Having recently been honoured with an MBE, Alexia Williams of Rolls-Royce shared her journey into engineering and reflected on the opportunities and challenges facing the manufacturing sector, particularly around skills, apprenticeships and workforce development.
Alexia first discovered engineering while attending an Imagineering Fair in Year 9, where local companies showcased STEM careers through hands-on activities. Inspired by what she saw, she chose A-levels in maths, physics and product design before pursuing an apprenticeship rather than the more traditional route into university. Although this was an unusual choice among her peers, she believes the apprenticeship pathway provided invaluable experience by combining academic study with practical, real-world exposure across different areas of the business.
A major theme of the discussion was the importance of learning from experienced colleagues. Alexia highlighted how working alongside long-serving employees has accelerated her development, allowing her to absorb knowledge through everyday conversations and hands-on collaboration. At the same time, she emphasised that knowledge transfer should work both ways. She pointed to Rolls-Royce’s reverse mentoring programme, where younger employees are paired with senior leaders to share perspectives and help bridge generational gaps.
The conversation also explored challenges facing the wider manufacturing workforce. While many organisations focus on attracting young talent, Alexia argued that the industry must also address a growing gap in mid-career experience as older workers approach retirement. She believes manufacturers should broaden recruitment efforts to attract people from other industries, recognising that many skills are transferable and valuable in engineering environments.
Culture was another key topic. For Alexia, a positive workplace culture is one where people feel they belong, can contribute ideas freely and experience psychological safety. She stressed the importance of managers creating environments where employees feel comfortable asking questions and sharing opinions without fear of judgement. Looking ahead, Alexia sees her future remaining closely connected to engineering and manufacturing.
“Quite often organisations don’t expect very much from young people. Apprentices, graduates and interns come in to organisations and often get given really small, unimpressive tasks. However, once you give them something more challenging, people are surprised by how much we can do.”
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