Our profiles
Tyece
Tyece is Manager in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at BAE Systems, Inc. in the US
Tyece says:
‘To embrace something means to take it in willingly and wholeheartedly. That is how our organization has approached equity, ensuring access and opportunity - while reducing barriers and bias - so everyone can reach their full potential. We embrace equity for all communities, and as we celebrate Women’s History Month in the US, we’re especially proud of the ways in which we have embraced equity for women in our company.
‘Our Women’s Inclusive Network continues to make strides in improving women’s work lives, seeing a 16 percent increase in its membership in our US business since last year. More than 130 women have graduated from our women leadership development programme aimed at helping women connect and address hidden barriers to leadership, and we’ve seen an 80 percent retention rate for those graduates. When it comes to equity for women, we’re inspired by former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama: “No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.” The same remains true for our workplace. We know that when women thrive, we ALL thrive. And that’s what it means to embrace equity.’
Kisa
Kisa is Director of the Red Ochre Autonomy & Sensors programme at BAE Systems in Australia
Kisa says:
‘As a leader in a global defence business, it’s truly sobering to look at the statistics of women’s access to digital technologies compared with men. Shockingly, there has been little progress in closing the gap over the past 10 years, despite our rapid advancement in the development of these technologies.
'The 2023 International Women’s Day’s focus on ‘DigitALL’ and the advancement of innovation and technology for gender equality is encouraging – it’s time for us to work together to bridge the gap so that we provide equal access to the digital world for all.’
Tasha
Tasha is a 5th Year Aerospace Engineering Degree Apprentice, F-35 programme at BAE Systems in the UK
Tasha says:
‘During my apprenticeship, I gained a vast level of experience working across different areas of the Air sector. I have worked in roles supporting Typhoon in-service, F-35 airframe integration, the wind tunnels, materials engineering and electronic warfare.
'I am particularly passionate about encouraging females into engineering and am incredibly proud to be the Chair of the Women’s Engineering Society’s (WES) Apprentice Board, it’s a huge honour and responsibility.
'My role on the Board has provided me with a wealth of knowledge from different engineering organisation and helped me develop my skills and behaviours. Some key projects I have been part of include the recording and editing of podcasts, social media content creation, the organisation of the WES Power of Networking Event at the National Grid, and the creation of Apprentice Guides, which share board members’ experiences. I’ve met some really incredible women across the UK’s engineering sector.'
Divya
Divya is a Software Engineer at BAE Systems in the UK
Divya says:
‘I had worked in Recruitment for several years, when I decided to switch careers. In May 2022 I began a ‘nanodegree’ through BAE Systems’ sponsorship of CodeFirstGirls (CFG). I’d completed CFG’s career switcher course prior to this. Because CFG caters for women, all of their courses are run in the evening, which make it easier to attend. They are also free of charge.
‘The CFG programme was fun. Our instructors made sure it was interactive and that we got to know one another in the cohort. The final presentation was the highlight for me. As each group presented their project, it highlighted every individual's 13 weeks of commitment, hard-work and sheer determination that got us to the place where we wanted to be.
‘Technology is something that I always found fascinating but was also intimidated by. It took a whole year or two of procrastination to attend a workshop to begin my coding journey back in 2019. Do not be afraid to take that first step, remember there are many others with you!’
Katie
Katie is Director of Electronic Systems FAST Labs Product Line at BAE Systems Inc. in the US
Katie says:
‘FAST Labs™, the research and development organization of BAE Systems, prides itself on creating innovative solutions to some of the most challenging problems faced within the US Department of Defense. The backbone of developing those game-changing technologies is the people. A diverse set of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success.
‘To push the bounds of technology, we must incorporate the ideas and views from individuals with a variety of lived experiences, including those from women. By demonstrating our willingness and dedication to further diversity within our organization, young women are able to see the reality of a successful career path through technology and innovation.’
Carly
Carly is the Senior Marketing Manager for Techmodal at BAE Systems in the UK
Carly says:
‘I love my job, but after having my two children I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to manage it on a full time basis again. Thankfully the business has been really supportive of flexible working and it’s only because of this that I’ve been able to continue working full time.
'I would never be able to successfully balance everything without the chance to work from home - this for me is what equity means. My working requirements are viewed as individual and I’m not expected to replicate the working pattern of anyone else on the basis that we should all work the same way. I truly believe that a diverse workforce is a better one and by ensuring we embrace equity we allow for those different experiences, situations and talent to thrive within the business.’
Our profiles - Georgette
