BAE Systems Technical Tour
A group of young nuclear professionals recently had the opportunity to attend a site visit of BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness. The delegates were from a wide range of organisations including Sellafield Ltd, Corporate Risk Associates, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
The morning began with an overview of BAE Systems, including a history of the shipyard from the UK’s first nuclear submarine, HMS Dreadnought, through to the Astute class currently undergoing construction in the Devonshire Dock Hall.
Further presentation topics included the Nuclear Consultancy, an internal team set up to innovate in some of the business’ most important areas, and Manufacturing Engineering, which plays an important role in bridging the gap between design and build.
Lunch provided an opportunity for the delegates to network with some of BAE Systems’ Higher Apprentices. This was an excellent chance for all involved to learn about life at different organisations and compare experiences with those at different stages of their careers. It also showed how heavily BAE Systems are investing in getting young people into the business.
The tour began with the Devonshire Dock Hall, where delegates could see the submarines currently under construction. Here they learned about the construction challenges faced when building such a complex vessel.
The Director of Safety and Security at BAE Systems summed it up best. To paraphrase: they build a submersible ship with numerous capabilities, fill it with hazardous substances and send it deep underwater with hundreds of lives on board where it will be undetectable, largely uncontactable and need to be self-sufficient, all with the purpose of defending our country. Where else do you get a mission like that?
Further information can be found at https://www.baesystems.com/en/home.