Edinburgh engineer helps aerospace firm recruit diverse workforce

Let us know what you think and join the conversation at the bottom of this article.

Leading aerospace company Leonardo, named after the genius Leonardo da Vinci, is currently recruiting new talent to fill a wide range of roles working on some of the most cutting edge electronics technology being produced in the UK.

Bosses at the firm, which employs 1,800 people in its Crewe Toll site, said they are keen to hear from people from a range of backgrounds.

Hania Mohiuddin, a Systems Engineer, is currently working on project Tempest, which will see a combat aircraft designed and built significantly faster and at lower cost than previous generation fighters.

She has represented Leonardo at high profile engineering STEM events and outreach panels to encourage young people and in particular girls to consider engineering.

Ms Mohiuddin, who is also the Vice Chairperson for the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Branches Committee, said: “It is very rare for someone to view the birth of a brand new aircraft in their lifetime and that is what has happened to me with project Tempest.

“For me when I talk about diversity, it means someone who is able to bring a diverse perspective because of their knowledge and experience. So for example, I know someone who is a wind farm manager who is also an ex-RAF Technician and was also a mountain rescuer.

“He has a unique breadth of experiences. Diversity is about more than someone’s cultural or ethnic background, it is the understanding they can bring as a whole person, incorporating all of the knowledge that is drawn from experience.”

Ms Mohiuddin changed career path after she visited the 2018 Farnborough International Air Show and saw a streamlined futuristic jet fly past.

She applied for role as a Systems Engineer at Leonardo and started in April last year.

The company has embarked on a range of outreach programmes to recruit a more diverse workforce, one of these is a collaboration with the Association for Black

and Minority Ethnic Engineers

Mark Hamilton, Managing Director, Leonardo Electronics UK said: “The bottom line is that the more diverse our workforce, the better our innovation gets.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habitsbrought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.