Graduate development at BAE Systems
The aim of the programme was to develop a pipeline of future talent who are committed, inspired and ready to take on roles within BAE Systems. This aligns with the business objective “to inspire and develop our people to drive success”, which underpins their vision to be the premier international defence, aerospace and security company.
Impact first worked with BAE Systems in 2001, and in 2014 began collaborating on a graduate programme to build this pipeline of future talent.
BAE Systems demonstrates a sustained commitment to developing new generations of leaders through the Graduate Developing You programme, which is undertaken by all graduates.
The programmes blended learning approach, combined theoretical and experiential learning. This supported and developed graduates, empowering them to be creative and pioneering in delivering innovative solutions that make a difference. In doing so, it reinforces the organisation’s business objective and how it will achieve its broader vision.
Impact provided an engaging development programme aligned to BAE System’s global competencies, with the objective of enabling every graduate to realise their potential and add value to the company. The behavioural competencies supported high performance by inspiring and equipping graduates to; take responsibility for their learning, gain better awareness of themselves and their work, tackle workplace challenges, drive strategic growth, generate new ideas, partner and collaborate with customers and networks globally, influence, lead and inspire.
BAE Systems wanted a modular programme that would help the graduates discover more about themselves and the organisation - how their style affects other people, how they influence others and help them to do better, how they react in diverse situations and what their vision is for themselves and BAE Systems in a volatile, complex world.
The custom programme evolved over 18 months, using an eclectic mix of learning methodologies to create powerful individual and team opportunities to learn from new emotions, challenges and situations.
Module one: After pre-programme work, participants built an understanding of personal effectiveness via a two-day residential programme. This included self-awareness, personal skills, MBTI®, personal shields and disclosure.
Module two: A four-day Lake District-based residential programme included outdoor journeys and 1:1 coaching, providing profound behavioural development opportunities. A Community Action Learning project provided an opportunity for employing social responsibility by inspiring hundreds of primary school children, with a focus on the necessity of STEM subject skills and gender and racial diversity in this sector. Graduates were then challenged to present live business projects to senior stakeholders with the best projects taken back to the business to be implemented.
Module three: The final one-day module supported graduates on offboarding, energy resilience and wellbeing. It also included a senior managers clinic, an alumni session and 360 feedback.
A programme intrinsically linked to organisational competencies, for which results and evaluation is essential. Stakeholders cited the programme as fundamental to establishing a successful career within BAE Systems. The programme numbers increased every year, as did the statistical results.
On an individual level, the 600+ past participants scored the programme 4.3 of a possible 5 when asked whether the programme will hugely benefit them personally. The programme reached finalist status as Personnel Today Awards ‘Graduate Scheme of the Year' in 2016 and 2017.