Building a future we can all trust
For more than a century, Thales has exploited technology for the nation’s benefit, developing world-leading capabilities that help our customers think smarter and act faster.
We’re a global business with over 7,000 people in the UK, working across every country of the Union. For many years, Thales has contributed to the security and stability of this nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers in Government and industry. Operating across aerospace, defence, digital security, transport and space, we help keep the nation safe and secure while contributing £1.6bn in economic value each year.
But with such scale comes responsibility. To achieve sustainable growth we must take a holistic approach to our business and create value beyond our bottom line; we need to consider the wider impact of our activities for our customers, employees and communities.
Career Development
Solaris Women’s Executive Leadership Development
At Thales, we understand that representation is critical, if new talent cannot see what they would like to be this is a blocker and uninspiring to them, the value of role modelling is significant. Solaris creates an environment in which aspiring and successful black female leaders can learn together and from each other.
The programme provides mentoring, sponsorship and coaching for the talent within a group that is under-represented in organisations.
Women In Leadership
Nurturing Talent and Innovation: Siobhan's Journey with Thales
I find in my role, though there are standards for learning we need to adhere to, there is a lot of flexibility in what the end product could be based on the needs of the end user so I enjoy hearing from the ‘voice of the customer’ to keep us delivering quality. With a small team, we need to focus on optimisation and efficiency which means we align with our UK objectives and really feel that we are delivering quality, value-driven and impactful solutions.
Claire Johnson's Path to Engineering Leadership at Thales
Women are in a minority in engineering, but I have been very lucky to have supportive managers. This has helped enormously with my progression to managerial roles. In particular, I had a manager who is now in his 70s – he was an amazing ally for women – and he celebrated the differences in people. He only ever wanted to teach people what he knew, and see how they used that knowledge to solve problems in different ways, which is what our industry needs.
Thales Network Groups
We In Thales (WiTh) is Thales' employee network dedicated to supporting and connecting women from across Thales to share experiences, provide resources, and increase connections. With a focus on events and initiatives that are tailored to the specific needs and interests of Women in Thales, we aim to promote gender equality and create an empowered community.
Inclusion at Thales
RETURNING TO WORK
STEM Returners’ programmes aim to eliminate these barriers by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as supporting them to seamlessly adjust to life back in work. Thales in the UK has teamed up with STEM Returners for a second time to continue their drive to help engineers return to work after a career break.
SMART WORKING
We are all unique and at Thales in the UK we have established a way of working to accommodate for this. We call it ‘Smart Working’ and it involves rethinking how our people approach how, when and where they work. This provides a greater level of flexibility that caters to each individual’s needs, whilst helping to improve our business performance. It also embraces advances in technology and workspace design.
FERTILITY TREATMENT SUPPORT
Our Fertility Treatment Policy promotes flexible working to attend appointments during working hours, and includes one weeks-worth of leave for all employees going through Fertility Treatment or preservation, as well as for those who are supporting their partners, or a surrogate too.
MENOPAUSE SUPPORT
At Thales, we are committed to creating a truly diverse workforce with a culture that respects and values the uniqueness of every individual. Creating a sustainable foundation for our people who experience menopause during their career creates genuine equity to empower and removes barriers for our people.
CRACKING THE CODE
Thales UK has made a significant leap in championing gender diversity by successfully integrating a cohort of women into their workforce, thanks to their innovative partnership with Code First Girls (CFG). This initiative has not only challenged traditional recruitment norms but has also marked a tangible step toward fostering an inclusive environment in software development.
Empowering Black women to succeed in STEM careers
As a Black woman, I have found that Thales is a very supportive workplace. The company is aware of the need for diversity and inclusivity – there's a difference between just being aware and taking action and the networks reflect this.
We have a network called We in Thales, which gives people from all backgrounds a place to talk about the challenges they face in the workplace. Then there is the REACH Network, which focuses on giving Black people and people of ethnic minority heritage a place to share stories and join initiatives to advance career paths within the business.
Carers at Work: Real Experiences, Real Challenges, Real Change
Did you know that 8 out of 10 Carers in the UK are of working age with women having a 50:50 chance of providing care by the time they're 46, and men have the same chance by the time they're 57?
Caring responsibilities can have a profound impact on those who are balancing this whilst working. But despite its universal nature, the experience of caring is sometimes overlooked in workplace conversations. In this article, we explore why it’s crucial to understand the diverse and unique caregiving experiences of your colleagues and by learning more about the realities of caregiving, you’ll gain valuable insights that can help create a more supportive environment for all.
Thales' Emma Chivers Wins Graduate Award at 2025 Made in Manchester Awards
Thales in the UK is proud to share that Emma Chivers has won the Graduate Award at the 2025 Made in Manchester Awards (MiMA) for her work on the Engineering Graduate Scheme over the past 3 years.
MiMA honours Manchester's top young business talent across 18 categories. A rigorous judging process contributes to their prestige, offering participants an opportunity to enhance their visibility and be recognised as leading young professionals in their sectors.
Transitioning from the Military to Engineering: Sara Canning’s Inspiring Story
After 22 years of dedicated service in the Armed Forces, Sara Canning leapt into civilian life, bringing with her a wealth of experience in communication, air operations, and safety management. Now an SECC Safety Engineer at Thales, Sara is leveraging her military expertise to enhance safety awareness and training within the company.
