Scottish Apprenticeship Week, BAE Systems case study

Jacob Brysland, BAE Systems

Jacob is a first year Electrical Engineering Apprentice, working in the Naval Ships business based in Scotstoun. He is spending his first year at college studying everything from electrical testing and measurement to cable ratings, before moving to an on-site role later in the year.

Growing up, Jacob lived by the water and as a young boy was fascinated by the naval ships and the mechanics of how things worth. He was inspired to pursue a career in electrical engineering by his cousin, who also works in the industry.

When it came time to leave school, Jacob initially applied to and was accepted by a number of universities. However, when looking at his options, an apprenticeship at BAE Systems seemed like the perfect fit. He was excited by the opportunity to kick-start a career in a large organisation that afforded a lot of opportunities, and the ability to learn from world class experts.

Due to the pandemic, Jacob underwent the entire recruitment process virtually, however he was very impressed by the support he received and how seamless the application process was. He has found the onboarding to be extremely thorough and immediately felt immersed within the organisation.

At the end of his apprenticeship, Jacob is looking forward to a full-time role in electrical engineering and the opportunity to work and travel across the world with BAE Systems. He would definitely recommend the apprenticeship programme to others, due to the opportunities to work on cutting edge projects, develop essential skills and carve out an individual career.

*Research conducted with Censuswide on behalf of BAE Systems. Survey conducted online between 25 and 27 January 2022.