In the largest intake of early careers roles that the company has offered in a single year, BAE Systems is set to hire almost 1,700 apprentices and graduates across the UK in 2022, representing a 25 per cent increase on last year’s intake.
The global defence, security and aerospace company is creating more than 900 apprentice and 750 graduate and undergraduate roles at its sites across the UK. The majority of roles will be based in the North of England, with opportunities also available across the South of England, Scotland and Wales.
The recruitment comes as Ofsted has once again rated the Company’s 50-plus apprenticeship programmes as ‘outstanding’.
Investing nearly £100m in education, skills and early careers activities in the UK annually, BAE Systems currently has nearly 3,300 apprentices and graduates in training across its UK businesses, equivalent to more than nine per cent of its 35,300 strong UK workforce.
Achieving a diverse, inclusive and flexible workplace is vital to the development of the Company’s future skills and talent pipeline.
In 2021, around a quarter of new joiners to the business’ early careers programmes were female, with 26 per cent of apprentices coming from some of the country’s most disadvantaged areas.
Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said, “Creating high-quality employment opportunities for young people across the country ensures we retain the critical capabilities we need to sustain our business for the long-term, while also helping to drive growth across the UK’s regional economies. Early careers employees are the foundation of our future and the diversity of skills and experience they bring enables us to continue to innovate and deliver the very best technology and support to our armed forces.”
Minister for Skills, Alex Burghart, said, “It is brilliant that BAE Systems is committed to supporting our future workforce through the power of apprenticeships. Apprenticeships play a vital role in giving people the ability to earn while they learn, and the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow. They also give businesses access to a diverse talent pipeline, equipped with the knowledge for success in a range of professions."
From university to work
Neelofar Ansari, who grew up in Manchester in a British Pakistani household, joined BAE Systems as a graduate in 2016. She is currently a Senior Manufacturing Engineer in Technology Delivery in the Company’s Air sector based in Lancashire, after starting the scheme in the Company’s Submarines business based in Barrow. “I loved the graduate scheme,” Neelofar told Asian Voice.
Further elaborating Neelofar said, “You go to university and enjoy certain subjects, but the majority of people will not really know what their favourite area of interest is until they enter the world of work. For me, university was theoretical and less practical, so joining a graduate programme offered me the opportunity to get some real-life engineering experience in different areas.”
The majority of Neelofar’s work involves developing collaborative technologies that can make engineering and manufacturing processes more efficient. “The technologies I help to introduce, like virtual reality headsets, are there to help an operator in their day-to-day job, helping them see instructions in a clear and concise manner, making their role easier.” Other technologies Neelofar works on include projection technologies, augmented reality tablets and animated work instructions. Neelofar is part of a team developing and trialling the technology in what is known as Factory of the Future in Warton. Neelofar has also played a lead role in bringing some of those technologies onto current programmes like the Typhoon production line at Samlesbury.
“Currently I go between working at home and on-site. “Because I have to do a lot of testing and I can't take a product home. It's been different being on-site with fewer people there. It all feels very safe and we’ve helped each other to work well in a hybrid environment.” Neelofar told Asian Voice.
Advice for potential candidates
One piece of advice that Neelofar said would come in handy to potential candidates who would like to join BAE Systems, is to learn about the products that the Company works on and do some research on its customers and suppliers. Having a conversation with your potential manager if you can, prior to joining the Company, is also something that Neelofar recommends.
The BAE Systems experience
Commenting on working at BAE Systems, Neelofar said, “It's a good place to work. When you're doing a job like mine, where you’re introducing new technologies into the way we do things, it’s so interesting. Even when something goes wrong, that is also interesting because it makes you curious as to why it did. You think, how can I fix it? It’s a challenge and I like challenges.”
Neelofar also thinks it’s important that people know when to ask for help. “You have colleagues, supervisors, mentors, all who we can ask for advice.”
“If I've tried everything I know, and I don’t have a solution, I speak to my colleague and say, ‘I've looked at this problem, I'm struggling here. Could you have a look and help me out? And they may say ‘Have you tried it this way?’ Which might be a way I hadn't thought of.’”
Going forwards, Neelofar is looking to build on a career which has already seen her feature in The Manufacturer’s ‘Top 100 list and win the BAE Systems Bee Beamont Award in Engineering which recognises newly qualified engineers with high potential.
A sea of opportunities
In 2022, successful candidates who join BAE Systems will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of the UK’s most exciting and nationally important technology programmes, including Tempest, a future combat air system for the Royal Air Force, as well as the design and build of Dreadnought submarines and Type 26 frigates for the Royal Navy, and helping to protect critical national infrastructure from cyber-attacks.
Roles range from engineering and manufacturing opportunities across multiple disciplines such as software and hardware, to business professional positions within finance and business development.
There are multiple graduate intakes throughout the year, including January, June and September. The closing date for apprentice applications is 28 February 2022. Find out more and apply: baesystems.com/earlycareers.
