My studies is subsidised by the company for the next 5 years.
Perks include interstate travel covered, generous parental leave and a 9-day fortnight.
As a graduate at BAE Systems, I was a bit disappointed to find that the salary package is presented as a Total Annual Package. From what I’ve seen at other defence companies, they usually offer a base salary with super and then discuss additional benefits separately. After comparing, it seems that BAE sits at the lower end of graduate salary packages in the industry. Presenting everything as a single total package also makes it harder to compare directly with other companies and, in practice, results in a lower offering compared to peers. The salary band progression isn’t really communicated clearly to graduates. We’re only told percentages of the band, but not the actual ranges, and even then, how salaries progress through the graduate program isn’t very transparent. This makes it hard to understand how pay increases are decided and what can realistically be expected during the program. Without clear visibility of the ranges, it’s difficult to gauge earning potential or plan a career path. While the salary packaging accounts for growth through band increases, it still feels limiting given the responsibilities of a graduate role. Graduates who excel or take on heavier workloads don’t really benefit from this structure. Based on PDR reviews and discussions, there seems to be no flexibility to adjust pay, as this is decided solely by Graduate HR, which is disappointing. The salary growth from starting to exiting is minimal. It doesn’t really reflect the skills, responsibilities, or contributions graduates have developed over the program, so the financial recognition feels misaligned with the work being done. There’s also no guarantee of a role once the graduate program ends, which creates uncertainty for planning future career steps. This lack of assurance makes it harder to feel confident about long-term prospects at the company. Compared to other graduate programs that provide clearer pathways to ongoing employment, this can feel discouraging. Similarly, the exiting grade is hard to justify even with strong PDR evidence. The process feels rigid, with little consideration for individual achievements beyond the standard framework. This can be frustrating for graduates who perform well but don’t see their efforts reflected in progression or pay. Finally, the Christmas shutdown is taken out of annual leave, which reduces flexibility for using leave at other times. Other companies often provide extra leave to cover the shutdown, so this feels less competitive. That said, I am happy with the other benefits provided outside of this.
