Ryan Rickards

05 February 2024
Business Degree Apprentice

Meet Ryan, a Business Degree Apprentice at our Luton site.

What is your current role?

I am a Business Degree Apprentice currently in my second year at Leonardo’s Luton site.

Why did you decide to take on an apprenticeship?

After studying for a BTEC diploma in Business, I wanted to take the next step and apply for a Business Degree Apprenticeship. I knew that this would enable me to work and study at the same time. After coming across Leonardo, I was instantly drawn to their projects such as Britecloud, and their work on Typhoon and Excalibur, which led me to apply for the position.

What areas of the business have you worked in since joining?

I’ve been given a number of opportunities to experience what it is like to work in the Finance, Commercial, Procurement, Sales Operations, HR and now Project Management teams. From working in these areas, I have grown and developed more than I thought capable, and cannot wait to see how much further I can go.

What has been your greatest achievement at Leonardo?

One of my favourite experiences was working on the IMechE Apprentice Automation Challenge, in a team with four other apprentices from Luton. We designed and created a “smart walking stick” using automation. Our team managed to win the challenge, and we were invited to the TMMX Awards to receive our prize and meet with some amazing people, gaining a lot of well-valued advice.

What are your aspirations for the future?

After completing my apprenticeship, I plan to continue working at Leonardo, gaining more years of experience before studying for an MBA to further develop myself.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship, and why?

I highly recommend apprenticeships, as you gain work experience whilst studying. They encourage developments to your personal skillsets such as communication, leadership, time management and organisation. You also get the benefit of seeing how what you learn applies to your company and job role.


 

Our Apprenticeship Opportunities

Our Apprenticeship Opportunities

Our highly-regarded apprenticeship programmes – covering hardware and software engineering, business and cyber security – offer intensive training programme lasting 2-4 years, which results in apprentices graduating with a substantial depth of skills in their specialist area.