…Nottingham Graduates at Thales

Tom Baker

What is it about The University of Nottingham (UoN) that made you apply to one of their courses?

Nottingham is a highly-regarded University, both academically and as a student experience. It was highly recommended by friends who had attended and I thought it would provide a good all-round experience, which it did!

 

And do you think that your time at Nottingham has helped to kick start your career?

Nottingham has a lot to offer with regards to extra-curricular and social activities. Some of these opportunities, such as getting involved with my course society’s committee, provided a chance for me to develop a number of skills that I feel were directly transferable to working life, such as balancing workloads and managing stakeholders.

Following University, why did you apply to Thales UK in particular?

The structure of the business graduate development programme involving multiple placements really appealed as it offers a variety of experiences. Additionally, Thales is a global brand and a key player in a variety of industries that made it a top choice to work for. The on-boarding experience was also very good from an applicant’s perspective, which always helps.

And now that you are here at Thales, can you tell us little about what you are working on?

I’m working in the UK external communications team. A particular project I am working on is the promotion of the varied and exciting aspects of Thales that demonstrate how innovative we are as a company. Additionally, I’m also currently working on promoting our work with Network Rail and its relevant links to UoN.

Do you have any particular highlights from your time so far at Thales?

I was heavily involved in organising a conference for the Thales UK graduate population. This was a challenging but interesting experience and the end result was received very well. The theme of the event was ‘future technology’ and we were lucky enough to enjoy an entertaining talk from ‘the Gadget Show’s’ Jason Bradbury.

Finally, can you give us an idea of your career aspirations?

I’m enjoying working in communications. I would like to continue to develop this experience and, at some point in my career, pursue working abroad, which is an opportunity that Thales can definitely offer.

 

Daniel Bodnar

What is it about The University of Nottingham (UoN) that made you apply to one of their courses?

My plan was to study Business with Chinese language and the University of Nottingham offered an excellent 3 year combined course on these two subjects. Besides providing me with both essential theoretical and practical knowledge in these two fields, it has given me the opportunity to spend one year at the university’s campus in China, which turned out to be one of the most valuable experiences in my life.
 

And do you think that your time at Nottingham has helped to kick start your career?

The university has given me numerous opportunities to apply the knowledge I gained in real-life (business) situations. I have participated in extracurricular activities (eg. business competitions) that provided me with hands-on experience and transferable skills that helped me to build a desirable career profile in the job market. This eventually led me to joining Thales’s Graduate Development Programme (GDP), where I have been able to leverage  my experience and skills to provide value to the organisation and to further progress my career.
 

Following University, why did you apply to Thales UK in particular?

I was intrigued by the wide range of technology industries that Thales operates in. I wanted to learn how a multinational corporation fulfils the complex needs in these industries and the GDP has offered me the opportunity to learn about the operations of the company from multiple aspects.
 

And now that you are here at Thales, can you tell us little about what you are working on?

I am currently working in the ‘Innovation Hub’, in our Research, Technology and Innovation team providing decision support services to train operators based on passenger flow analysis so that they can respond to capacity requirement and manage passenger flows more efficiently. Apart from this I am supporting a few other innovation projects based on fascinating topics such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality & Future Cities.
 

Do you have any particular highlights from your time so far at Thales?

I have successfully led the Capacity Management project from the initial research phase through developing a business plan to internal stakeholder and customer engagement. I am planning to take part in the product development and bidding phase of the project as well as in supporting its complete transition to our ground transport business.

Finally, can you give us an idea of your career aspirations?

My aspiration is to get to a position where I can have a significant contribution to Thales’s customer facing operations. Whether it is leading R&D activities, providing market intelligence, acquiring new customers or penetrating new markets it would be highly satisfying to play a significant role in fostering Thales’s competitiveness in its rapidly evolving markets.

 

Alexandre Ramanathan

What is it about The University of Nottingham (UoN) that made you apply to one of their courses?

The University of Nottingham is one of the leading Institutions in the UK and part of the Russell Group Universities that continue to maintain world class research, innovation and teaching experience. UoN is also renowned for its global presence and opportunities to study abroad with two campuses situated in China and Malaysia. I was fortunate to carry out Environmental Science research in Mexico during the final year of my undergraduate degree.

And do you think that your time at Nottingham has helped to kick start your career?

After graduating with a BA in Archaeology & Geography, I applied and was accepted to study for a Masters degree at the UoN Business School where I developed my knowledge, competencies and skills, whilst exploring various employment opportunities supported by the University’s Careers Office. In 2015, I completed an MSc in International Business that helped me kick start my career at Thales UK on their Business Management Graduate Development Programme (GDP).

Following University, why did you apply to Thales UK in particular?

Whilst researching several graduate schemes, Thales UK emerged as a leading multinational technology and engineering company and a major player within the Aerospace, Space, Transportation, Defence and Security markets. The chance to work with exciting projects, products, people and flexibility of the GDP to work across three different parts of the businesses over two years was exactly the type of development I was looking for.
And now that you are here at Thales, can you tell us little about what you are working on?
 
I currently work in a Product Line Management and Bids position for our Security business, specifically with radio communication products and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear. I am also involved with delivering Land and Maritime innovation projects based on IoT and Autonomous Systems.

Do you have any particular highlights from your time so far at Thales?

My favourite highlight was reaching the final of the Association for Project Management Challenge 2016 (Thames Valley) with “Project Zeus”, a group project promoting sustainable transport and Electric Vehicles. We organised and held an incredible Electric Vehicle day at the Manor Royal site in Crawley in conjunction with 5 EV manufacturers: BMW, Nissan, Renault, Tesla and Williams F1 who all showcased their EVs, offered test drives and delivered presentations.

Finally, can you give us an idea of your career aspirations?

In the short-term, I hope to transition onto the Thales Future Leaders Programme and in the long-term, develop a career in Strategy and Marketing, gain some professional qualifications and eventually reach a Management position.