Over the last 16 years, National Apprenticeship Week has brought together apprenticeship supporters from across the country. Apprenticeships have long been a part of British culture when it comes to preparing talent for the workplace and BAE Systems is proud to be recognised nationally as one of the most successful apprenticeship employers.
The company ranked 9th place in Department for Education’s Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and are also rated as an outstanding provider by Ofsted.
BAE Systems Digital Intelligence is proud to offer nine apprenticeship programmes as well as an accelerator programme targeted towards experienced hires. Here, we chatted to some of the company’s previous apprentices who have shared their experiences, highlights and advice for those considering joining one of our apprentice programmes.
Apprenticeship Spotlight: Kirsty Allen, Software Engineer
Time at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence: 4 years
Joined apprenticeship programme: 2018
What was your background prior to joining BAE Systems Digital Intelligence and why did you choose to follow the apprenticeship route?
“Prior to joining, I was working full time in Customer Service so quite a different sector. I’d left college after A Levels and went straight into work after deciding University wasn’t the route I wanted to take. During my time in my customer service role, I’d had some exposure of a little bit of testing for several new systems that were being introduced. This piqued my interest into starting to learn software engineering and software development in my own time whilst still working. I initially thought I’d need a degree for this career path and wasn’t keen to study a three year course. However, from doing research I found that you could undertake an apprenticeship in software engineering, I was immediately interested as it seemed like the ideal option for me to both work and study at the same time.”
Why did you want to join the BAE Systems Digital Intelligence apprenticeship programme?
“I really wanted to join BAE Systems Digital Intelligence because it’s such a large, well known and highly regarded company so I was excited by the opportunity to work here. Also, the apprenticeship programme itself wasn’t limited by an age limit or low salary – it’s actually very competitive. I felt confident after seeing the amount of information about the programmes available on the website. The location was also ideal as not too far for me to travel to. I also had the right qualifications to start a Level 4 as I had already completed Level 3 in my A Levels. It was a natural progression from school.”
How did you find the apprenticeship programme and what were your key highlights?
“We were the first cohort to join the software development programme in a number of years as the programme that existed previously had come to an end. This did initially cause some teething problems, but to be expected when starting something new, overall it was generally very interesting. We worked in 5 week blocks, which meant that during this period we wouldn’t be in the workplace and instead attended college in Leeds to learn software development, I had some fantastic tutors who really supported my development.
“Some apprenticeships offer one day a week at college and I could see that would make for slower progress. Within the five weeks, we also completed some professional qualifications including; BCS for Java and C# as well as the main Level 4 qualification at the end of the apprenticeship. We also learnt software engineering, testing, coding and software development life cycle to build our knowledge so it didn’t matter if we had no prior experience of software engineering – you could be as green as you like, it wasn’t an issue for BAE Systems Digital Intelligence. By the end of the five weeks, we all had a basic knowledge and level of confidence. I really enjoyed this approach and found it beneficial when it came to applying what I had learnt when returning to the office.
“A highlight for me was working on a key project for two years during my apprenticeship. I felt that I’d made great progress, building in confidence and knowledge from the start of the project through to its completion. I knew I’d made a positive impact on the business and took on the responsibility required to be successful, whilst knowing I could ask for support if I needed it. Overall I’m really proud of how well I’ve progressed over the last four years since joining as an apprentice.”
What would your advice be to someone interested in joining one of the BAE Systems Digital Intelligence apprenticeship programmes?
“Just go for it, don’t be concerned if like me you don’t have software engineering experience. I would also say do your research and visit our BAE Systems Digital Intelligence careers pages to learn more about the apprenticeship programmes we offer. Definitely apply and experience the application process as it’s a great learning experience in itself. With such a big company like ours, it was an interesting recruitment experience that I learnt from. Everyone made me feel comfortable during the interview. It was more focused on my personal qualities. Technical experience can be taught so don’t shy away of showing who you are. I came in with limited knowledge and I didn’t suffer from that, it was more about fitting into our company culture.”
Apprenticeship Spotlight: Toby Coker, Capture Manager
Time at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence: 3 years
Joined apprenticeship programme: 2019
What was your background prior to joining BAE Systems Digital Intelligence and why did you choose to follow the apprenticeship route?
