BAE Systems
BAE Systems Employee Reviews
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Interesting software job
Design Engineer (Former Employee) – North Ryde NSW – 14 January 2019
Job was interesting and secure until management changed. Normal work hours and benefits.
As a big company BAE Systems were able to provide training and challenging environment for developers.
As a big company BAE Systems were able to provide training and challenging environment for developers.
Terrible
Supervisor (Former Employee) – Henderson – 17 May 2019
Top heavy management
Poor planning
Unrealistic scheduling
Terrible Purchasing and stores support
Management Continually state that you must follow the correct process and procedures but when the schedule doesn't permit it they then want you to cut corners to try and achieve the impossible. Lack of material planning which does not provide for the adequate provision of tooling required to complete the job.
Poor planning
Unrealistic scheduling
Terrible Purchasing and stores support
Management Continually state that you must follow the correct process and procedures but when the schedule doesn't permit it they then want you to cut corners to try and achieve the impossible. Lack of material planning which does not provide for the adequate provision of tooling required to complete the job.
Was a great place to work until the last manager came to work in that position
Electronics Technician - C7 (Former Employee) – Edinburgh SA – 20 April 2019
Hopefully the current manufacturing manager moves on quickly because with him at the realm it will soon become what has happened to the last two places he has run to the ground
Pros
Great pay
Cons
Management are unprofessional
A highly professional organisation that focuses on developing its human capital
Combat System Engineer (Current Employee) – Sydney NSW – 15 February 2019
Working at BAE Systems provides engineers and technicians the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills working on large and complex Defence projects.
Pros
A highly supportive and collaborative work environment
interesting projects
Subcontracts Manager (Current Employee) – Melbourne VIC – 28 November 2018
BAE is a global defence company, leader in its field. There are many interesting projects across various fields. Defence or military background will go a long way to understanding the environment.
Pros
decent salary and working conditions
Cons
management can be shortsighted
over demanding with lots of required travel
Installation Project Manager (Former Employee) – Williamstown VIC – 13 November 2018
All work relating to Ships is interstate in NSW and WA so you are required to travel and be away from home a lot. Work is demanding as ships have a short turn around time for their refits. it is gratifying to see the ship sail away after completion of works though.
Pros
extra money for travel - per diems
Cons
being away from family for extended periods
Was once a fantastic place to work, values are degraded and staff unvalued
Staff Member (Current Employee) – Adelaide SA – 8 November 2018
Where flexible working is encouraged, senior management really aren't leaders and job satisfaction and fulfilment is low.
At the moment it's peter to pay paul to fill roles and a lot of the time they're unsuitable. It's hard to stay motivated when your team are not engaging and supportive.
At the moment it's peter to pay paul to fill roles and a lot of the time they're unsuitable. It's hard to stay motivated when your team are not engaging and supportive.
Great Place to work
WAREHOUSE MANAGER (Former Employee) – Nowra NSW – 25 October 2018
Great Team and Great place to work Only left because I wanted to move to Queensland and an opportunity came up, The management team where great and mostly ex defence.
Pros
Great People
Cons
Hard to find any
Great team
Trainer and Assessor (Former Employee) – melbourne, Australia – 23 October 2018
Great team of like minded trainers to learn from and collaborate with.
Had the chance to fly overseas to do training on ships that we were building. would work for this company again.
Had the chance to fly overseas to do training on ships that we were building. would work for this company again.
Pros
travel
Cons
distance to work
If your not in the purple circle your the enemy
Boilermaker (Former Employee) – Perth WA – 15 October 2018
Great guys to work with at ground level
Bad culture developed over many years with the next level up
Full time work is now replaced with contractors
Company is too top heavy
Bad culture developed over many years with the next level up
Full time work is now replaced with contractors
Company is too top heavy
Purple circle menatlity
Mechanical Fitter (Former Employee) – Henderson WA – 5 October 2018
Great place to work if your not an Australian by birth. I found a lot of backstabbing going on whilst I was there. This is definitely a place to be very wary of to work at. Your job is constantly undermined by gossiping and backstabbing whilst promoting those whom are incompetent at best. Definitely a keep it in the family type of job. If your an outsider they don't tend to like a person whom can get a job there on their own merits. Management doesn't seem to have a back bone and will not inform you if they have a problem as I experienced whilst working there. Your job security is only there if they win a contract with the Navy at Henderson WA, and that only last as long as the refit is going on. I found the boiler makers and electricians divisions to be good to work with but the mechanical fitters were terrible. the hire on 3 month basis only so as to get rid of you if they have a personality clash with you. Best part of the job was walking out the gate and never returning. The production manager at my time there was a complete coward lacking in any if at all some testicular fortitude and moral fibre.
