Tom began his career with MBDA in July 2003 with a 3-month summer placement prior to the final year of his MEng degree at the University of Bath.

"I spent my summer working in what is now the Strategic Change and Quality Department which gave me very valuable insights into the workings of a multinational defence company and aided my final year no end. I enjoyed my placement so much that when I was offered a place on the graduate scheme I was very pleased."

"My first placement was working directly for the Project Quality Assurance Manager within the Meteor project. I was tasked with establishing a system to manage project equipment and on-loan hardware, including aircraft, held throughout the project. This meant regular visits overseas, every other week at one point, either on my own or in a team."

"In my second placement I worked for Business Improvement where I organised a multinational workshop in Paris, followed by a similar workshop in London attended by a number of key international figures."

"I've certainly gained valuable experience from placements within different departments across the company, giving me a very broad knowledge of the organisation and how it operates. The overall training within MBDA is of a very high standard, with excellent opportunities for learning languages and a range of work-related skills. The mentor scheme also works well - its there if you need it and the advice is always impartial."