My roles varied as I progressed through my career, I began as a communications specialist working with various rotary and fixed-wing Aircraft which later evolved into an Air operations and Air Safety specialist (Bowtie Risk Manager).
How My Military Experience Led to a Rewarding Career at Thales
Transitioning from military service to a civilian career comes with its challenges, but for Cat Yates, it was also an opportunity to build a rewarding future at Thales.in tech.
Thales was a company I had heard about during my time in the RAF but I was unaware of the scale of the organisation. I love working in Safety and I wanted to stay in defence, and the role of System Safety Engineer offered me that opportunity. Since then, I have found a wide range of benefits available as a Thales employee.
Natalie's Journey from Marketing to Software Engineering
Natalie Martin worked in Marketing until April last year, when her curiosity in coding and problem-solving, and love of learning, led her to explore a new career in Software Engineering.
Switching careers and learning a completely new discipline has often felt overwhelming but feeling uncomfortable means I’ve made the right decision because I’m challenging myself and growing. So if you’re feeling comfortable this is your sign that it might be time to learn something new.
Meet Claire: Talent, Learning and Culture Specialist at Thales
Many professionals find that the most rewarding aspects of their careers lie beyond just a paycheck. For Claire Angliss, being a Talent, Learning and Culture Specialist offers a unique combination of personal fulfillment and professional growth.
As Talent learning and culture specialist my days are a blend of challenges and rewards, each contributing to my overall satisfaction. One of the aspects I cherish most is the opportunity for creativity. Whether it's brainstorming fresh ideas for projects or finding innovative solutions to complex problems, this role fuels my creative instincts. It's immensely gratifying to see ideas come to life and make a tangible impact to both individuals and our business.
Meet Emma, Graduate Engineer at Thales
For Thales, a key partner and thought-leading participant at Karren Brady’s upcoming Women in Business and Tech Expo, supporting women in the workplace is a top priority.
Thales understands that having a diverse workforce is essential for its continued success, which is why it is committed to addressing the historic gender imbalance in UK STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) industries. We know that, from 16 onwards, the number of young women studying STEM subjects falls dramatically, which is why we work with schools, colleges and STEM partners to help everyone see the exciting career paths available in these sectors.
Maddison talks about her passion for bobsledding and apprenticeship at Thales
Her debut into the tough winter sport was all the more memorable when she and pilot Nikki McSweeney achieved a wider podium finish at their first competitive race together at an international event in Lillehammer, Norway last year.
Now back at her role as a systems engineer in change management, Maddison is balancing her day job with her bobsled and fitness training, thanks to a hybrid working scheme with Thales that allows her to combine the two.
Thales celebrates International Women in Engineering Day
The 23rd June is International Women in Engineering Day, celebrating the amazing women around the world who contribute their skills and expertise to the engineering sector. According to Women’s Engineering Society (WES), in 2021 16.5% of women were engineers. Thales in the UK believe that it’s important to encourage more girls and women in to STEM subjects, to get them excited about technical professions across the technology industry.
We had the privilege to hear from three of our talented women at Thales in the UK about their career, innovative projects they’ve worked on and their advice for the next generation of women in STEM.
CRACKING THE CODE
Thales's collaboration with CFG has set aside conventional recruitment barriers like educational requirements, focusing instead on candidates' technical prowess and eagerness to learn.
This pilot initiative lays the groundwork for expanding this model in the future, aspiring to welcome an even larger intake by 2025 as the supporting infrastructure and processes are enhanced.
This accomplishment is a testament to Thales's and CFG’s dedication to actualising diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech industry. It highlights the critical role of support and clear career pathways in not only attracting but also retaining women in tech.
VERCIDA Webinar: The Future of Women in STEM - Insights from Thales' Industry Leaders
Transform your career in STEM, watch the conversation between industry leaders who are breaking barriers and creating new pathways.
For Women's History Month, hear directly from Thales UK's most inspiring women leaders. They've overcome challenges, seized opportunities, and are now ready to share their insider knowledge to help you thrive in engineering and STEM.
Carers at Work: Real Experiences, Real Challenges, Real Change
A Non-traditional Path for Women in Engineering: Kiome’s Story of Career Evolution at Thales
Kiome Pope shares her story about becoming an engineer at Thales via an internship with a focus on psychology.
Whenever someone asks me how I got into engineering, the short answer is “By accident”. After I did my A-levels, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and bounced between a lot of different degree options before eventually deciding to study maths and music. But that didn’t work out, so I worked for a year before going back to university to study psychology. I really enjoyed studying psychology for my A-levels, so this made sense.
Code First Girls
Thales UK has made a significant leap in championing gender diversity by successfully integrating a cohort of women into their workforce, thanks to their innovative partnership with Code First Girls (CFG). This initiative has not only challenged traditional recruitment norms but has also marked a tangible step toward fostering an inclusive environment in software development.
How Thales is #InspiringInclusion this International Women’s Day
Across Thales, we have a responsibility to build an inclusive and equitable workplace, free of bias. This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. We are demonstrating this by focusing on the importance of networking and building strong relationships, allowing individuals the opportunity to share their experiences in order to inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion.