Why is diversity in a working environment so beneficial? What are the most important means to implement diversity? We spoke to two inspirational female managers with outstanding careers within the EADS Divisions, Astrium and Eurocopter, for their view and visions on the matter. Find out here what we found out.
Organised into small, agile projects staffed by personnel with multidisciplinary backgrounds, the Airbus Innovation Cell works with new developments and business models, then strives towards achieving the transition from invention to a dedicated structure capable of fostering innovation. One key task is to ensure consistency in all Innovation Cell initiatives for enhancing processes in engineering, customer service, HR methodology, information technology, services and so on. Though the team of around 30 is concentrated in Toulouse, France, some of its members also work out of Hamburg and Bremen in Germany, as well as Bangalore, India.
Airbus is built on innovation. Without it, products like those Airbus offers simply wouldn’t be possible. As a result, innovation is ‘hard-wired’ into the genes of anyone who works for the company.
The annual Airbus Awards of Excellence include a prize for best innovation. Proposals come from almost all lines of business and the prize is awarded to the most innovative ideas that were actually implemented. This culture targeted towards innovation is additionally strengthened by local reward mechanisms. It is not the idea alone that counts: how the idea is realised is just as important. “To create and maintain such an innovation-friendly work mindset, an innovative vision has to be lived at the managerial level. Managers have to engender innovation and lead by example,” says Gregor Dirks in his capacity as Chief Innovator at the Airbus Innovation Cell. “If you find the right sponsors for the right idea, you’ll find a way to move it forward – even if budgetary or resource planning may need to be marginally adapted.”
However, not all ideas are good enough or going to find the right support – maybe one in a thousand ideas will ultimately become a reality. With the Innovation Cell in full swing, the first results are now finding their way into the real world. One example: the electronic flight bag (EFB) application for tablet PCs. EFBs replaced most of the paper in the cockpit a few years ago (manuals, charts, etc.), providing pilots with an abundance of information at the flick of a switch. The Innovation Cell has now driven the move from a classic PC host system to the versatile and easy-to-use iPad. This meant entering the world of app development – probably the most difficult part of this innovation. Now the iPad-based EFB is part of the Airbus product catalogue.
With innovation, the most challenging task is to identify the right opportunities bearing potential for fast-paced changes. In our example, developing aeroplanes is a complex task in which the time factor is crucial to synchronisation. If managers are asked to challenge their procedures and be innovative whilst still getting their daily tasks done, they frequently need to prioritise short-term delivery. Moreover, in the aircraft development business innovation often doesn’t pay off until the next development cycle. Patience is a virtue, as the rewards may not become apparent until years later – which makes early recognition of the innovator’s contribution very important. “We found that setting up a dedicated social network for our employees drove innovation forward,” says Gregor Dirks. The IdeaSpace Social Innovation Network has achieved exactly that. Ideas are discussed, enriched and made to work here, providing a strong incentive to be part of the development team. Subsequent reinforcement and acknowledgement, whether from the Board, colleagues or peers, is often a reward in itself.
The Fly Your Ideas project is part of Future by Airbus – a pioneering vision of sustainable aviation in 2050. University students of any nationality or discipline – from engineering to marketing, business to science, and information technology to design – are invited to participate. Proposals must address the key issues facing the industry, such as energy, efficiency, affordable growth, traffic growth, passenger experience and community friendliness. This particular programme has received accolades from various bodies. Even UNESCO has applauded the initiative: Dr Lidia Brito, director of the Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building at UNESCO, says: “Airbus is giving students a rare opportunity to apply classroom learning to a real-world environment – and with access to senior figures from the aviation industry. The Airbus Fly Your Ideas challenge is a blueprint for how industry and academia can work together to bridge the classroom/boardroom divide. It underlines the central role of engineering in creating our sustainable future and gives students a chance to experience that adventure.” The competition takes place every two years, and each year some 100 new ideas are put forward. Of course not all ideas can win; sometimes a really brilliant idea may need to be shelved as the timing is not quite right. “We often harvest good ideas from all the rounds, because you never know when the right opportunity may come up,” notes Gregor Dirks.
Airbus and the Innovation Cell hold workshops at most of the well-known air shows, for instance the Farnborough International Airshow and ILA in Berlin. “These workshops are designed to expose participants to the fascination of innovation,” says Dirks, “but we are always on the lookout for ideas, too. We like to ask students and graduates what they would like to see us develop for them. We need to interact with them to learn more about their plans, wishes, interests and core career goals.”
