Our Maritime team has supported Serco’s graduate scheme since its inception. Designed to expose graduates to a range of sectors and environments, our programme provides the foundations to become an exceptional leader.
In Scotland, one graduate made such an impression, our Maritime team offered him a permanent position at the end of the two-year programme.
After completing a five-year German degree at the University of St Andrews, Jack Wootton was attracted to the Serco graduate scheme as it offered the chance to learn new skills in the working environment, the opportunity to apply the transferable skills he developed at university and meant he could stay close to his partner in Scotland.
Over two years, Jack had firsthand experience of Serco’s frontline operations across three sites in Scotland: Forth Valley Royal Hospital, the Caledonian Sleeper, and our Maritime team in Great Harbour.
One of the biggest things the graduate scheme experience taught Jack was to take chances.
“The graduate placement managers put so much trust in us and provided such a degree of responsibility that it forced us to step out of our comfort zones. Even if you don't necessarily have direct experience in a specific area, if you're willing to put your head above the parapet and say, look, I may make a mistake, but I'm willing to learn, then I've always found that mindset leads to positive experiences. This approach has stayed with me as I’ve transitioned into a permanent role and is something I'd want to instil in terms of management style, if I have direct reports in future.”
Jack’s work in his third and final placement focussed on the maritime decarbonisation programme.
“In line with the government’s NetZero ambitions, the industry focus on alternative fuels is growing. Our maritime team are keen to explore ways we can make our current operational delivery more carbon efficient, without compromising our contractual service requirements for our customer.
I engaged our operational teams so we could better understand the root causes of increased carbon emissions and set up a group of Decarbonisation Ambassadors to investigate potential behavioural or procedural changes. The programme findings helped us to explore external innovation programmes, through which we can offer ‘benefit in kind’ support to smaller organisations or higher education establishments to develop their technology in the maritime sector.”
Reflecting on the graduate scheme, Jack’s experience was a positive one.
Now a Business Change Manager, Jack supports the Engineering and Asset Management capability within our Defence team to manage their overall portfolio and to drive our participation in innovation programmes. Based in Glasgow, Jack works remotely from home for most of his role, and travels to our Defence sites across the UK when the job requires.