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L3Harris UK Holds First Early Careers Networking Event

Published on: 3 Dec 2024

L3Harris Technologies, one of the world’s largest defence companies, held its first networking event for early career professionals this summer in the UK.

L3Harris UK Holds First Early Careers

Members of the UK Chapter of the L3Harris Early Career Professionals (ECP) Employee Resource Group came together to connect and engage, joining senior managers with the objective of building a community and learning more about the L3Harris business. Early career professionals are defined as individuals in the initial stages of their career undertaking a role as part of, or following the completion of, their education. This could include apprentices, interns, industrial placement students and graduates.

“This first networking event was a resounding success with attendees keen to learn new skills, develop their knowledge of the wider organisation and engage with their peers and leaders alike,” said Cherri Stevens, Chair of the UK ECP Chapter and Co-Head of HR for the UK at L3Harris.

During the networking event, held at the ADS Group (a defence trade association) building in London, members:

  • learned about the full range of L3Harris capabilities across air, land, sea, space and cyber
  • participated in a workshop with consultants Vivid Leadership in which they learned how to build their professional brand, including the importance of body language, communication, support, professional relationships and networking tips
  • discussed ‘hot topics’ relating to early careers as well as how they would like to see the group develop in future

The group meets quarterly with a planned programme of in-person networking, training, mentoring, shadowing senior leaders, careers events and visits to all UK sites.

“The group aims to enrich the new hire experience through meaningful connections and impactful professional development,” said Cherri. “In addition to the presentations and workshop, there was a healthy discussion of current issues affecting the group. They provided the ECP UK Chapter leadership team with many ideas and suggestions to consider for the future of the scheme.”

Topics discussed included: 

  • how to promote and demonstrate diversity, equity and inclusion within the early career community
  • how to improve our early year engineering offerings, ensuring commonality across the UK and allowing rotation placements at different L3Harris sites
  • defining future requirements for the group, including onboarding, specific training programmes, mentors and shadowing the senior leadership team

Cherri added: “By building a programme of participative activities for, and with, our members, we want to empower early career professionals to feel connected to the company and the community while helping to retain and grow future leaders of L3Harris.”

L3Harris in Tewkesbury Welcomes New Early Careers Cohort

L3Harris UK Holds First Early Careers

L3Harris in Tewkesbury has recently taken on a new cohort of early career professionals, with 14 graduates, apprentices and industrial placement students joining the business in September. The new recruits were invited to an induction week which consisted of a facility tour, briefings with discipline specialists, a meet and greet with previous graduates and practical how-to sessions to get familiarised with the company’s capabilities. With support from the business’ new Early Careers Lead, their mentors, a buddy system and the business’ social Cerebrum group, the new early career joiners are settling into the office well.

L3Harris in Bristol Takes on More GIANTS

This September, L3Harris in Bristol welcomed a new business intern student and seven engineering graduates to the company as part of the early careers Graduate, Intern, Apprentice, Nurturing Training Scheme (GIANTS) programme. The new recruits spent a week being inducted into the company during which they received product demonstrations, tours of the testing facility and briefings from engineering specialists across various disciplines and functions.

If you know of any recent graduates or potential interns and apprentices who may be interested in the early career opportunities available at L3Harris, visit the careers page on L3Harris.com to view open vacancies.