Dstl supports National Women in Engineering Day 2016
Dstl is supporting this year’s National Women in Engineering Day (NWED), by encouraging more girls and women into the engineering sector, to help address the skills gap in the sector and to open the door to rewarding careers.
Commenting on NWED 2016 Jonathan Lyle, Dstl’s Chief Executive said: “At Dstl, female engineers are making a huge contribution to the nation’s security. I am proud of the fact that over 30% of our engineers and scientists are women, and that many are acknowledged and respected leaders in their fields. We would like to see many more women studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects at school, college and university, opening the door to exciting and rewarding careers in engineering.”
Laura Jones (above), an engineer working on new materials for our Armed Forces commented: “Engineering is one of the most creative and challenging careers that I can think of. The more complex the problem, the more creativity that is needed to solve it. Every day I am dealing with new and exciting challenges. It’s a hugely rewarding career that’s enabled me to work in both the public and private sectors and has taken me all over the world. The field is also extremely diverse with many different specialisms, so there really is something for everyone. I would encourage everyone, regardless of their gender or background to give serious consideration to pursuing a career in a STEM discipline – there will always be a demand for good STEM professionals.”
Professor Penelope Endersby (above), the Head of Dstl’s Cyber and Information Systems Division added: “I owe a lasting debt to everyone who encouraged me to pursue a career in engineering. I want every girl to consider the opportunity for a fascinating and rewarding career in STEM.”
Engineers at Dstl work in a wide range of engineering disciplines including mechanical, electrical, materials and software. Each day they are working on a range of high profile and exciting engineering projects including the Queen Elizabeth class of carriers, the F-35 Lightning II, unmanned aerial vehicles, ballistic protection and cyber security.
Each year Dstl recruits around 80 graduate engineers and 18 engineering apprentices. We also offer 150 student placements. Details of our engineering opportunities can be found on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/dstlearlycareers or at www.gov.uk/dstl.
Dstl uses cutting edge science and technology to counter threats, existing and new, to UK Armed Forces and British citizens. In 2015 it did that in many ways, including being at the heart of UK’s contribution to tackling Ebola in Sierra Leone; providing life-saving protection for UK soldiers, sailors and aircrew on operations around the globe; defending critical systems from cyber-attack; and supporting the fight against terrorism at home and overseas. Dstl does this through the application of a diverse range of specialist scientific and engineering skills, working in close partnership with a wide network of partners and suppliers in industry and universities.
