Chloe Austin

"One of my results from the My Skills My Life Quiz was Quality Controller. This directly links to my job, as working in the defence industry means that quality is so so important! The vehicles I help to support end up being used by the British Army in combat, so quality really can be the difference between life an death for a solider!"

"One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is knowing that the vehicles we work on are used to make a positive impact on the world, supporting our Armed Forces help those who can't help themselves.The starting salary for a Support Engineer at Babcock Land Defence is £29,233."

"To me, engineering has always seemed a dirty job, a man’s job, a boys club, which was only reinforced by being told throughout my education that STEM subjects were for boys. It has only been since taking a risk & applying for an apprenticeship, & thus deciding not to let the societal “norms” dictate my career, that I have learnt that there are so many different types of engineering. This has led to me feeling passionately that young girls should never be discouraged away from pursuing their passions, & that the engineering industry (& in fact, all of STEM) needs more women. As one of only 3 women in my intake year, I have decided that it is my goal is to encourage more girls to apply. Last year I was named on of WeAreTheCitys Rising Stars in the Defence Industry for my efforts to encourage more women into the sector, which has really helped to reinforce the idea that I am on the right track. "

"Most people don't know that I can play the drums, clarinet, and piano! "

"Most of my time is split between sat in my office at the computer replying to queries, and visiting the shop floor, to help them resolve any issues they find when repairing vehicles. This split makes the days fly by, as you never know what may come your way!"

"I have A Levels in Maths, Further Maths and Physics. While studying for my A Levels, I accepted an unconditional scholarship offer to study an integrated Masters of Maths with Physics at Aberystwyth University, as I decided that getting a degree was the path I wanted to take. However, after just over 2 years of studying, I changed career paths, and took a Mechatronics Engineering Technician Apprentice role at Babcock Land Defence. While at Babcock, I have gained qualifications in Yellow and Green belt Lean Six Sigma, and certificates in Contemporary Issues in Managing, Effective Communication in the Workplace, Exploring Career Mentoring and Coaching, Introduction to Operations Management, Leadership and Followership, Working in Diverse Teams, and Workplace Learning with Coaching and Mentoring. I also have a CPD in Project Managements and Event Planning, as well as First Aid qualifications."