Featured Apprentice Story

As a fifth year BAE Systems Project Management Apprentice Evie, is currently finishing her final placement at BAE Systems' military aircraft site in Warton, Lancashire having successfully completed four placements. Three of these have been high profile customer-facing roles, helping BAE Systems deliver maintenance and servicing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft at their bases around the UK.

Evie has held a variety of roles in a number of high performing teams including Programme Integration, Maintenance and Project Control. One particular highlight is the outstanding impact that Evie made in the Typhoon Maintenance Flight (North) team based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. Evie’s role was created as a direct response to an urgent requirement from the RAF to rapidly increase the number of Typhoon aircraft operations following the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine which accelerated the programme of maintenance for BAE Systems to deliver.

Evie’s impressive skill sets had a critical role within this programme of work. Her ability to quickly understand the tasks and establish excellent working relationships across teams, had a highly positive influence on the team and their ability to delivery for the RAF. She created daily updates for the Managing Director as well as briefing RAF colleagues; a significant undertaking that she delivered with ease. Evie was seen as someone who could be trusted to project manage the entire activity, while understanding the weight of the task at hand and engaging with a considerable number of senior stakeholders.

Evie’s skills were evident when the newly established team received their first aircraft for maintenance in just three months - usually this programme of work would take over 12 months. Evie’s diligent project management, control and monitoring was fundamental to increasing the number of Typhoons in the air.

During her placement at RAF Lossiemouth, and in addition to the excellent performance in her day job, Evie was empowered to lead the reinvigoration of STEM and community engagement in the region. Through this, Evie engaged with local educational organisations and community groups to promote BAE Systems and the various apprenticeships on offer. Evie is an outstanding ambassador for both the company and all of our apprentices, her involvement added immensely to the engagement with these local groups.

Evie also led BAE Systems’ involvement at RAF Lossiemouth’s 2023 ‘Friends and Families Day’. This required her to closely liaise with the wider customer community, as well as internal stakeholders and the local community – demonstrating her strong leadership, organisation and communication skills.

Evie is not just reaching targets, but consistently exceeding them in all areas of her apprenticeship. Displaying exceptional behaviours and producing high quality work in her placements as well as achieving exemplary grades in all university work. Evie is highly professional, reliable and has a fantastic work ethic. She is able to work with a level of supervision that is not afforded to her peers, as well as being entrusted with responsibilities beyond her experience level. Time and time again colleagues and managers need to remind themselves that Evie is still yet to complete her apprenticeship; testimony to the quality of what Evie does, but also the way in which she does it.