Raytheon UK is undeniably a big player when it comes to the world of tech. It comes as no surprise that they use transformative technologies to identify and solve some of the world’s biggest challenges across space, land and air, but how much do you know about their commitment to improving sustainability? Or their pledge to help make tech more accessible for all? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in our latest post as we were lucky enough to get an inside look. Keep reading to find out about their tech team, their approach to tech, and more importantly, how you could land a role with them.
Alice – a Software Engineer at Raytheon UK – has had a diverse career so far. Starting off with a degree in Meteorology and Oceanography, and also working for a marshmallow company (we know! We were jealous too), Alice soon realised she’d be happier in software engineering and found an opportunity at Raytheon UK in their 2019 graduate scheme. Now three years on, she recounts her top reasons as to why she’s working at Raytheon UK and gives us a sneak peek into the Why Not approach. Let’s get into it.
1. Why not…have a non-traditional route into tech?
Coming in as a fresh face to tech, I knew so little. My conversion Masters was really great for getting my foot in the door and I had a very quick and intense introduction to software as an industry, but it's not as comprehensive as a Computer Science degree so I had no real idea of what to expect. However, I didn’t let that put me off and neither did Raytheon UK.
Prior to joining, I'd read horror stories about female software engineers and being a woman in the tech industry in general. Luckily, I've not faced that – everyone at Raytheon UK has been really friendly and extremely helpful. It was clear from when I started that there was always someone to speak to and a lot of guidance for my role. Whilst I’ve struggled with impostor syndrome, I’ve been surrounded by people who have faced similar experiences and have been incredibly supportive in helping me reach my potential.
2. Why not… get stuck into new tech quickly?
What I really loved about my first project is that I went straight into the deep end which helped me to learn very quickly. My first project was a Node backend project that used AWS and TerraForm, which helped improve my conceptual knowledge. I found that I really enjoyed using AWS – it was fun to be on the cloud – and soon all my fear of the backend fell away.
My next project had a Typescript and React frontend, which confirmed that I prefer working frontend. I was able to brush up on my knowledge by doing some React upskilling outside of work and I made use of the support from work too. There are plenty of resources inhouse to help you including Pluralsight licenses so I’d definitely recommend taking these up.
3. Why not…work for an organisation committed to helping diverse talent?
Raytheon UK has a number of ways to support everyone, whether it’s guilds or employee resource groups (ERGs). For example, if you’re looking for something technical, you can join the Software Guild, Architecture Guild or Agile Guild. We also have a Women’s Network, Multicultural Network, LGBTQ+ Network, Next Gen, Adapt, and ESN which covers sustainability.
You can easily meet new people, speak to those with similar interests or experiences or become an ally for those who need their voices amplified. I benefited a lot from the Next Gen which supports early careers and I am currently part of ESN. There’s always something to get involved with.
4. Why not… be part of Raytheon UK’s sustainable vision?
At the moment, we’re doing a lot to improve sustainability across the organisation. For example, in my current area of business we’re writing a green software guide which should be implemented next year. We also take part in World Cleanup Day and Earth day, and we send out environmental tips every week. I’m in charge of this for my office and I love how one small email to everyone can help make their lives more in step with the vision.
On top of the work we do internally, we also are making improvements to reduce our supply chain emissions. For example, we’re keen to reduce the number of fossil fuels we burn directly and electricity we use as well.
This vision is shared in my personal life as I try to eat less meat, sell my clothes secondhand and not drive everywhere. I'm trying to practice what I preach, but I'm not perfect. No one is but it’s great that Raytheon UK encourages you to try to make a difference.
5. Why not…join Raytheon UK?
It feels really good to know that, we're part of the bigger picture to make online activities safer. If you’re thinking to join us, the main thing is to be open-minded, and just get stuck in. I'm trying really hard to have a ‘why not?’ approach in my work and my personal life, which has been encouraging when it pays off.
I'm not usually a risk taker, but I’ve been trying to take more risks recently. And although the main purpose of your job is to do your job, joining any ERG or a guild outside of that is really good for meeting new people and doing different things as mentioned previously. For example, I recently got to go to a NetZero conference on behalf of the sustainability network. It was a fun and interesting day which I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go to had I not joined. It’s opportunities like these that remind me why I joined Raytheon and why you should too.
And that’s it!
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