Awards aplenty
In 2024, Leonardo apprentices were recognised in the national Electronics Weekly BrightSparks Awards, which celebrates the UK's brightest young electronics engineers. Luton-based degree apprentices Mila Crook and Darla Pearce, studying Electronics Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire, were both honoured.Additionally, Ishaan Haque, a former apprentice and now a Senior Hardware Technician at Leonardo, received an award for exceptional customer service.
Our internal awards also recognised outstanding talent emerging from the company's UK apprentice population.
The Leonardo Apprentice of the Year Awards for our Electronics and Cyber businesses saw Jainna Bhalla, a Project Manager Degree Apprentice based in Basildon, being named the overall winner alongside other category-based award winners. Our apprentices were celebrated for their innovative approaches to business engagement, cost savings on major programmes and their commitment to creating lasting change within the company. The awards highlight the significant contributions apprentices make to Leonardo across a range of disciplines across our breadth of work, including engineering, cyber security and business management.
Leonardo also has a large trainee population at our Helicopter business based at Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters. In September. the site’s annual event recognised outstanding contributions to the helicopter business, with awards presented for categories such as Best First Year Apprentice, Degree Apprentice Award and the Managing Director's Cup. The event also highlighted fundraising efforts from our trainees for local charity PROMISEworks, which provides support and mentoring for young children and adults across Somerset.
Transitioning to full-time employment
During October 2024, seven engineering apprentices in Luton successfully completed their Degree and Technical Apprenticeships, transitioning into full-time roles with Leonardo. Despite beginning their apprenticeships during the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cohort demonstrated resilience and achieved great results in their qualifications. Their contributions to the Luton site's charitable initiatives and active involvement in Leonardo's inclusion and diversity programme underscore their commitment to both professional development and community engagement.
The AeroWomen 24 event in Yeovil brought together women from across the aerospace sector to showcase the diverse career opportunities available to them. The event featured inspiring speakers, panel discussions and workshops, providing a platform for women at all stages of their careers to connect, learn and grow. The event is organised by women trainees at Yeovil and was headed up by Mechanical Engineering Technician Apprentice Freya Woollett, who received the Unsung Hero award at the West of England Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing Forum gala dinner for her role as AeroWomen event Chair.
Connecting with our heritage
Many of our apprentices go on to have long and successful careers with Leonardo and it is always a pleasure to celebrate the careers of former apprentices. Last year, Keith Griffiths, a 95-year-old former apprentice, led our current Leonardo apprentices on a tour of our Yeovil facility, sharing his experiences and insights from his career that began in 1945. The event provided a unique opportunity for apprentices to connect with the company's history and gain a deeper appreciation for its evolution. Keith's visit highlights the lasting impact of apprenticeships and the enduring legacy of those who have contributed to Leonardo's success over the decades.
Supporting apprentices of the future
In addition to celebrating the successes of our current and former apprentices, at Leonardo we are committed to helping future talents benefit from opportunities offered by apprenticeships. 2024 saw Leonardo partner with the social mobility organisation Future Leaders to support 25 young women from Luton and North London achieve their career aspirations in STEM. The programme provided valuable learning and development opportunities, work experience, and mentoring from engineers and STEM ambassadors at Leonardo's Luton site. This partnership reflects our commitment to social mobility and increasing the representation of women in the business and across the wider aerospace and defence sector. Currently, Leonardo is reviewing 11 applications to join our apprenticeship schemes from this year’s cohort.