Zara is a graduate procurement officer, based in Portsmouth.
I studied engineering at the University of Liverpool, and before joining the BAE Systems graduate programme, I did an internship elsewhere in construction. During that time, I was also a reserve officer for the Royal Navy, so joining BAE Systems allowed me to combine my interests and experiences, all in one place.
I’m a procurement officer working on naval ships. It’s really interesting to work with the latest technology advancements – with every generation of ship there are so many improvements and new pieces of kit. And I’m really proud to be supporting the Ministry of Defence playing my part in fulfilling the obligation we have to the public – it’s very important work.
It's the best company I’ve worked for in terms of work-life balance. In my team, we’re able to flex our hours, which for me, means I get to walk my dog and get some exercise during the day. I think you get the best out of people when they’re not on a rigid schedule.
The camaraderie here is great, with loads of like-minded people working at the Portsmouth site, it feels very much like university. There are also lots of social opportunities – for example, last weekend, we went on a walking social and I got to bring my puppy along followed by a lovely lunch. There’s so much going on to get involved with – if you put an idea out there for a social, someone’s always going to say yes!
As part of the graduate programme, we have stretch assignments which allows you to explore initiatives outside your day-to-day role. I’m making the most of it and dipping my toes into different opportunities to build my skills and gain new experiences - for example, I lead ‘Immersion’ (onboarding of new graduates). I find this really interesting because I get to speak to people all over the business. I take new graduates to meet the Managing Director, get timetables set up, visit ships, and show them around the naval museums in Portsmouth. I’m also learning about project management – I don’t think I would have these opportunities working anywhere else.
If you’re looking for a graduate programme that gives you flexibility, both personally, and professionally, BAE Systems is definitely the place for you.