve been able to explore a concrete security problem myself: checking note ownership and making public access revocable.