Star student Joe lands dream role at BAE Systems

Joe Williams, A BA Contemporary Military and International History graduate, started his role as a Graduate Procurement Officer at BAE Systems the same week he graduated with first-class honours.

The 27-year-old from Skelmersdale joined Salford as a mature student in 2021, seeking a fresh start in his career after working in the retail sector since the age of 15. 

After initially having reservations about university, Joe applied to the course after conversations with family and was pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed his time at Salford and the skills he's acquired.

Joe said: "When the pandemic hit, I realised that the career path I'd set myself was limited and I worried about not being able to reach my potential. I started to consider my options and at that point, going to university was at the bottom of the pile for me. 

"I didn't enjoy education at school, and I was concerned about my abilities and if I was even smart enough to go. My cousin recommended it to me and I thought I'd send out some applications and see what happened. 

"Salford emailed me back immediately and then arranged a call. I was told that I would be accepted as long as I wrote an essay so they could check my writing skills. Not long after, I was accepted onto the course.

"Going to Salford was the best decision I ever made. I put myself out of my comfort zone coming here but I absolutely loved it."

Joe was impressed with the teaching on the course but also the transferable skills he was developing that he could apply to other parts of his life.

He said: "Coming to Salford totally changed my outlook on university in terms of the tools it gives people. It teaches you research skills, outside-of-the-box thinking, how to become an adult. Your whole personal development over the three years is great. Whether its the direct or indirect skills, you develop them a lot here."

Joe always had an interest in military history and harboured a desire to work in the defence sector. As a mature student, he was keen to maximise any opportunities he could find around his studies to set him up for a career in his chosen sector.

He added: "Before my third year, I scoured the earth for opportunities in defence. BAE was the golden goose because they are the biggest defence company in the UK and tend to offer the most opportunities. 

"I was lucky enough to work as an intern there for 12 weeks over the summer, working in procurement and supply change management for various different kinds of aircrafts. BAE are such a fantastic company for personal development and so I felt I needed to maximise the 12 weeks I had there as much as I could. 

"I was told in my last week that I was going to be offered a graduate role. I was a hundred percent made up."

Joe started at the company on the same week as he graduated from The Lowry, joining their July intake and has been seconded down to Prismatic in Alton, Hampshire.

On the course, he added: “It was fascinating and I always felt like it was the kind of degree that should be advertised to people beyond those who had an interest in military affairs. Every time I described it to people who weren't military-inclined, they were really interested and they should be, it offers so many transferable skills.”