I first found out about BAE Systems' collaborative relationship with Williams at the beginning of my last placement. At that time, I followed F1 only loosely but was intrigued as to how this relationship would develop.
As a Manufacturing Graduate within our Air business, I could see clear parallels in our design and manufacturing priorities, from aerodynamics to human factors, light weighting and the need for advanced carbon-fibre composite manufacturing capabilities.
Ultimately, we are both highly specialised manufacturers of cutting-edge engineering phenomena.
And yet, many facets of our working environments are poles apart. As I continued to think about the reasoning behind the strategic relationship with Williams, I began to appreciate that it is not only the common grounds where we can learn from each other, but also from the differences.
One of the Williams engineers really brought this home when he said: “In just 18 months, our race cars go from design concept to the museum”. When we are used to building aircraft with a through-life cycle that spans several decades, the contrast couldn’t be more apparent. This begged the questions, how do they achieve such rapid turnaround and what can we learn from them to support us in our ambitions, in particular, developing our capabilities to support the Future Fighter programme? Throughout my secondment at Williams, these are the key questions I plan to address.
Beginning my placement in early September, the contrast in pace and the demands of F1 were instantly apparent. One of the key milestones in the F1 world is the end of the race season, which acts as the catalyst for the period known as the build period, where the manufacturing of next season’s cars ramps up considerably.
From fast jets to fast cars, it really doesn’t get much better!
Several months of intense work and long hours for the workforce then ensue, to ensure that deadlines can be hit. Many of the projects I have been given involve implementing changes to support this next build period. I was asked to design and implement systems to support the manufacturing operations, from visual management to data generation systems that will be used to guide future planning and decision making.
With the 2019 season finishing at the end of November and the time required to train the workforce how to use new systems, this left only two months to implement these changes, to ensure full system operability prior to the ramp up. These systems are now in place and being used daily by over 40 workers. To see my work being formally backed by senior management and the workers now mandated to use it is highly satisfying as it provides me with the belief that my work will make a difference. Working under such short time constraints is not an experience that I was used to in my career so far but this is exactly the reason why I wanted to do this placement.
I want to experience the intensity of a high-pressure environment and I am looking forward to being in the thick of it, learning how they manage it and learning about myself.
Coming into the new year, my intention is to identify the specific areas of interest for BAE Systems and to begin formalising the knowledge transfer process. When on an external secondment, it can be been quite challenging at times having two concurrent thought streams of giving everything I can to support Williams and ensuring that I am always thinking of how my experiences can benefit BAE Systems.
For me, what brings this into focus is remembering how fortunate I am to be in this situation. I am incredibly grateful to work for a company that has the resources and the desire to develop their workforce in this way and I intend to repay this faith in full. From fast jets to fast cars, it really doesn’t get much better!