“Fascination for aeronautics,” as Gregor Dirks explains. “For me, Airbus is fascinating simply because of the product itself: a huge, complex product used the world over. It goes without saying that Airbus offers competitive salaries and benefits, as well as job security and many career development opportunities. The challenging part for us is matching the right candidates with the right opportunities – the Fly Your Ideas project and the workshops at air shows are one way to accomplish that.”
Innovation is currently quite a buzzword. But for Airbus, it’s more than just hype, says Dirks. “Innovation has always been a major part of our work here at Airbus. It is, and always will be, in our genes.”
The High Flyer met up with two female managers within the EADS Divisions, Astrium and Eurocopter, to discuss the hot topic of diversity in the workplace. We discovered some truly interesting findings especially for – but not limited to – female candidates. Both interviewees are holding workshops at ILA and also explain why diversity is so crucial for EADS’ success.
The High Flyer: Both of you are holding workshops at ILA, what are the main messages you want your audience to go home with?
Tina Büchner Da Costa: In my case, the topic primarily addresses gender diversity. The main message I would like to put across is that diversity in general is what we see around us, a part of nature. “It’s all in the mix” is my motto. The recipe to create the right mix is not so obvious, but once we can increase awareness of the importance of diversity, we will have better results and will have more creative ideas in our teams. Nature shows that we have a good mix of men and women, different age groups and diverse ethnic backgrounds at least in cosmopolitan cities around the globe, whereas at work, there tends to be an artificial homogeneity consisting of mostly men. This is unnatural and should be altered. This requires a different attitude of both decision makers in the company, as well as, women with career aspirations.
Andrea Bugar: I will be talking about “Your platform for success”. The main messages will revolve around the great opportunities that EADS and its four divisions can offer candidates. We will be highlighting the exciting career options EADS has to offer and how diverse the backgrounds, career paths and experiences of our workforce can be.
The High Flyer: Why did you choose to talk about diversity and how are you engaged in promoting it?
Andrea Bugar: Diversity is a prerequisite for us because we need to attract more female talent. We have a need for engineers that we will not be able to satisfy with male candidates only. This is one reason why I am involved in the Eurocopter Women Network. It is a network for women, promoting gender diversity. We hold board meetings on a monthly basis and try to support female advancement into leadership positions. We also invite role models to hold speeches, and so on. With this procedure we aim to demonstrate female expertise and set role models for future female leadership candidates. .
Tina Büchner Da Costa:
That is quite true. The natural mix is not mirrored at work. We would, however, like to promote this natural diversity. It is not only more fruitful, but also a lot more fun, and simply leads to more productive work, a more pleasant working atmosphere and better results.
I am also an elective member of the Women in Aerospace (WIA) Organisation since two years now and I am on the board of directors. One of the WIA targets is to increase the number of women in leadership roles. We offer training for women, make female role models visible in presentations and offer a huge network for support. ‘Women in Aerospace’ is an independent organisation, with Astrium being the main sponsor, fully sharing WIA's mission to expand women's leadership opportunities and to increase their visibility in the aerospace sector.
The High Flyer: What efforts have you made, or been involved with, to foster diversity competence and understanding?
Andrea Bugar: One aspect is leading by example. I just came back after a five-year assignment in the US. The whole female-male discussion is far more advanced in the US than it is here. They are some 15 years ahead. Coming back from the US, I found it really interesting that equal opportunities is such a big issue in Germany.
Tina Büchner Da Costa: I guess in Europe the acknowledgement of diversity as a source of richness is still in its infancy. We are just about beginning to take diversity seriously and force its implementation into our work life. One first step is to raise awareness and create visibility. In order to get closer to this goal, I organise so-called ‘lunch & learn’ sessions with around 60 people from the company to discuss gender diversity and its potential benefits. It is one first step to bring this subject to light. On top of this, an Astrium women network has just been created and I am leading the Bremen local group. The network aims at exchanging experiences and supporting the EADS vision to increase the share of women at all levels throughout the company.
The High Flyer: What strategies have you used to address diversity challenges? What were the positive and negative aspects?
Tina Büchner Da Costa: My main negative point would be reducing the topic of gender diversity to the discussion about a female quota. Men are quite afraid to lose opportunities concerning career goals due to such a quota. But this procedure is also unfavourable to women as they will not be recognised for their competence and skills, but will only be promoted because of a quota that needs to be fulfilled. As for the positive aspects, the motto must be: ‘Just do it’! Nike’s proven claim says it all. Get women who are willing and competent into leadership roles. A manager should promote women when they do a good job. Getting the chance to fulfil such a position will show that it is really beneficial for everyone. Create and support open-mindedness. This is a crucial point.
