A STEM career is exciting, stimulating and offers a world of opportunity. The latest global research shows that less than 20% of engineers are women. However, companies are recognising that diverse teams drive innovation. Employers are actively seeking female talent and creating more opportunities for women to move into meaningful, high-impact roles.
This means that, if you’re a woman who wants to explore a STEM career, there’s spaces being made for you. Your skills, talent, and knowledge aren’t just something employers want, they’re something they need, and companies like BAE Systems are setting out to make sure you’re ready to thrive within the STEM space.
Pathways into STEM
There’s no ‘right’ way to break into a STEM career, but some strong entry routes include internships, placements, and graduate schemes, where you can gain practical experience and build your confidence as you develop your skills.
Internships and placements
Short-term or year-long internships and placements are ideal for testing different roles and getting hands-on experience. They help you build a CV that’ll get recruiters to notice, especially in competitive industries.
With BAE Systems you can take part in:
- 12 week summer internships designed to complement your degree and boost employability
- 6 month industrial placements (Scotland only) to allow you to put your degree into real-like projects
- 12 month industrial placements to work on innovative tech and make an impact
With each of these, you could receive a conditional offer to join BAE Systems as a graduate upon completing your degree.
Graduate programmes
Graduate programmes are more structured training opportunities, giving you a good balance of support and responsibility early on in your career.
BAE Systems offer graduate programmes across engineering, technology and business services with:
- £34,000 starting salary
- £2,000 welcome bonus
- Dedicated mentors and tailored support
To see what roles are open for applications now, explore the latest positions here.
Building Skills & Networks
Standing out in STEM also means building on your soft skills, and showcasing your curiosity, commitment, and initiative.
There are many ways you can make your CV more attractive to employers, including:
- Showcasing your university projects: Highlight any technical challenges, how you encouraged or enhanced teamwork, and any problem-solving you had to do
- Joining STEM societies: Societies often have fun events that can allow you to build both practical experience and more social experience, for example hackathons are great for networking and learning beyond a university course’s syllabus
- Build your LinkedIn profile: You can post about your projects, any work experience you’ve gained, or just comment on others’ posts. All of these can build your profile quickly, and possibly get you noticed
- Mentoring: Whether you find a mentor or become one for a younger student, mentoring builds your confidence and allows you to further your connections
If you’re interested in starting your career with a BAE Systems role, they’ll support you through structured learning and industry-recognised qualifications, while offering a strong peer and mentor network, including communities for women, neurodiverse employees, and those from varied backgrounds
Why BAE Systems?
A STEM role should be more than just a job title; it should let you make an impact.
BAE Systems create advanced technology that helps protect those who protect us. On a graduate or undergraduate programme with BAE Systems, you’ll play a meaningful role in shaping a safer, more secure future for generations to come, all while being supported by world-class training, experienced mentors, and inclusive networks that help you thrive.
At BAE Systems, diversity fuels innovation. That’s why your background, ideas and unique perspective will be valued, and your hard work recognised. You’ll be part of a collaborative, supportive team where you’ll be empowered to pioneer, solve and grow.
Your Next Step
There are opportunities ready and waiting for you, and you can take the first step into your dream STEM career today:
