b'Partner News Winter 2023 25CorporateIt is vital that defence continues to embrace sustainability, while delivering our uncompromising commitment to protect the Nation and supporting jobs acro the UK. Defence MinisterBaroness GoldieGraduate Apprentice Kirsty McCusker, 22, is in her fourth year of a BEng in Engineering Design and Manufacture at Strathclyde University and lives in Glasgow where she previously attended Bishopbriggs Academy. Her experience so far includes being a member of a team of apprentices atNatalie Simpson, Graduate ApprenticeLeonardo that created a project to repurpose aerospace hardware lying unused in aircraft graveyards. I make a suggestion and it makes business Kirsty became a Sustainability Championsense, Ill be trusted to go forward with at the companys Edinburgh site last year,it. Leonardo is great for things like thatas part of a wider team charged withalways encouraging you. My department is finding new avenues for carbon footprintvery supportive with further learning and reduction. She has found that her role as atraining, and they have agreed to fund me to Sustainability Champion has kept this themecomplete my Masters, which will be an MSc front of mind in her daily work, where she hasElectrical and Electronic Engineering.implemented new ways to recycle resources in order to reduce the carbon footprint ofInspiring the next generationtesting equipment for the new ECRS Mk2Minister for Exports Malcolm Offord said: radar for the Royal Air Forces EurofighterWere working with industry across Scotland Typhoon aircraft. to ensure that sustainability attracts the investment and skills we need to grow the Repurposing equipment green economy. Its great to see advanced When a new design is required, Kirsty seeksengineering apprentices pioneering these to minimise its environmental impact. Sheskills at such an early stage in their careers,Kirsty McCusker, Graduate Apprenticeexplained: The team designed antenna testand I congratulate them on their initiative equipment, which was lying unused, as theand commitment.software needed to be upgraded. Rather than buying in new pieces of equipment, weDefence Minister Baroness Goldie said: It is arranged for the software to be upgraded ingreat to see defence industry partners like the existing equipment, saving money, andLeonardo supporting the development of preventing waste.the next generation of talented and inspiring young engineers like Natalie and Kirsty, Repurposing equipment is crucial, especiallywhile ensuring that sustainability principles for a design verification test, as you alwaysare applied in the development of defence have to put the individual elements of atechnology. product through this process before it goes into full production, so buying in newIt is vital that defence continues to equipment didnt make sense for a one-offembrace sustainability, while delivering on test. A key part of the job is to check forour uncompromised commitment to protect cables or components we have in stock first,the nation and supporting jobs across the before ordering in new stock. I know that ifUK.'