Pros
Leaving never going back
Cons
Purple CIrcle Mentality, Managment, Backstabbing, Gossiping, school siren so as to go to lunch WTF!!!
Great place to work
Defence Contractor (Former Employee) – South West Sydney NSW – 6 April 2018
BAESystems was a great place to work in defence contracting.
The staff were happen and productive. unfortunately they last a Government contract and relocated to South Australia.
The staff were happen and productive. unfortunately they last a Government contract and relocated to South Australia.
Pros
company shares
Cons
closed in Sydney
Productive and balanced work styles
Logistics Coordinator (Former Employee) – Townsville QLD – 27 March 2018
A typical day at work for me is a busy day with flexible hours and a safe environment shared by all employees and customers and to enjoy my workplace with both the job and fellow workers. I have a large range of skills which include property and vehicle maintenance which includes a skill level with power and other tools. I have been in the management roles in previous employment and understand the pressures and demands placed on the individuals in such positions. Workplace culture is not understood by some but needs to be followed for a balanced workplace.
The hardest part of any job is not becoming complacent with your role as a employee i.e. surrounds, nature of work etc.
The most enjoyable part of a job is having a job that you enjoy and learning new skills along with meeting new people.
The hardest part of any job is not becoming complacent with your role as a employee i.e. surrounds, nature of work etc.
The most enjoyable part of a job is having a job that you enjoy and learning new skills along with meeting new people.
Pros
Free lunch
Cons
people not understading diversity in the workplace
Work Experience
SUPERMARKET SALES ASSISTANT ROMEO'S FOODLAND (Former Employee) – Edinburgh SA – 24 November 2017
Typical day at work: professional yet fairly relaxed environment, consisted mainly of disassembling the electronic components of various missile systems and running calibrations and environmental testing using specialized machines. Reports on each part tested were completed and forwarded onto management before reassembling the electronics and sending them back to the armed forces.
What I learned: teamwork was extremely important, as each team member was a specialist with a different role. Communication and prioritizing tasks were very valuable skills to grasp very quickly in order to meet the tight deadlines imposed by the higher up managers and the clients: the armed forces.
Management: admittedly not much experience with management, although one boss I did meet was a fairly sensible and well mannered
Workplace culture: since teamwork was important, pretty much everyone had to get along really well in order to maximise efficiency. Workplace culture was that of a professional electronics laboratory, but was fairly relaxed as when the calibration and testing machines were started up, there generally wasn't a whole lot of work to do unless some electronics were found to be faulty.
Hardest part: possibly the hours that I attended, as I started every day at 6 am, and it was an hour's drive up there.
Most enjoyable part: getting along with the team and learning about electronics and how they are applied in automated systems.
What I learned: teamwork was extremely important, as each team member was a specialist with a different role. Communication and prioritizing tasks were very valuable skills to grasp very quickly in order to meet the tight deadlines imposed by the higher up managers and the clients: the armed forces.
Management: admittedly not much experience with management, although one boss I did meet was a fairly sensible and well mannered
Workplace culture: since teamwork was important, pretty much everyone had to get along really well in order to maximise efficiency. Workplace culture was that of a professional electronics laboratory, but was fairly relaxed as when the calibration and testing machines were started up, there generally wasn't a whole lot of work to do unless some electronics were found to be faulty.
Hardest part: possibly the hours that I attended, as I started every day at 6 am, and it was an hour's drive up there.
Most enjoyable part: getting along with the team and learning about electronics and how they are applied in automated systems.
Pros
Great working environment
Watch your back daily !!!
Electrician (Former Employee) – Henderson WA – 7 November 2017
If you like being bent like a pretzel,
While being upside down using a tiny torch to see from stores with no fresh ventilation,(unlike Tag out that hide in the AC)
Yes u GARY
Surrounded by noise.dust.Anti-foul paint fumes in the air
and on your cars in the car park then this is the place for you.
