Raytheon UK graduate Holly Sauntson wins Rising Star award
Lincolnshire-based graduate trainee Holly Sauntson has been praised for her dedication to supporting the next generation of talent in defence.
Above: Holly Sauntson.
Courtesy RTX
A business development and strategy graduate from Raytheon UK, part of RTX’s Raytheon business, received the ‘Rising Star’ award at last week’s Defence, Simulation, Education and Training (DSET) conference in Bristol.
The award, sponsored by DSET organiser Ruddy Nice and in its third year, recognises future leaders who are making a difference in the field of defence, simulation and training.
Holly Sauntson has played an instrumental role in Raytheon UK’s Employee Resource Groups, helping to provide early career and female employees with support, mentoring and guidance. She also sits on DSET’s Next Generation Professionals subcommittee and supports outreach programmes designed to inspire future generations of defence talent.
“I’m honoured to receive this award and I’m excited to see more budding young professionals grow and succeed in this industry,” said Holly. “I've met lots of amazingly talented young professionals in the defence sector through my work on DSET’s NextGen subcommittee.”
The subcommittee aims to educate young people about career options in defence, as well as establish initiatives to ease the transition from schooling into the workforce and provide a support network for young professionals in this space.
A Politics and American Studies graduate of the University of Nottingham, Holly began her career at Raytheon UK in July last year after securing a place on the company’s Graduate Development Programme within the business development function. Her current placement is within the Training Transformation Services (TTS) business, where she is supporting competitor intelligence, market analysis, bid management and customer engagement deliverables.
“Holly thoroughly deserves this award for all her hard work and commitment”, said Tess Butler, CEO of Ruddy Nice, the organisation behind the awards. “Her commitment to supporting those entering the defence sector is admirable and her passion for creating an inclusive culture for those on early career programmes will inspire many more to follow in her footsteps”.
The news come off the back of a panel session that Holly that participated in at DSET which focused on the different access points people can use to enter the defence sector and the importance of recruiting people from different backgrounds.
Holly’s award builds on a growing list of achievements from Raytheon UK apprentices and graduates, who in the past few years have received the following accolades: World Skills UKApprentice (Bronze medallist), Welsh Skills UK Apprentice (Gold medallist) and Made in Wales - Apprentice of the Year (Winner).