• View all events
  • Home
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • For Students
  • For Employers
  • For Universities
  • Locations
  • Sectors
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact us
  • View all events
View all events

Discover a STEM career with MI5, MI6 and GCHQ

Mar 03, 2022 Sponsored Content 5 minutes read

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness against bias. What better time to explore the vital work women do at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ – the UK’s Intelligence Agencies.

We collaborate to stop threats such as terrorism, cyber-crime and espionage to protect the UK from harm. MI5’s mission is to protect people and places here in the UK. MI6 do the same thing, but overseas. And GCHQ work to keep the real and digital world safe.

Each organisation has a different focus, but one thing we share is a love for the latest technologies. Developing and working with the kind of tech that doesn’t exist anywhere else, we stay one step ahead of any dangers posed to the UK. And to remain cutting-edge organisations we rely on peoples’ passion for STEM – no matter their gender. That’s why we’re proud to celebrate International Women’s Day, too.

Talk to anyone about the Intelligence Agencies and chances are the first thing that comes to mind are the spies we see in film and television. The reality is quite different. The organisations are more diverse than ever, and welcome people from a whole mix of different backgrounds. And there’s a variety of different roles and pathways to join for people with equally varied experiences, insights and perspectives. That way, the Intelligence Agencies can best represent the country we serve.

That means if you identify as female and have a talent for science, technology, engineering or maths, who’s excited and motivated to explore its potential capabilities – there’s almost certainly a career for you here. But don’t just take our word for it. Amy (not her real name) was once a graduate with the same misconceptions many people have.

“I was scrolling through the endless amount of job adverts from my university careers fair, and my dad actually saw the advert and told me I had to go for it. I immediately ruled myself out and made some kind of joke about how I would never be good enough or right for it.”

But since applying and successfully joining MI5 through a graduate scheme, they’ve come to realise it’s a far more diverse and inclusive organisation than many people realise.

“With every stage of the application process, I became more intrigued and more interested. However, I always had a voice in the back of my mind telling me I wasn’t the right fit, and it would never work out. I met so many lovely people from across the recruitment department through my process, but my inner cynic was sure the only people working for the organisation were middle aged, white, Oxbridge-educated men in grey suits! I am pleased to say how wrong I am on that point; our workforce is and is becoming more and more diverse and everyone is so welcoming!”

From software engineers designing intuitive user interfaces to evaluation engineers getting to grips with the latest gadgets, women are helping the Intelligence Agencies keep the UK safe. You’ll get to work with innovative technologies and apply your STEM skills to real-world challenges. Plus, there’s a huge amount of learning and development, as well as general day-to-day support, available to you. So, you’ll be pushing boundaries while furthering your career.

Emily (also not her name), also joined via a graduate scheme. She said:

“I love that the culture is to ring up someone in any part of the business to ask a question, and if they can’t help they will direct you to someone who can. The willingness to help is something I’ve never experienced anywhere else. I am also constantly surprised by the breadth of opportunity across the agencies, from different job postings, to Learning and Development courses to clubs and societies, there’s an opportunity to do anything!”

If you’re a graduate (or you’re soon to become one), you’ll be pleased to know that for the vast majority of roles, any degree is accepted. Only a handful require specific degrees or qualifications, such as the Technology Graduate Development Programme and Software Engineer roles. But for others, like the Cyber Insights Summer School, they’ll look for certain skills and experience that can be transferred.

Interested? Sign up to the Early Careers Network to gain access to job alerts, events, newsletters and extra information about joining the Intelligence Agencies. Whether you’ve graduated or not, it’s a great way to keep on top of the latest opportunities and ensure you don’t miss your chance to begin an exciting, fulfilling career in STEM.

Sign up for the Early Careers Network here: https://recruitmentservices.applicationtrack.com/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-5/xf-b412c04c50e1/candidate/so/pm/3/pl/7/opp/2395

Related articles

Apr 30, 2021 Sponsored Content

Kick Start your Career in Financial Services with a Master’s in Finance from Imperial College Business School

Have you ever thought of pursuing a career within financial services but don’t know where to start? Why not consider further study at the prestigious Imperial College Business School. Their

View Article
Mar 01, 2021 Sponsored Content

How to boost your career in tech with online learning

The gender gap in the tech industry   The number of women in the tech workforce has risen from 379,000 to 485,000 since 2018. That’s around 30% of the total

View Article
Oct 20, 2022 Sponsored Content

How a career with BAE Systems brings purpose to your everyday working life

Explore the world of opportunities with BAE Systems and read what their graduates have to say about life at the company. When you step through the doors of your workplace

View Article
Jan 04, 2021 Sponsored Content

Check out these exciting Spring and Summer Opportunities at Bloomberg

​ If you’re looking to kick start your career, Bloomberg have announced some very exciting opportunities that could be perfect for you! Whether you have a passion for business, sales,

View Article
Logo
Our Services
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • For Students
  • For Employers
  • For Universities
Information
  • Locations
  • Sectors
  • Blog
  • About
Contact us
  • info@stemwomen.com
  • 2nd Floor, 14 Castle Street, Liverpool, L2 0NE
Stay social
  • icon__social__facebook-white
  • icon__social__twitter-white
  • icon__social__linkedin-white

© 2023 STEM Women Limited. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions