What part of the reserves are you in?
I am a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserves. This involves attending regular training at HMS King Alfred in Portsmouth and training throughout the year with my branch, Media Operations.
How long have you been a reserve?
Having wanted to be in the Navy since I was 17, I finally joined the Naval Reserves in 2019! Since then, I have gained qualifications such as leadership and coaching, media skills, and education and training. I have also taken part in exercises with the regular service and worked on board HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Richmond. I love sport so have taken the opportunity to be involved with netball, surfing and skeleton, as well as running competitively for the Navy.
Why did you become a reserve?
As a teenager, I visited the aircraft carrier HMS Ocean, and I loved it! The idea of a life at sea was very exciting and I did explore joining a few times, but my career path took me in other directions. I learned about the Naval Reserves through colleagues while working on board cruise ships, not realising that was possible to be in the military on a part-time basis alongside a regular job, so I jumped at the opportunity to get involved.
Tell us a little about your current job and what it entails
At Leonardo, I’m a project manager in Naval Support. My team and I support communications equipment on board the aircraft carriers and destroyers (T45s) for the British Royal Navy. I work closely with our customer, ensuring we are meeting their expectations (and our KPIs!) as well as having the opportunity to get on board the ships to see our equipment in action.
How does Leonardo support your commitments as a reserve?
I love that our company works so closely with the military, and because of this, there is a genuine commitment to support me as a reserve. I am required to volunteer for a total of 24 days a year which can be evenings and weekends, but sometimes it falls within the working day.
Leonardo has a very clear policy allowing me to take an additional 10 days leave a year for reserve activity. I will also be supported for a five-month deployment in 2025, which means my whole team is involved in ensuring my role is covered while I’m away serving. Having a flexible working policy also means I can adapt my working hours to accommodate training, such as leaving work early to get to Portsmouth for a training night, or starting work a little later the next day if it’s a late finish at unit.
What advice would you give other reserves thinking about joining Leonardo?
I always highly recommend Leonardo to my reserve ‘oppos’ as the company’s policies are designed with reserves in mind. I would also highly recommend being a reserve to my Leonardo colleagues. The experience gained from the military can be transferred directly back into our roles here, and there are vast opportunities for training, travel and making new friends, not to mention the adventurous training and sporting possibilities.
