Uptree

Ridita is an A-Level student in London who aspires to study economics at university and work in the financial sector. Last term, Ridita attended MBDA 's business & engineering work experience day and here she tells us about the event.

How did you prepare for the event?

I prepared for this event by being in a quiet space where I could focus on what the speakers were telling us about MBDA without facing any distractions. I ensured that I had zoom downloaded on my laptop and tested the sound quality beforehand, which prevented me from missing out on any key information.

I made sure to have a notebook on hand so I could easily dot down any advice the employees gave us about securing a career at a company like MBDA.

I also wrote down a few questions I had about this missiles manufacturing company before the meeting started, most of which were answered during the event.

The event ran very smoothly in my opinion - it was engaging and interactive. The question function allowed students to ask questions throughout the event and we were able to direct our questions to specific speakers if we wanted to. This made the experience more personal because all the students were able to find out more about something that interested them.

Attendees were able to ask questions live to MBDA professionals during the event (chat box)

Did anything surprise you about MBDA?

I learnt a lot about the variety of careers available at MBDA and the different paths that can be taken to secure a job at this missiles manufacturing company. The range of backgrounds of the employees was surprising because it shows how there is no set route to working at MBDA.

Another part of the work experience opportunity I found interesting was the virtual tour of the building. Even though I was not able to physically be at the building, I was still able to understand and see what the work environment looked like.

Do you have any advice for students in a similar situation to you?

The best piece of advice I can give is to broaden your knowledge of the subject outside what you have learnt in school.

For students interested in the engineering the industry, try to do as many engineering-related opportunities as possible so that you have a taste of the type of activities you will do at an engineering workplace.

I believe work experiences or internships, such as the virtual MBDA event is an ideal way to understand the specific roles within an engineering company.

I also think students could watch lectures or read books about a specific branch of engineering they are interested in studying to broaden their knowledge outside the school curriculum.

Even though quarantine has made it difficult to do many things, there are still a variety of virtual methods for students to gain an insight into the engineering industry and learn more about the subject in general.