Oh don`t forget no appreciation but your wage from Supervision while they get the spotlight time and time again.
SAD.:(
While being upside down using a tiny torch to see from stores with no fresh ventilation,(unlike Tag out that hide in the AC)
Yes u GARY
Surrounded by noise.dust.Anti-foul paint fumes in the air
and on your cars in the car park then this is the place for you.
Oh don`t forget no appreciation but your wage from Supervision while they get the spotlight time and time again.
SAD.:(
Pros
Free Parking
Cons
Management dont listen to workforce
Toxic culture despite some good people
Manufacturing then Support roles (Former Employee) – Adelaide SA – 13 October 2017
Worked there for 21 years in various roles, and ended up in a support function.
Initially the work was interesting and I got to work on many types of defence equipment in manufacturing teams. BAE decided to leave the manufacturing game and win Prime contracts, and this is where BAE always seems to bite off more than it can chew. They always underbid then drive teams extremely hard to achieve impossible schedules. In such contract environments, bullies are not only welcomed but promoted. Middle management was populated with this type of alpha male, and I had several clashes with management who were professionally and personally bullying me, in one case over a period of years.
In my experience BAE has an extremely dubious ethical and legal compass. If you're comfortable with that, and you can fit in with the boy's club, you could do well.
Initially the work was interesting and I got to work on many types of defence equipment in manufacturing teams. BAE decided to leave the manufacturing game and win Prime contracts, and this is where BAE always seems to bite off more than it can chew. They always underbid then drive teams extremely hard to achieve impossible schedules. In such contract environments, bullies are not only welcomed but promoted. Middle management was populated with this type of alpha male, and I had several clashes with management who were professionally and personally bullying me, in one case over a period of years.
In my experience BAE has an extremely dubious ethical and legal compass. If you're comfortable with that, and you can fit in with the boy's club, you could do well.
Pros
Some excellent people despite the culture
Cons
If you don't find a place in the boy's club, you'll struggle to succeed.
You are employed only as long the companies contract
Hardware Engineer (Former Employee) – Edinburgh SA – 27 June 2017
Management seems very divorced from the workings of most projects. There is a lot of cynicism around this. Those who work at the coal face are very talented and supportive. Unfortunately managers aren't interested in developing employees and without management support, you are unlikely to be given tasks that develop your experience and allow you to grow.
A good place to work...Interesting projects.
Senior Technical Illustrator Lead (Former Employee) – Williamstown VIC – 9 June 2017
Positive: I worked at BAE Williamstown for 10 years...i was the Senior illustrator lead on the Delos Oiler Project.....Protector....LHD and some input into ANZAC......very interesting products to illustrate.....i feel privileged to have worked on these projects.
Negative: The strange mid management culture...it was a shame to see lazy non involved personnel get promoted to prominent positions....mates rates.
very happy to be away from that.
i was 60 when i was re-trenched 2 years ago but i have successfully found illustrating work as a self employed contractor commercial and defence.
Negative: The strange mid management culture...it was a shame to see lazy non involved personnel get promoted to prominent positions....mates rates.
very happy to be away from that.
i was 60 when i was re-trenched 2 years ago but i have successfully found illustrating work as a self employed contractor commercial and defence.
Pros
interesting projects
Cons
very difficult place to get on if you are not ex service.
Good Hours
A Grade Electrician (Former Employee) – Henderson WA – 31 May 2017
All in all enjoyed my time there till the supervision in electrical changed to be Who you know not What you know.
Will sacrifice workers to save there own skin.
Will sacrifice workers to save there own skin.
Pros
Exciting Work Base
Cons
The back stabbing that goes on within the Electrical section
Great Place To Work
Production Administrator (Former Employee) – Williamstown VIC – 26 April 2017
I worked for BAE Systems for 14 years. Everyone there was helpful and friendly, but unfortunately I was Retrenched. I was treated well while I was there and had it not been for the retrenchment I would have worked there until I retired. Some of my friends still work there and I miss them dearly. I would go back at the drop of a hat, it's the best job I ever had.
Pros
People are friendly and helpful. Hours easy to work with.
Cons
Their work is dependent on contracts, no contracts - no work.