“Whilst I was studying at my sixth form during secondary school, I knew early on that I didn’t want to attend university, my school actively encouraged their students to choose this path but didn’t feel it was right for me. During my second year, I started to think about next steps, whether I look for a job or continue studying. I attended an apprenticeship event, which provided an overview of what’s involved as well as recruitment tips. It cemented what I wanted to do, when I learned of degree apprenticeships. It seemed like the best of both worlds, gain a degree whilst being paid to work.”
Why did you want to join the BAE Systems Digital Intelligence apprenticeship programme?
“When I found out about the opportunity to work and study here, I was keen to apply. My Great Uncle worked at Marconi for many years and I have family who work in the same industry, so growing up I had an admiration and respect for the business. I also have family who work in sales roles so I asked for their advice before applying for the Sales and Business Development Apprenticeship Programme.”
How did you find the apprenticeship programme and what were your key highlights?
“I found the programme to be a really valuable experience, it was a difficult hard to start as it was during COVID and we were the first cohort of the programme. There were only two of us and because it hadn’t been done before, there was an initial period of finding the balance between the expectations of the programme organisers and our limitations. After a few months settling in though, I started to really enjoy the process of experiencing the six to nine month rotations over the three years.
“It was really helpful not just building my skills and knowledge but also building an extensive network internally. A proud moment for me was when I started a new rotation in October last year, it was my first public event since COVID-19. We had a two day planning session in Reading. I’d been in the role for a week and the person I was meant to be planning it with hurt their back. They did arrange for someone else to attend and support but I had more knowledge so took the lead and facilitated it with the National Security leadership team. It was great to step up and show responsibility and the event was a great success.”
What would your advice be to someone interested in joining one of the BAE Systems Digital Intelligence apprenticeship programmes?
“Not being afraid to ask for help is one the biggest things I’ve learnt. When I first joined, I didn’t want to come across as annoying but soon realised that this is my first job, I don’t fully understand the business yet, I’m obviously going to have to ask questions. I think if your manager is keen for you to learn and most of them are, they are happy to help and it’s not a problem. Depending on your apprenticeship, try your best to create a large network that you can seek support and advice from when you need it. It’s been a great way for me to be able to complete tasks faster and to a high standard.”
Apprenticeship Spotlight: Adam Turner, Change Manager, Maritime Services
Time at BAE Systems: 5 years
Joined apprenticeship programme: 2018
What was your background prior to joining BAE Systems and why did you choose to follow the apprenticeship route?
“I went to college in Manchester doing Media, Computer Science and Physics at A Level. I initially thought of doing a Computer Science degree. However, when chatting to my careers advisor at college, they suggested I might enjoy a project management apprenticeship programme so then I started to research on the government’s Apprenticeships careers site. I was recommended BAE Systems by a friend so I had a look at the programmes available.” 
Why did you want to join the BAE Systems apprenticeship programme?
“When I looked at it, it was obviously a degree. I started the Project Management Degree Apprenticeship. Also, the starting salary was competitive so it seemed like a no brainer. Also another attraction was the length of time of the programme being around five years. I felt more confident that I would secure a role at the end of it. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll secure a role but it gives you enough time to experience the business and know where you want to go.”
How did you find the apprenticeship programme and what were your key highlights?
“The key highlight for me was that it empowers you to take on real world responsibilities from day one. In my current role as a Change Manager, I’m applying the same skill set I learnt from the second year of the programme. All the tasks you’re given have an impact on the business. A proud moment for me was being responsible for an entire project during a time when the project manager was shielding during the pandemic. I was only in my second year and had to step up and manage the project. This just proved how well the training you receive during the programme allows you to have the confidence to take ownership when needed. This has been the proudest moment in my career so far.”
What would your advice be to someone interested in joining one of the BAE Systems apprenticeship programmes?
“Definitely apply because realistically even if you don’t secure a place, you’ve had the experience of the application process. Also, I’d say to be open to all areas of the business as you may start on one apprenticeship programme and then find that as you progress in your career, you move into a different role. For example, you may start in project management but then find you enjoy data analysis more. Because of the scope of opportunities available here, you can be supported in making your own career path.”
BAE Systems Digital Intelligence Apprentice programmes aren’t just based on academic achievements – practical skills such as a natural aptitude for understanding technical information, good communication skills and a willingness to work and learn are also valuable. They vary from one to three years and will give you the chance to earn while you learn, gain industry recognised qualifications and valuable experience working on real world problems, with subject matter experts.
If you feel inspired by any of these former apprentice stories and want to know more about opportunities available, BAE Systems is currently recruiting diverse teams of driven individuals, who share a passion for technology and mission to protect the connected world.
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