Former Bo'ness pupil now working on some of UK's top defence contracts at Leonardo

Natalie Simpson, 21, is a design engineering graduate apprentice with Leonardo in Edinburgh and along with other apprentices is working on some of the UK MoD’s largest defence contracts.

Her approach to technology creation has seen her receive praise from her supervisors at work and at Strathclyde University, where she is in her third year of her studies for a BEng in engineering design and manufacture.

Natalie has been entrusted to create the first fully functioning demonstrator for the power supply for a radar technology being developed for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). This exciting work could eventually influence the design of the brand new fighter jet being developed to go into service with the Royal Air Force in 2035.

She said: “This demonstrator is a proof of concept for the capacitors, the energy storage devices, needed for the power supply. This demonstrates the amount of energy we will need. I work as part of the team that creates power supplies for a number of projects within the company and it is fascinating for me to learn from experts in our business. They have been guiding me through each stage of the project.”

Because sustainability is a particular area of interest for Natalie, she finds it stimulating to look for opportunities to embed this ethos into the structures she is being entrusted to design from scratch.

Natalie added: “I’m creating new designs what will be introduced into the manufacturing halls in a few years’ time. At the weekends, things pop in my head and it doesn’t switch off when my laptop closes. I like thinking about ways to make my designs more sustainable, so I am always aware of the components and materials that the team has in storage that could be used.

“For example, one of my team members could no longer use the hardware he initially selected for a design task, as they contained a material which is not fit for flight. Luckily, my demonstrator is not flying when powered on, so I was able to incorporate the hardware into my project’s electrical circuitry to repurpose it, so it wasn’t wasted. My third year project has been a great success for my team and the wider project, and I am excited to get involved with more design tasks as I progress to the final year of my apprenticeship.”

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said: “It is great to see defence industry partners like Leonardo supporting the development of the next generation of talented and inspiring young engineers like Natalie, while ensuring that sustainability principles are applied in the development of defence technology.

“It is vital that defence continues to embrace sustainability, while delivering on our uncompromised commitment to protect the nation and supporting jobs across the UK.”

Minister for exports Malcolm Offord said: “We’re working with industry across Scotland to ensure that sustainability attracts the investment and skills we need to grow the green economy. It’s great to see advanced engineering apprentices pioneering these skills at such an early stage in their careers, and I congratulate them on their initiative and commitment.”