Harpreet’s story as a Woman in STEM at AWE

Harpreet, an Electrical and Electronics graduate of the University of Hertfordshire is part of AWE’s Engineering Graduate Programme, about to move onto her third rotational placement.

Keen to give others the same insight she was after when searching for career opportunities, Harpreet provides her account of working at AWE. Hear more about her thoughts of the industry, her experience of the Graduate programme and why the flexibility and breadth of experience at AWE is key towards her career growth.

Passion for STEM:

“I attended a lot of STEM events as a kid… there was always STEM events going on, especially in Berkshire, and our school actively encouraged kids to go regardless of gender.”

Harpreet speaks of her younger years at school where the influence of STEM careers was keenly promoted to all students. Alongside her interest in the subjects themselves, she also acknowledges ‘my pro design teachers were all female, my science teachers were mostly female’ and notes how the presence of female influencers ‘really did help’ to encourage her to pursue the industry.

After a conversation with Harpreet, we discover that her open mind and curiosity led her to applying to AWE. Now settled, she reveals the key aspects of her experience at AWE that make the graduate scheme worthwhile.

Choice of Placements:

“You’ve got loads and loads of different teams, and as a graduate you can choose what placement you’d like to go to.”

Recounting her experience, Harpreet says how she values that AWE allows engineering graduates to choose their placements across different departments—production and assets, warhead, and capital. The rotational element gives everyone the opportunity to explore various areas of engineering and provides the autonomy to select what best aligns with individual interests.

Working under the graduate scheme, she’s come to understand how engineering at AWE is more than just technical work, involving problem-solving, project management, and collaborating with different teams. To work at AWE is to discover a variety of rewarding and diverse responsibilities.

Support for Personal Development:

“Our company actively encourages side quests. You can go around the business and develop so many other skills that you may not be able to do in your placement but will have opportunities to do elsewhere.”

Harpreet reflects on how AWE actively encourages graduates to pursue “side quests,” or extra projects outside their primary placements, an initiative she feels helps build a broader skill set and supports personal and professional growth of graduates. What’s more, she describes how, if you’ve been working on something substantial and want to carry it through to completion, despite moving onto a new placement, you are allowed to do so.

As a graduate programme, the emphasis on development is consistent and graduates are fully supported to develop their skills. With a goal to reach 30% or above of female representation in employee groups, AWE celebrates women in the business and invites you to join them.

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