George joined us three years ago on a Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship at Portsmouth naval base.
‘I discovered the wide range of apprenticeships available at BAE Systems when some of the team came to my college to talk about them. The balance of university study and on the job experience sounded good, it was based in my home town of Portsmouth, and the opportunity to work alongside the Royal Navy was really exciting to me. It seemed like the ideal way of getting a qualification in a great job for a business that does a lot of good in the world.
‘I discovered the wide range of apprenticeships available at BAE Systems when some of the team came to my college to talk about them. The balance of university study and on the job experience sounded good, it was based in my home town of Portsmouth, and the opportunity to work alongside the Royal Navy was really exciting to me. It seemed like the ideal way of getting a qualification in a great job for a business that does a lot of good in the world.I’m three years into a four-year apprenticeship, and I’m really enjoying it. Each year is spent in a different part of the business, so for example, I’ve had a year in warship support and a year in asset management. I’m building up a big network, not just by meeting people in those different functions but also because there’s a great graduate and apprentice community with lots of social activity. I really don’t think I’ve missed out on anything by choosing a degree apprenticeship rather than just studying at university, I’m with a great group of people and we have plenty of social time together.
We operate a flexible working day which I really enjoy and which gives me a great work-life balance. It’s not a set routine, I know what I need to achieve and I’m trusted to get on with it as I think best across my weekly hours. I spend a day at university every week as well, so I’m getting a great mix of classroom and on the job learning.
I’m excited by my future here, there’s always some amazing opportunities available, and once I’ve completed my apprenticeship, I’m looking forward to seeing where the skills I’m building take me next within the business. I’d love to work abroad, and once I complete my apprenticeship, I’ll be able to apply for those kind of opportunities, which is really exciting.
I think there can perhaps sometimes be a bit of a stigma around being an apprentice. That needs to change, because it’s definitely not the case here. It’s real responsibility from the very start working on some complex projects. I definitely recommend more people to look into degree apprenticeships because it's a unique and rewarding experience.’
