SIGMA DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURE
THE PLACEMENT PROCESS
At the heart of Sigma is the placement process. It’s designed to give you high levels of functional competence combined with an understanding of the wider business, plus the opportunity to manage complex issues and drive change.
On Business Sigma you will be on placements for three years, each lasting between six and 18 months. This approach will ensure that you’re best placed to undertake an executive role.
On Engineering Sigma you go on a range of placements, each lasting between six and 18 months. After you’ve done this for three and a half years, you will be more than equipped to take on an executive position. However, you will still be part of the Sigma programme for an additional 18 months whilst you fine-tune your engineering experience and development.
You will be fundamental in the sourcing and securing of your placements to ensure they meet your personal goals and career objectives. Placements are expected to be both stretching and intensive, designed to give you the experience of making real differences to our business. We will of course offer you all of the support and contacts that you will need in the early days to ensure you undertake appropriate and challenging placements within the business. You’ll gain experience in a number of different sectors and businesses, spending time with customers and suppliers, and be involved in several phases of our Engineering and Project lifecycles. As you learn and continue developing, you’ll be meeting the challenge of delivering against exacting objectives.
TRAINING AND SUPPORT
With Sigma, it isn’t a case of one size fits all – and we certainly don’t have a blueprint of training and support that you have to follow. This is because these are determined, and tailored, based on you and your individual requirements and aspirations. However, you can be guaranteed of a comprehensive range of training options to choose from, whether you are hoping to gain further academic qualifications or professional accreditation.
Your development plan will be yours alone, identifying all the skills and experience you’ll need to become a well-rounded leader of our business. As well as formal and on-the-job training you will be offered mentoring and coaching from around the business to build on both your technical and leadership skills. Plus, as Sigma is a global programme, we will provide the necessary training to help you gain competence in an additional language.
We’re well aware that this is a rigorous scheme, which is why we provide such a comprehensive network of people to support you as you progress. We have found that the strongest support for a Sigma member comes from the current Sigma community. So, you’ll be allocated a ‘buddy’, to assist you in acclimatising to the programme, your first placement and to BAE Systems as a whole. You’ll be supported in finding both technical and corporate mentors (typically at Director level). Finally, there’s the central management team for the programme, who have ultimate responsibility for all the progress you make and who will support you each step of the way.
