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Meet Sam Coley-Payne

Software Developer

Sam is a Software Developer at Lloyds Banking Group

What I do

I help build software from start to finish; planning, coding, testing and fixing any bugs that pop up. Right now, I create software tools that help staff at Lloyds Banking Group support their customers more easily. I recently made a user-friendly system for bank staff to more easily manage customers’ cash deposits and withdrawals. It made their jobs simpler and customers happier!

How I became a technician

I've always been fascinated by computers. Even at primary school, I joined coding clubs using fun tools like Scratch (a platform to learn the basics of coding) and practised problem-solving by playing and making games. At secondary school, I chose ICT as one of my GCSEs and I enjoyed helping my friends code in Python (a programming language).

How I became a technician

After school, I chose to do a T-level in Digital Software Development. I learnt more Python and website development languages like HTML, JavaScript and CSS. As part of my T-level, I completed a 45-day industry placement (like work experience) at Lloyds Banking Group, which introduced me to software engineering in the real-world. After my T-level, Lloyds offered me a Level 4 Software Engineering apprenticeship, which I'm doing now.

A typical day in my working life

My working day starts between 9am and 9:30am. We start with a team meeting, where everyone updates each other about their tasks. This helps us understand our team’s daily goals. I then get on with developing and testing the software.

A typical day in my working life

Usually, I focus on one or two coding tasks at a time. I spend one day a week doing all the learning and work for my apprenticeship, which then supports my work projects.

What I love about my job

The best thing about my job is solving problems. I love taking complex issues and breaking them down into smaller parts to find solutions. In coding, we call this ‘computational thinking’ – creating steps a computer can understand and solve. It’s satisfying to see how big challenges can become small, achievable tasks. This way of thinking even helps me tackle problems outside work too!

The skills I use most

Communication and collaboration are important in my role. Good communication means clearly explaining what you need or don’t understand. Even with experience, there’s always more to learn, and asking teammates for help is essential. Problem-solving is important too, identifying issues and fixing them quickly, making sure our software is easy to use and reliable. Attention to detail also matters a lot, as even small errors in the code can cause big problems later on.

I love taking complex issues and breaking them down into smaller parts to find solutions.
It felt amazing to know something I built was helping people and solving problems at work.

A little more about my everyday role

My favourite piece of equipment

My favourite tool at the moment is an AI coding assistant. It’s a very useful tool which can quickly explain coding concepts and help me write better code. Though knowing when to trust AI and when to ignore it is important too - it’s great when it works well, saving me hours of time, but I review its suggestions carefully to make sure they’re accurate. AI is helpful but not perfect!

What I like to do in my spare time

I still love gaming, especially on my Nintendo Switch, it’s a great way to relax. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I enjoy going for walks in a park near my home. I also spend time learning things on YouTube, I watch videos on how video games are coded or why glitches happen. Understanding how things work has always interested me.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

This has to be when I create software that’s used by Lloyds, like when a program I wrote went live. It checked whether cash machines were correctly linked to user accounts, alerting staff if something wasn’t right. It felt amazing to know something I built was helping people and solving problems at work.

A surprising fact about my job

Many people think software development is purely technical, but a large part of my job is making software easy-to-use and understandable. It surprised me how much of my job is focused on designing clear, practical and user-friendly tools, as well as technical coding.

The advice I’d give to someone younger

Be confident, and don't be afraid to speak up. Your skills and ideas matter, and people want to hear what you think. It’s okay to ask for help and communicate openly. Building your confidence to talk to new people and express yourself clearly will really help you in your career.

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