Meet James, a Process Design Engineering Graduate

Location: Devonport, Plymouth

Sector/Business unit: Nuclear

My graduate programme, why I chose it and why I chose Babcock:

I’m on the Process Design Engineering Graduate Programme based in Devonport, Plymouth. My main responsibilities involve designing and maintaining the equipment and facilities used to support the refit activities of the Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines.

Having studied Chemical Engineering at university, I knew several people who had joined this programme and were thoroughly enjoying it. Additionally, I learned about other chemical engineers who had successfully achieved chartered status through this route.

I also did a year-long placement with Babcock and thoroughly enjoyed the experiences, responsibilities, and type of work I encountered. That placement year was like a “try before you buy” opportunity, giving me a real sense of what the graduate programme would be like after finishing university.

Babcock’s graduate programme is well-developed and highly supported by the whole business. Teams enjoy having graduates on their placements, and there’s a lot of variety available for personal development.

Choosing to work for Babcock was an easy decision because I knew I would have great career prospects and the chance to build a varied and successful career. I know that what I do here matters and has an important impact.

My favourite part of the programme:

My favourite part of the programme is the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities. For me, this means being a lead for the Health & Wellbeing Network. The network champions a positive physical and mental wellbeing mindset for all graduates. We achieve this through a variety of activities, including socials, coffee catch-ups, and awareness campaigns.

Being part of the Health & Wellbeing Network allows me to pursue other passions aside from my main role. Having the flexibility to follow different interests while on the programme is a fantastic perk.

My most rewarding project/experience:

One of my most rewarding projects involved providing design modifications to the water-cooling systems onboard submarines. This experience was particularly fulfilling because I collaborated with a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of engineers, each contributing their unique expertise to the project.

It was my first time working in a large team with engineers from different technical specialities. It was great to see how my work and production complemented and fed into what others were doing. In the end, everything came together as a finished design that was then implemented.

I was impressed by how a very complex task was broken down, divided into deliverables for the team, and then produced all together.

My work-life balance:

Babcock really values my work-life balance, and I appreciate how much control the company gives me over my working week.

Most of my placements on the graduate programme have a mix of office and work-from-home arrangements, providing additional flexibility.

It’s clear that the business is people-focused and understands that every employee has a life outside of work that is just, if not more important, than their work-life/career.

My development:

My line manager and departments always prioritise my learning and development. I’m given tasks and projects that build my understanding and confidence, making me a better design engineer by the end of my graduate programme.

I’m encouraged to seek out relevant engineering training courses that aid my development. I’ve also completed Wellbeing Champion training and will be undertaking Mental Health First Aider Training soon.

The graduate programme is set up to help me develop as a professional. Placement reviews help me set objectives with my line managers and offer opportunities for positive and constructive feedback on my progress and development.

Each graduate is also given a mentor, which has been extremely helpful for working towards chartership. Regular meetings with my mentor allow me to track my competencies for chartership and discuss my career path openly.