When did you join Leonardo?
I joined Leonardo in 2009 as a Business Apprentice at the Helicopters site in Yeovil. This was following completion of my GCSEs which included the mandatory subjects, along with Business and Media Studies.
Why was an apprenticeship the right path for your career development?
I’ve always been very career-driven and had a part-time job during my final two years at school. My favourite subject at GCSE was Business, and I planned to follow my interest in this after my exams. An apprenticeship seemed like a natural fit for me, given my familiarity with working life and eagerness to earn and learn!
Why did you join Leonardo?
Leonardo is one of the largest and most reputable employers in the local area and ran a very successful apprenticeship programme - everybody wanted a place on it. At the time of me joining Leonardo, I had lots of family and friends already working on site, including my Dad who encouraged me to apply for the Business Apprenticeship programme. I didn’t take much convincing!
What did your apprenticeship involve?
I started working on the Yeovil site following my GCSE results and joined a team of five first year business apprentices. We carried out series of 3-6 month placements across a variety of departments, gaining exposure to different areas of business at Leonardo. My placements included Training Academy, HR, the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP), Procurement and Site Facilities. During this time, I completed an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration, with the company providing an assessor and mentor to guide me through the qualification. I also completed a BTEC in Business Studies, with a tutor from Yeovil College coming on site one day a week to lecture and assist with assignments.
What did you enjoy most about the apprenticeship?
It was really interesting to see how a large company such as Leonardo operates, with so many different business areas working both individually and collectively to achieve results for the company. I hadn’t appreciated just how complex the infrastructure of a company could be. Each department ranges in size and capability, but they are all absolutely integral to the success of Leonardo. I felt very fortunate to be able to gain work experience in some of those different areas and to build a clearer understanding of ‘business’ in my head. Not everybody gets that opportunity.
What I enjoyed most about study days was temporarily being back in a learning environment along with the other first year apprentices. We enjoyed studying together and being able to connect as a group on a weekly basis.
What is your current role at Leonardo?
I now work as Communications Manager for Electronics UK, primarily based in London and supporting the business across the various sites. I am a member of the Leonardo UK Communications Team, providing dedicated support to the Electronics UK Sales & Marketing teams.
Tell us what you do in a typical day / week
No two days are ever the same in Communications. The department deals with press and media engagement, digital and social media, multimedia, brand promotion, internal communications, events and exhibitions. My role umbrellas all of these areas and aims to coordinate activity in line with strategic and business winning objectives outlined by the five lines of business within Electronics UK. To achieve this I liaise with the Sales and Marketing teams on a daily basis, ensuring their business priorities and key campaigns are captured and timescales understood. I then work with the wider Communications team to develop and execute strategic communications using a mixture of tools and channels. The idea is that this elevates the messaging to target the relevant customer or stakeholder base. Campaigns come in all shapes and sizes and so there is no ‘one size fits all’ - that’s what makes my job so interesting.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love being actively engaged with different areas of the business. I learn something new every day and it never fails to amaze me how broad our capabilities are as a company. It’s so inspiring to listen to colleagues describe the technology we offer which genuinely excites them. I work in a very creative department with like-minded people who all bounce ideas off one another. As a team, we have produced some incredible output over the years and I love watching this grow as the world of Communications continues to rapidly evolve.
One perk of my job is the travel - whether that be to a different country, site or exhibition. The hours can be long, but it’s so much fun and very rewarding.
What have been your biggest achievements at Leonardo so far?
I’m really pleased with how far I have come over the past 12 years, which is totally down to grasping every opportunity with both hands! During my time on site in Yeovil, I joined a team who organised Business Lunchtime Seminars for colleagues, and through this network I was able to secure a secondment to the corporate office in 2016. This paved the way to where I am now. Leonardo has always supported my career development and very kindly sponsored my degree in Business Management and Marketing. I was able to complete this whilst working full-time, which felt like a huge achievement in itself.
I was Project Manager for the introduction of the ConnectUK intranet platform, bringing our employees in the UK together on one system for the first time. I was also Producer of ‘Future Horizons: The Tempest Podcast’, which delivered six really interesting episodes on behalf of Team Tempest. We saw great engagement with this podcast and it provided the opportunity for Team Tempest partners and special guests to promote and support this exciting programme.
Most of all I am proud of my development in the business as a woman. There have been times, particularly when I was younger, where I felt outnumbered or unqualified to be here, but I never let that feeling get the better of me. Infact I channelled those feeling into something positive, took note of all the inspirational women around me and became more confident as a result. Today in Leonardo we are seeing more and more women in leadership roles and I like to think I could categorise myself in that bracket someday soon.
What related activities are you involved with outside your specific job role?
Outside of the day job, I deliver the Corporate STEM Events programme which includes shows such as the Big Bang Fair, Cosford Air Show and the Royal International Air Tattoo. I have been the Communications Lead for two employee wellbeing challenges - The World in a Week and the Race to Space - which is incredibly rewarding and has successfully connected colleagues across the globe via the Strava app.
What are your career aspirations?
Since taking on this role six months ago, I have loved focussing my attention on a dedicated business and whilst I have learned a lot in a short amount of time… there is still so much more to learn! I want to deepen my understanding of the Electronics business by taking advantage of my attendance at a variety of interesting meetings and working groups. I enjoy seeing how strategy is developed, and therefore messaging, based on both near and future prospects. I hope to become more embedded with Business Development as I progress in this role.
Why should someone consider an Apprenticeship at Leonardo?
Leonardo is a fantastic company to work for. Over the years they have supported my changes in career path and invested in my future. If you are someone who is very career-driven, then ‘earning and learning’ is a route you should definitely consider. Joining the company on an apprenticeship scheme at the same time as others was great fun - I made friends, many of which I still talk to today, and it was lovely to be part of a trainee community. An apprenticeship was the perfect platform for me to launch my career from and I have no regrets!
What piece of advice would you offer an Apprentice today?
Don’t be scared to enter the world of full-time employment, it isn’t scary! You soon become accustomed to this change in your life and there will be lots of people around to support you. Never be afraid to ask questions, or discuss your aspirations – if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Take the time to learn all about what Leonardo does as a company. It’s easy to focus on what site or division you work for, but you will be amazed at how broad and interesting the wider Leonardo is.
Finally, get involved in the amazing STEM work our apprentices and graduates do. It’s a chance for you to meet other trainees, network with senior managers, engage with the public, meet VIPs and attend air shows!