The High Flyer: What advice would you give to women who are looking to compete in a male-dominated industry?
Andrea Bugar: My most important advice is: don’t try to be male. Be authentic. Believe in your own strengths. Sometimes women are under the impression they need to overcompensate their being female by acting tougher and more male than their male colleagues. I once promoted a female to a supervisor function at the assembly line and we had to coach her because she was far too aggressive.
Tina Büchner Da Costa: I have never regretted my career path even though I am surrounded by men. I am a real rocket scientist, and I am very passionate about it. If a woman knows what she wants, when she follows her heart and passion, she will be successful. Pursue whatever makes you happy and stop thinking of it as a world or environment dominated by men, otherwise you might get intimidated. Just do it!
The High Flyer: How could one increase female interest in engineering (education- and career-wise)?
Andrea Bugar: It has to start at school. For example, I organised a ‘Girls-Day’ at Eurocopter. It is an international project founded by the German Kompetenzzentrum Technik-Diversity-Chancengleichheit (the Competence Centre for Technology, Diversity and Equal Opportunities), promoting diversity and equal opportunities at a very early age. We were able to interest quite a few girls for the work we do. The workshops at ILA will also be an attempt to achieve that. Career-wise, it is important to enable a good work-life-balance.
Tina Büchner Da Costa: My personal experience is that it starts very early with experimentation as a child. Parents can encourage that. Allow your children to experience almost anything. I built my interest because my father was an engineer and had the patience to answer all my questions like “how and why does this work...?” etc. It truly helped to build my fascination for technology. I like to show my fascination to others and make them understand why it is so rewarding to be a part of a successful engineering programme. Nowadays, education allows girls to choose any subject. Perhaps it would also be a good idea to further encourage female engineers or the like to visit schools and speak to children about their careers and experiences. Essentially, show by example.
The High Flyer: What role does EADS play in developing women into leadership roles?
Tina Büchner Da Costa: For me, EADS offers incredible flexibility. They have been a big enabler in my career. There is, for instance, a very good option of combining work and family. But that is not necessarily true for the combination of your career and your family. I guess we need to do much more. Aware that the knowledge of highly-skilled women is a valuable resource for our business, EADS aims at lifting the level of women recruited by 2020 to 25% and the number of female managers to 20%; for example via talent mentoring programmes, or initiatives with associations like Femtec*, Girls’ Day or Elles Bougent.
As both women agreed, a lot has been accomplished over the past few decades, but just as much remains to be done in order to guarantee diversity in the workplace and in society. What companies can do, and EADS is a prime example for this, is to foster a climate in which women’s choice of predominantly ‘male’ career paths is completely acceptable and increasingly common.
Some of the steps already taken by EADS include partnership with Femtec, a German organisation, which promotes female studying engineering and science. Alongside EADS and ten other global players and eight leading universities, Femtec organises lectures and company visits for female students. The organisation’s goal is to train its members and guide them in their professional life. You can take a look at what it means for EADS to be one of the partners of this network for young female engineers here.
EADS is also one of the main corporate partners of the French organisation, Elles Bougent. Similar to Femtec, the aim of the organisation is to inform and actively promote scientific and technical careers amongst young female students. Acting as godmothers to participants, more than 100 female engineers from EADS and its four divisions are involved in the programme, which organises events and site visits. EADS also held a dedicated event at the Paris Airshow and organises meetings with VIPs and influential leaders. Such programmes are a great way for future female engineers to strengthen their knowledge on our industry and find the support to answer all questions on their future professional careers.
Also, to further demonstrate their commitment to diversity, EADS and its four divisions just recently signed the CEO Charter of the UK Resource Centre (UKRC) at the Farnborough International Airshow. EADS sponsors again the 2012 Award for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) .
And once in a job, juggling a career and family life still remains a challenge for many women and men. In order to further support employees, EADS has set-up kindergardens close to its major German sites. There are four kindergardens already up and running with the fifth planned for autumn, 2013.
All these efforts, including the diversity workshops at FIA and ILA, are a stepping stone for further promoting and encouraging diversity and equal opportunities in the workplace. Why not take a look at the video we put together for the Gender Diversity Day at the Farnborough International Airshow to find out more – click here.
