A Geography MA (Soc Sci) graduate in 2008, now working for BAE Systems

I work for a company called BVT Surface Fleet, a joint venture between the shipbuilding arm of BAE Systems on the Clyde and VT Shipbuilding in Portsmouth. The Government asked the two companies to come together to stabilise the shipbuilding industry and subsequently be offered a large part of the Air Craft Carrier project or CVF as it known. The agreement put in place between the two companies is what is a called TOEBA agreement, which means that after a certain period of time one of the companies can leave the joint venture and the other buys their share. The VT group have announced that they will be leaving the joint venture this summer and subsequently BVT will become wholly owned by BAE Systems.

I work within the Supply Chain Department in the Scotstoun office (the site spans across the Govan and Scotstoun yards). We buy the parts for the ships and manage the logistics of doing so. I am on a one year direct entry scheme which means I am on a development programme for one year and then move into a permanent position when it finishes in September. To get the job I applied online to BAE Systems, submitted an application form and completed numerical and verbal reasoning tests. Once I had passed those, I was selected to go to an assessment centre in the Lake District which included a group exercise, presentation, interview and a written test. I was lucky enough to pass the assessment centre and was offered a place. I originally applied for the two year graduate scheme but due to my degree results I was unable to take up this place and was offered a direct entry position instead. I think it has probably worked out for the best!