When looking at companies and graduate schemes, I had a very clear idea of what I was looking for: a global company with opportunities to work abroad, and an established scheme with real responsibility, plus the chance to work on interesting projects, and to do something a bit different. BAE Systems filled all of these requirements.  Better still, BAE Systems had never previously recruited Business Development Graduates – this was the element of uniqueness I was after.

My expectation of working for BAE Systems was that it would be highly secretive, a den of technology and expensive military products strewn around the offices. That expectation is slightly off from what actually exists. It is a hive of technology, but it is primarily computer based – at least at Insyte. There are areas that you need special access to, but generally they look pretty similar to the rest of the office – just darker! And with regards to products strewn around the office…well, it’s actually far cleaner than that! In reality, BAE Systems is a technologically advanced company, accommodating a large number of very intelligent people, working in areas of expertise, that increasingly go beyond typical military products – it’s an interesting and exciting place to work – that is something I hoped it would be.

One of the main challenges that I’ve encountered so far is simply getting to grips with the size and scope of the company. BAE Systems has an array of different business units, working with various customers in and amongst different specialist markets. Beyond BAE Systems, this challenge is further compounded with me having no background in the defence industry in general. My role is one that involves continual learning, however coming straight from University, the work ethos is at least not all that unfamiliar.

My GDF programme is 5 x 5 month placements, within Business Development roles. They are primarily Insyte based, however there is opportunity to move outside of Insyte for the last few – perhaps into another business unit, or role within Group Business Development. My current position is within the UK Naval Business Development team, a role which encompasses working on some of our UK bids, and customer interfacing aspects.

There are so many features of my role that I enjoy. Interacting with, and supporting customers has been particularly rewarding, as has seeing the products that we produce up close. I relish the opportunities to meet senior people within BAE Systems and the rest of the industry, and believe that I learn a lot from understanding how they conduct themselves. The other graduates in my year are a friendly community, and the charity activities that go on are also a lot of fun to be involved in.

As far as training’s concerned, along with the three structured development courses that all graduates go on, the company offers, through both external and internal trainers, a number of courses that one can enrol on. These might be skill based (presenting, negotiating etc) or perhaps more educational, perhaps about the company, other business units, roles and so on. A further common development tool is the lunchtime lecture series, which covers key technologies and capability presentations, to educate across the business. Something else that I’ve found valuable from a personal development perspective is the mentor scheme. Every graduate is allocated a mentor on arrival, someone who is outside of their business unit, and might very well hold a senior position in the company. I was fortunate to be allocated Ian King, our CEO. I find it really encouraging that even the most senior figure in the company has a role to play in Graduate Development – I'm personally not aware of many other schemes that offers that.

In 5 years’ time I can certainly see myself at BAE Systems. I’d like to make sure I’ve seen more of the company, notably our overseas markets and offices – a stint in Australia wouldn’t be unwelcome! I’ve enjoyed Business Development so far, and see it as a great area to experience projects across a number of business units. There are two other areas however that I’m particularly looking to experience over the next few years; project delivery (whether in a project management, commercial, legal role), and a wider BAE Systems business development role, perhaps making use of my degree and interest in the East and Central Asian regions.

What would I tell someone who’s thinking about joining?  Go for it. Everyone in the company has a real interest in graduate development, and are very willing to assist or get you involved. The training and development opportunities are fantastic, and the ability to move around the company is really easy. My advice would be to make sure you understand the structure of the company, how it’s set out globally, as well as the type of products that each business unit deals in. That will provide a good base for both interview and future career direction.