One of the main challenges facing all companies specialised in technology and product development is the constant need for qualified systems engineers. Of course, there are university degrees that build a solid foundation for the challenges that systems engineers face, but often a clear picture of what such a job consists of is neither obvious nor precise.
In the ever-changing world of technology, defined by increasingly sophisticated solutions, the task of inventing, planning and building products, services and solutions especially in the aerospace industry is quite a challenge for systems engineers. Most development work is carried out by multinational, highly specialised and often multilingual teams of experts. Usually these experts are systems engineers working across multiple market segments and product worlds. Few of the developments we have seen materialise in the past decades would have been possible without the cross-functional work of these systems engineers. But what does this field of work involve? And what particular assets should a future engineer bring to the table to ensure a successful and sustainable career?
To begin with, systems engineering is an interdisciplinary function that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over their lifecycles, which can amount to several decades in aeronautics. Systems within an aircraft such as electric and hydraulic systems, fuel systems and ECS (Environmental Control Systems) must interact seamlessly with one another. Systems engineers make sure that the required exit criteria for the product definition phase are achieved; they perform system and software safety analyses and make sure that development work remains within budget. Systems engineers at Cassidian are positioned at the pinnacle of the systems engineering arena – solving a 10,000-piece jig-saw rather than a basic puzzle.
Successful systems engineering projects culminate in viable (and marketable) products and solutions. However, the more complex a product, the more complex the development process. Logistics and coordinating different teams are just as important as automatic control of machinery. And all three become increasingly difficult when dealing with large, complex projects like the Eurofighter. Systems engineers use dedicated processes and tools to manage risks on such projects. Some of these processes are automated; others need human brain power and – even more importantly – experience. There’s nothing more valuable for a team developing a fighter airplane than a team member with a mature career in mechanical, aeronautical or electrical engineering. These assignments call for both technical and human skills, spanning areas such as control engineering, industrial engineering, organisational studies and project management. Whilst systems engineering refers to both an approach and, more recently, a discipline in engineering, the education system has not yet found a complete way to prepare candidates for the resulting work. However, if you like working in a multidisciplinary, continuously challenging field, this is your ticket to ride.
The aim of education in systems engineering is to simply formalise the approach towards work and, in doing so, identify new methodologies and research opportunities similar to other fields of engineering. Systems engineering is comprehensive and interdisciplinary. Engineering development today is increasingly complicated, involving hundreds or even thousands of components, ranging from life-saving flight control systems to energy and emission-saving jet engines and complexity-reducing sourcing programmes. As products become more complex, there is a growing need for engineers to take a more general, holistic or system-level view with a structured approach to managing large projects that involve people, tools, information and technology. For a systems engineer at Cassidian, for instance, thinking of just one socket key to use for maintenance might not seem like a big deal, but once you plan and source the whole product lifecycle, the right choice can mean huge savings and might strongly influence production decisions. So it really is highly strategic work.
The task of Cassidian’s Flight Guidance and Autopilot Centre of Competence is to turn engineering concepts into certifiable, safe, affordable and operationally effective air system solutions so there are a lot of subjects to cover. The growing importance of digital data buses in the production process of a fighter aircraft is just one example. Although the buses might be increasingly supplied as COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) products, they still need to be chosen wisely according to various criteria like suitability, price or availability. Systems engineers must also be able to fulfill certain tasks, including the development of innovative solutions and concepts for new autopilot and flight guidance systems. And these tasks more often than not involve multinational, cross-cultural teams.
As a systems engineer at Cassidian you either are a member of the Centre of Competence (CoC) for complex system architecture design, a member of a simulation hub of EADS hosting Net Centric Simulation Operations or, alternatively, a member of the Centre of Competence for key Network Centric Operation (NCO) enabling technologies.
Within systems engineering, creating mission-effective system concepts and defining competitive products satisfying customer needs efficiently is a recurring challenge. Future systems engineers will not only be responsible for coordinating and realising products, modules or systems, but also coordinating a great number of functions, connections and interfaces and deploying the latest technologies, test technologies included. The wider picture might also include cost accounting (as mentioned above) and non-technical skills such as logistics, materials management and environmental protection. There are various opportunities to develop these skills within Cassidian, either on-the-job or through internationally certified internal and external seminars and programmes.
At Cassidian, systems engineering is of central importance to the creation of development cycles for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) like the Eurohawk, or fighter aircraft like the Eurofighter. Workshops focusing on this topic were offered at both the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK in July and at the ILA Berlin Air Show in September. These workshops can be a prime source of information for future candidates who would like to give their career a jet-engine boost. Workshops like these are also a wonderful opportunity to get in touch with experienced professionals who could answer a lot of your questions.
