GDF PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
To ensure that your experience is best structured to enhance your personal development, there are a number of stages to the GDF. To help you understand some of the steps you’ll encounter, we’ve outlined the main ones below:
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Online Application Form: This is the first stage of the recruitment process.
Online Psychometric Tests: Upon successful screening of your application, you'll be invited to complete an online numerical and verbal reasoning psychometric test.
Hiring Manager Sift: If you have successfully passed the online psychometric tests, your application will be sifted by the relevant hiring managers.
Assessment Centre: If you have successfully passed the hiring manager sift, you'll be invited to attend a 1 day assessment centre with an evening presentation the night before.
PRE-JOINING
Conditional Offer of Employment: Should you be successful at the assessment centre, you'll be given a conditional offer of employment which is subject to relevant security and medical checks and proof of academic requirements.
Buddying: When you accept your conditional offer at BAE Systems, we’ll assign you a 'buddy’. This will be someone currently on the GDF scheme, who will help you to find your way around and settle into your new environment.
Final Offer of Employment: Once we have received and are satisfied with all relevant documentation, you'll be given a final offer of employment.
2 YEAR GDF PROGRAMME
Induction: On your first day, and before you are met by your placement manager, you'll receive a tailored induction to provide you with key information and help you transition into your new role. You'll also have the opportunity to meet other graduate starters.
Corporate Mentoring: You'll be allocated a corporate mentor - typically one of the company's most senior managers who will act as a 'sounding board' during the early stages of your career. This relationship is designed to give you the opportunity to engage in open discussion, objective feedback and guidance regarding your future within BAE Systems.
Placements: Placements form the body of the GDF and provide you with real and important roles. Roles that not only allow you to add real value to our business but also to develop your functional expertise, improve your general competencies and learn more about the company, so you are best placed to realise your potential. Typically you'll undertake four 6 month placements but where appropriate you may choose to do a shorter or longer placement.
6 Monthly Performance Reviews: Every 6 months you'll receive a 6 monthly performance review which allows you to track your development and how you have performed during your placement. This review will be linked to potential salary increases.
Graduate Developing You: The Graduate Developing You (GDY) complements role specific on-the-job training and supports your first few years with the Company. This takes you out of your normal business environment to attend three interactive residential modules. These modules are based on BAE Systems' values and include teamwork, building successful working partnerships, innovation and creativity. Not only do these modules add to your skill set, they are an excellent opportunity to network with other graduates across the business and learn more about the company.
Graduate Conference: All of our graduates attend this event once. Run by graduates, senior BAE Systems managers and outside speakers are invited to present, and there are team activities covering a wide spectrum of business-related topics. There is also a formal evening event, which is always memorable. The conference offers a great chance to network with people throughout the business, and is fully supported by the company as we see it as a crucial part of graduates' learning process. It’s also a great way to see the sort of work that your peers are involved in.
Further Development: In addition to the opportunities outlined above, you'll have a number of options available to you for further development such as access to over 500 personal and professional development courses from your work computer, the chance to participate in company charity events, assist at graduate recruitment events, become involved in education liaison activities and lots more.
Continual Support: As well as your Buddy, Corporate Mentor and Placement Manager, you'll have a Graduate Manager and will be encouraged to have a Business Mentor so that you have the support you need throughout the GDF. In addition, there is a dedicated internal corporate website that provides lots of useful information about the GDF.
