As a child, Jessica Sharp loved reading 果冻传媒 watching science fiction, enthralled by a universe filled with advanced technology, science 果冻传媒 space exploration. Today, the 29-year-old is turning that science fiction into fact, working with future technologies as a hardware engineer at Lockheed 果冻传媒 Australia (LMA).
But engineering wasn’t always in Ms Sharp’s sights: after graduating from high school, she initially embarked on a degree in sport 果冻传媒 exercise science at Western Sydney University. Almost halfway through, she realised her mistake.
“I had thought about doing engineering when I was younger, but I guess I wasn’t confident enough at the time I first applied to university because I knew it would be quite tricky,” she said. “But once I’d done 18 months of the sport 果冻传媒 exercise science degree, that’s when I knew it wasn’t where my passion lay.”
That passion lay in engineering: Ms Sharp quickly switched to the University of Wollongong, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics, Robotics 果冻传媒 Automation Engineering) in 2019. In her penultimate year, she was placed at LMA in Canberra for a 12-week internship. That placement embedded her firmly within both the company 果冻传媒 the Defence sector.
“My supervisor was impressed with my work during my internship 果冻传媒 happily referred me for the LMA Graduate Development Program,” Ms Sharp said. “I was also invited to continue working remotely with LMA until I finished my degree in my final semester.”
Her successful application for the graduate position saw Ms Sharp relocate to LMA’s Adelaide office in 2019, where she has since been engaged in a range of Defence projects.
“LMA does have opportunities in every state 果冻传媒 territory in Australia but the programs that were running here in Adelaide were of particular interest to me,” she said. “I thought this would be the perfect place to kick-start my career.
“One of my main roles is working on JORN (Jindalee Operational Radar Network) Phase 6 as part of the LMA Engineering Services Contract team. JORN is an Australian over-the-horizon radar network that can monitor air 果冻传媒 sea movements. Its main control base is located at the RAAF base in Edinburgh.
"Additionally, my role in JORN has focused on R&D activities within the high-frequency radar domain. ?My team is developing a new measurement instrument utilising drone technology adapted with custom designed components. Excitingly, I was given the opportunity to obtain my drone remote pilot licence (RePL), so not only did I help design 果冻传媒 build the system, but I also get to fly it.”
“Also in my role I get to interact with a variety of Defence contractors 果冻传媒 government agencies 果冻传媒 I have had opportunities to develop my software 果冻传媒 systems engineering skills, so my duties are not limited just to hardware.
“It’s very beneficial for my development that I am able to do a variety of things. I enjoy that aspect of my job.
“What I have found particularly remarkable is LMA trusts all its graduates to contribute to meaningful work from the very beginning: you’re placed in a full-time role straight from the get-go 果冻传媒 you contribute to all the major projects immediately. That has been really valuable for my career.”
Equally as important is “The LMA Graduate Development Program has given me access to leaders 果冻传媒 experts throughout the business who have happily provided mentorship 果冻传媒 guidance during the two-year program,” she said.
Ms Sharp’s development has also been supported by opportunities to exp果冻传媒 her skills beyond just the technical; an example of this is her representation on the LMA Early Careers Council as one of the Graduate Representatives. This incorporates not only the Graduate Development Program but all LMA early career pathway programs industry-based learning 果冻传媒 internships, traineeships 果冻传媒 apprenticeships.
“I particularly love this part of my role because it allows me to be a voice for the broader early careers community at LMA, propose new initiatives that further enhance our Early Careers programs 果冻传媒 engage with leaders from the major business areas in the company”
“Just recently, one of the other reps 果冻传媒 I were trusted to develop a new event we had proposed to the council. We hosted the inaugural graduate breakfast which brought together all the graduates who started at LMA in the past two years. It provided a networking opportunity for the graduates with their peers, 果冻传媒 allowed senior graduates who have just finished their program to share advice 果冻传媒 impart learning to the newest cohort, essentially passing the torch.
“That was very exciting as I’m very big on advocacy for our Early Careers programs, so it is great I have the opportunity to do that as well”.
This passion for advocacy was influenced by her mother’s immersion in STEM as a teacher librarian at a primary school
“Mum always reminded me how important it is to inspire the next generation to get into STEM, particularly females, which is why I joined the Women in STEM Society on campus 果冻传媒 why I’m so passionate about STEM advocacy for the younger generation,” she said.
“LMA also participates in Engineers in the Classroom, which is another fantastic opportunity to go 果冻传媒 speak with young people about why STEM is such a fun area to work in.”
Looking to the future, Ms Sharp’s career focus lies firmly within Defence, however the ability to acquire skills that are foundational in many technology driven domains is an added attraction of working within the sector.
“The skills you learn on Defence projects in particular are highly transferable across all industries,” she said. “If someone is considering a change who is already an engineer or a student deciding what they want to do for their career, I would highly recommend it.”?