Why did you join the BAE Systems Industrial Placement programme?

BAE Systems is a very well-known and established company in the engineering industry in the UK so I no doubt had to apply. I always make sure to research the company’s goals, strategy, and purpose, and BAE Systems was one that caught my attention. The company was built with values such as inclusivity, teamwork, diversity, and creativity which are principles that I was looking for. Moreover, BAE Systems is known to be a remarkably diverse company involving several functions such as Air, Naval, Digital Intelligence and many more so I knew that it would be a place where I could expand my knowledge.

What do you do as part of your role in your industrial placement?

I am currently a Software Industrial Placement Engineer Student in the Digital Intelligence function of the company. My role involves a lot of coding including front-end, back-end, communications, and integration programming.

I am part of two NGP (Next Gen Projects) projects, Carbon Offsetting and Healthcare. NGP projects are stretch projects established for the early careers group at BAE Systems.

The Healthcare project consists of looking at how we can help the healthcare industry in an engineering aspect. I wanted to join the healthcare project because I think that engineering and technology can really help improve healthcare in many ways and I wanted to contribute in any way possible in that field of engineering. I am part of the strategic team in the Healthcare project, and we discuss, explore, and expand on the ways in which the engineering ideas at BAE Systems could be used to solve many problems in the healthcare industry.

In the Carbon Offsetting team, we are looking into ways in which we can remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.

What impact do you think you have in your role and how has it made you feel being a part of it?

I think I got to be creative and give my input to determine what the interfaces require, how they need to look and how they function. I am also very attentive to tiny details and want to make sure that the interface works in the best way possible and accounts for every functionality that it needs.

When I finished my first project, I was incredibly happy to see my team implement it to better visualise the results from their work as that was the first time that a software I coded was being used by others.

What is it like to work at BAE Systems outside of your Day-to-Day job list?

Apart from my day-to-day job tasks, I have meetings with the NGP groups I engage in where we divide the work, discuss any issues that we faced and talk about the current priorities of the projects. These projects allow me to investigate subjects that are not related to my day-to-day job, increase my knowledge of different topics, and discover ways in which the company could help a specific industry or apply the information found.

A few times per month, I also have early careers workshops online where we get to meet senior colleagues who share their path in the company, the projects they have worked on and how the work they have done has contributed to building a bigger picture for the company. Those workshops help build my confidence and makes me see how diverse the company is.

What are some of the best things about this programme?

Even though it has just been a few months, this programme built my network with the interns and placement students of my year. Moreover, being part of several cross-functional projects help in building connections with seniors who give you advice on how to approach challenges you might face at your day-to-day job and in the beginning of the career path you are on.

What would you say to other women to encourage them to consider engineering or technology as a career?

I would say that there is no need to be scared or wary about a STEM role as it is no longer defined by its old traditional ways anymore. Even though women are still a minority in engineering, we are currently a strong minority, always have each other’s backs and bring the network together. Besides, with the new generation, the dynamic of engineering is changing, and is no longer as traditionally dominated as before.