Inspiring a generation – QinetiQ’s Apprenticeship Training

QinetiQ’s apprenticeship scheme is key to filling the critical skills gaps across the whole of QinetiQ.

Inspiring a generation through apprenticeships is a fitting start to the new QinetiQ People Who Know How blog (http://www.qinetiq-blogs.com/qinetiq/), a resource which aims to demonstrate the expertise, knowledge and capability of QinetiQ employees.

Many of us are returning from the summer break after celebrating this summer’s events at the Games. The Olympics and Paralympics have highlighted a sense of pride in being British – and in British excellence – across the country and I think we have all been uplifted by the energy and optimism generated.

QinetiQ Apprenticeship Graduation
The friends and families of our own Apprentice Graduates were filled with a similar sense of pride a few weeks ago, at theQinetiQ Apprentice Graduation ceremony  held at Boscombe Down, which I attended. It was my pleasure to meet a group of highly trained and motivated engineers ready to start out on their professional careers. Although these young people are at the beginning of their journey as a QinetiQ employee, there is no doubt that they are QinetiQ’s “People Who Know How”.

Investment in apprenticeship schemes
To me there is a direct parallel between our country’s investment to encourage its sporting talent and the need to invest also in developing Britain’s next generation of know-how and technical expertise. In addition, I’m convinced that apprentices make an organisation more effective, productive and competitive. So apprenticeships benefit all involved. They provide unique opportunities for individuals (for many of whom finding work has been a challenge in today’s climate). They help to ensure the constant regeneration of our national skills in world markets. For QinetiQ we can attract some of the most talented individuals before their career begins whilst filling the critical skills gaps in our business.

QinetiQ Apprenticeship Training
That’s why QinetiQ management is investing further in apprentice training programmes and will be significantly expanding the number of apprenticeships offered across QinetiQ. We already take in approximately 30 apprentices every year at the QinetiQ Apprentice Training School at Boscombe Down. We will, over the next year, be recruiting approximately an additional 75 apprentices for roles in many functions and across business areas to allow us to expand our apprentice offering outside of Boscombe Down.

QinetiQ apprenticeship training inspiring the next generation
This is just one of many examples of how QinetiQ is addressing its people agenda, extending the scope of opportunities that we provide as well as taking seriously our responsibility to contribute to the communities in which we operate. We are investing in QinetiQ employees over the long term so we can retain and replenish our pool of talented people. For example, work experience for school children stimulating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)  take up; Year in Industry placements giving students the chance to build their CVs before going on to university. QinetiQ also offer summer industrial placements, deepening our links into Universities, a vital source for highly specialised technical and business roles both now and in the future.

We continue to look at how these opportunities compare with our competitors and review how we can make the best of the experience for the benefit of the individual QinetiQ employee and their development whilst addressing the needs of the business.

All these various programmes reach out to young people at the beginning of their working lives, if you like – QinetiQ’s own step toward inspiring the next generation.

Our people agenda will continue to evolve to support our Vision 2015 goals. I am excited by the talent – technical and non-technical – we have in QinetiQ. We have a responsibility to build on this foundation for the future, nurturing our people who lie at the heart of what our customers value most about our offering – our People Who Know How - http://www.qinetiq-blogs.com/qinetiq/.

Leo Quinn
QinetiQ Chief Executive Officer

What are the common technology challenges across the maritime industries?

QinetiQ is in the business of solving some of the world’s most challenging problems. By identifying common technology challenges across the maritime industries companies can focus investment on the technology development of products and services that have the greatest chance of achieving competitive advantage in the global maritime marketplace.

Here is a list of 8 common maritime technology challenges that constantly need to be improved upon;

1. Generate, store and distribute power efficiently
2. Conserve energy and manage emissions responsibly
3. Design and construct vessels and systems rapidly and cost effectively
4. Reduce maintenance effort and maximise operational time at sea
5. Minimise vessel and system vulnerability
6. Sense the environment and provide accurate situational awareness
7. Collate and analyse data efficiently to enable rapid command decisions
8. Improve operational risk management and mitigation techniques

Each of these maritime technology challenges requires the development, engineering and integration of existing and future individual technology to produce globally attractive products and services for the maritime industry.

Underpinning research and development by companies, research organisations and universities continues to be essential to meet these maritime technology challenges. Research competitions and matched funding can help facilitate maritime technology development.

Iain Kennedy, the author is Strategy Director for Maritime business at QinetiQ. He is part of the QinetiQ management team responsible for business development and has spent the last 16 years working in the Maritime Industries running businesses of various sizes. Iain is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and is an active member of the Science and Technology group of the UK Naval Engineering Science and Technology Forum.

To read Iain’s recently published article in the Society for Maritime Industries (SMI) 2012 Annual Review,‘Meeting the maritime sector’s future technology requirements’, click here and turn to pages 25 to 28.

Find out more about QinetiQ Maritime.