Summary
In Shared Services we help BAE Systems to serve, supply and protect those who serve and protect us. You will be joining a large team who deliver the essential services and many of the critical projects that enable BAE Systems to perform, deliver and grow. This means a genuine chance to make a difference across the world.
Wage
Competitive
Competitive wage offered
We offer a competitive salary with annual increases throughout the apprenticeship and a range of employee benefits including, free higher education as well as access to the Company pension and share saving scheme
Training course
Improvement leader (level 6)
Hours
Shifts to be confirmed
37 hours a week
Start date
Monday 21 September 2026
Duration
2 years
Positions available
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
* During this 2 year long programme you will train to become a specialist in leading improvement strategy, driving change and enhancing business performance enabling you to make a significant impact
* You will gain exposure to BAE Systems sectors to identify improvement opportunities across large-scale projects and guide and coach others in planning to ensure efficient approaches, whilst also being offered a unique opportunity to develop expertise in Lean, Six Sigma and change management
* You will learn the skills to develop benchmarking strategies to support improvement programmes
* You will develop knowledge and skills in areas such as strategy development, team formation, leadership, project management, data analysis and continuous improvement
* Opportunities will include establishing guidelines for project identification and prioritisation, engaging with leadership teams to identify improvement opportunities
Where you'll work
BAE Systems
Channel Way
Preston
Lancashire
PR2 2YA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
YORKSHIRE TRAINING PARTNERSHIP LIMITED
Training course
Improvement leader (level 6)
What you'll learn
Course contents
* Strategic deployment of continuous improvement: Contribute to the business planning cycle and lead the development of improvement strategy. Analyse current state and identify opportunities. Develop deployment plans considering key enablers. Contribute to the development of an improvement culture. Maintain engagement through effective communication
* Business benefits: Identify, quantify and communicate financial and non-financial benefits
* Team formation and leadership: Use appropriate tools and techniques to identify, diagnose and resolve sources of under-performance and conflict within teams
* Capability Development: Design, source and evaluate learning interventions. Facilitate multi-functional workshops. Advise on selection of individuals for different levels of training
* Project management: Plan and manage an improvement programme with appropriate levels of governance. Apply processes for managing a portfolio of improvement projects including reporting, escalation, audit and risk management/mitigation
* Reviewing projects and coaching others: Provide guidance for structured project reviews. Conduct group coaching reviews. Identify, diagnose and resolve project performance issues
* Presentation and reporting: Critique own and others’ improvement reports/presentations
* Change management: Assess the effectiveness of change and identify opportunities to improve outcomes, guiding and supporting others to deliver results
* Principles and methods: Clearly communicate the importance of appropriate method-selection to others, and enable the organisation to make appropriate decisions through learning and tools
* Project selection and scoping: Establish guidelines for project identification and prioritisation. Assess effectiveness of identification and prioritisation processes and implement counter-measures to enhance outcomes. Engage leadership team to identify improvement opportunities
* Problem definition: Promote importance of evidence-driven problem definition in everyday work
* Voice of Customer(VOC): Coach others on the importance of understanding VOC. Identify ways that an organisation can improve customer insight through feedback loops to enable improvement activities to be focused appropriately
* Process mapping and analysis: Apply process thinking to identify opportunities to improve business and process performance and maintain ongoing process control
* Lean concepts and tools: Easily translate and communicate fundamental Lean concepts for application to a wide range of business functions. Assess the effectiveness of a Lean strategy and make recommendations for improving outcomes
* Data acquisition for analysis: Assess data acquisition conducted by others in terms of tool selection and application, conclusions and recommendations
* Statistics and graphical analysis: Assess and guide graphical and statistical analysis conducted by others in terms of tool selection and application, conclusions and recommendations. Communicate opportunities for robust application of basic data analysis methods and engage others to extend/embed the application of data-driven approaches. Investigate and evaluate measurement and analysis approaches which extend the capabilities of the organisation. Establish strategies for gathering and analysing life-cycle data
* Process capability and performance: Make recommendations on how an organisation can drive improvement through the selection of tools and metrics for process capability analysis
* Root cause analysis: Guide and coach others in planning to ensure efficiency of approach
* Experimentation, optimisation and simulation: Support the building of mathematical models and exploitation of these
* Identification & prioritisation: Develop a Creative Thinking strategy to support improvements
* Failure Mode Avoidance: Communicate the business case, aims, methods & key tools. Identify opportunities for application within product and project life cycles including Lean Design
* Data analysis – Statistical Process Control: Make recommendation on how an organisation can drive sustained improvement through the application of Statistical Process Control
* Benchmarking: Develop a benchmarking strategy to support an improvement programme
Training schedule
* Improvement Leader Level 6 (Degree with honours)
* An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation
* At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
5 GCSE Inc Maths, English (grade A*-C or 9-4 (or equivalent)
A Level in:
STEM Based Subjects (grade 96 UCAS points, C or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
* Communication skills
* Organisation skills
* Team working
Other requirements
Please be aware of qualification entry criteria when applying for this role. This is clearly displayed on the advert under the section qualification requirements. To be eligible for the role you must meet these entry requirements