There’s a whole world and a lot of space out there waiting for ambitious and hungry innovative minds and their brilliant ideas. If this doesn’t set your senses flying, nothing will!
Experienced professionals looking for new challenges and students alike are searching for a clearer picture of what their next career step might be. What are the challenges? How can I make the best use of the knowledge I gained at university or in my career thus far? What skills will be most needed and sought after – and why? Workshops organised by EADS and its four Divisions have proven to be quite instrumental in answering these questions. Following Farnborough International Airshow in July, 27 diverse workshops will be taking place at EADS Careers within the EADS Pavilion at the ILA Berlin Air Show. These workshops offer a unique opportunity for the 540 participants who all applied online and have been selected to get exclusive and thrilling insights into specific fields and projects they are interested in within the EADS group. Here are some workshop highlights at this year’s ILA:
Have you ever wondered how a heavy object like a helicopter can effortlessly lift up into the air? Well, let us tell you the secret: lightweight material solutions are one key factor for the performance and efficiency of helicopters and other aircraft. And Eurocopter, as one of the world’s most successful manufacturers, uses composites for the production of air frames, rotor blades and dynamic components. Why? Due to their superior mechanical performance compared with other materials, composites are a construction engineer’s first choice. Advanced production technologies and material solutions help to further advance the performance of the aircraft structures, whilst keeping the lightweight benefits. Automated and more intelligent processes reduce production and service costs. Using affordable, high-performance materials is just one of the success factors that make working at Eurocopter both exciting and rewarding. The Eurocopter “Composite Materials” workshop offers a good opportunity for its participants to learn more about the use of composite materials in aircraft production processes.
Encryption is just one of the subjects covered in this workshop. Today’s data communication depends largely on the secure flow of data traffic and security matters increasingly revolve around online processes and computerised communication. Wherever you look, cyber crime is on the rise, threatening every individual’s privacy – whether in corporate, government or private home settings. The rise of these threats has increased demand for skilled professionals. Cassidian is meeting this challenge by creating a new dedicated business, Cassidian CyberSecurity, which will focus entirely on addressing the fast-growing cyber security market.
This workshop will give participants the opportunity to not only propose ideas or solutions to today’s challenges in cyber security, but also gives them a chance to make some valuable contacts and enables them to get in touch with the experts at ILA. If you would like to learn more about cyber security, make sure you take a look at the first edition of the new High Flyer and the EADS Up magazine.
Although we have a few decades to wait before travel at the speed of light becomes commonplace, the swift flow of communication data, especially in space, is crucial for a number of reasons. The European Data Relay System (EDRS) will be a constellation of GEO satellites intended to relay information and data between satellites, space crafts, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and ground stations. This particular system is currently being developed and will allow almost full-time communication even with satellites in low Earth orbit, which often only show reduced visibility from any ground station. This will dramatically improve on-demand data availability, enabling rescue workers to see almost real-time satellite data of the region they are working in. This workshop will focus on the importance and prospects of this programme. To find out more about Astrium and EDRS click here.
Do your interests lie more on the logistics side? Airbus can supply information on how to take the right steps towards an interesting career in the sourcing world. Why is the choice of materials so important? What can be done to avoid stock shortages? Take a comprehensive approach to logistics and discuss with Airbus professionals why the simple choice of just one Allen wrench for maintenance might save a whole lot of money. See the big picture, instead of focusing on the details. Let one of our professionals at ILA help you find the right angle to approach your career plan. It could be your chance to get interesting information and crucial tips for your next career move.
You can also read more on supply chain management at Airbus here.
These workshops are just a few of the many fascinating workshops organised by EADS at ILA Farnborough. Other sessions include a typical day in the life of a design engineer, a technical look at how helicopters are able to circumvent obstacles and how landing assistance functions work. Attendees can also discover how innovation helps to achieve ambitious goals. A mission to Mars reporting on the opportunities and limits of exploration technologies is also being offered. Also, if you are thinking of attending ILA then you can visit EADS Careers to speak directly to the EADS team to find out about all the career opportunities within all of our Divisions. You will also have the chance to discuss with our divisional experts about technical innovations and green technologies. If you are unable to attend, then you can follow all the activities on the EADS Careers Facebook page and take a look at our video coverage from the Farnborough Airshow.
Go back to magazine
