Charting a Course in Naval Engineering: Katie's Graduate Journey at Thales Glasgow

Katie Waddell, a Graduate Mechanical Engineer based in Thales’ Naval Department in Glasgow shares how she tackles a diverse range of engineering challenges. From stress analysis to R&D while working towards her Engineering Chartership and utilizing Thales’ dedicated volunteering days to support the wider STEM community.

My journey so far

I applied for the job at Thales due to the large variety of engineering challenges that Thales presents and the exceptional reputation it upholds in the engineering community.

I work in the Naval Department in Glasgow as part of the Optronics Masts business. At work, no two days are the same and since I started last year I have worked on a wide variety of projects, including working on design, stress and failure analyses, customer support and research and development.

I’ve received plenty of useful training throughout the graduate development scheme including resilience, self-awareness, working as a team and many more. In addition to this I have received technical training in BS8888 (engineering drawing) among others and I’m currently working towards my Engineering Chartership with the support of my mentor and Thales.

What I love about my job

The thing I enjoy most about my job is the variety of the work. There are always new opportunities to get involved in other parts of the business and these opportunities challenge me to develop as an engineer and as a person. The people that I work within Thales are a big part of the reason I love my job, including the people I meet when I visit other sites.

My professional highlight so far is getting through to the finals of the Scottish APM challenge, during which Thales supported our team. I also thoroughly enjoyed being part of the organising committee for Thales’ stand at the Big Bang Fair 2019 - it was fantastic and the event proved to be a big success. Additionally, Thales is very supportive on giving employees time to volunteer throughout the year. We are given two full days per year to volunteer our time to support STEM events, charities and other voluntary work of your choosing.