Thales is committed to making a positive contribution to local communities. In this section, we focus on our programmes which are delivering a lasting social benefit to the regions where we operate.
Our employee-led activity is underpinned by our volunteering policy, which gives us access to 160,000 hours of employee-delivered volunteering each year. Our communities also benefit from the Thales Solidarity Programme, a global initiative to fund and support community engagement projects.
Thales employee wins ‘Manchester Community Hero’ award
Everyone needs a hero and we are lucky to have our very own! Rob Jones, an engineer based at our Cheadle office, was recognised in the 2022 Made in Manchester awards for the incredible amount of charity work he has been doing in his hometown.
Growing up in a deprived area of North Manchester, Rob knows only too well how important it is to give young people from all walks of life exposure to the possibilities a career like engineering can open up.
Rob has worked as a STEM ambassador since 2011. Through Thales’ volunteering programme, he visits local schools, bringing STEM subjects to life by providing hands on experiences to teach young people the basics of systems engineering.
One of the many programmes Rob has been involved in is the Robotics Challenge which aims to introduce students to real world engineering, technology and computing challenges. He has been taken aback by the level of interest in engineering as a profession: “just giving kids exposure to a qualified engineer is a big deal as there aren’t many of us in North Manchester. Hopefully meeting people like me helps give them aspirations as they see that it’s not just a white, middle class profession, but something that’s open to anyone who likes fixing things.” Rob also volunteers with the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester and acts as a mentor to support members of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Rob’s passion for what he does outside of his day job is absolutely clear and he hopes to inspire other people to get involved:
I challenge anyone… look out of your window, see who needs your help and you’ll be amazed at the difference you could make. It’s easy to take for granted the skills we develop through our careers and the value they could bring to our communities.
Rob Jones Discipline & Competence Delivery Manager
NDEC education project
We’re working with schools (over 97 to date) and communities as part of the NDEC education project, to develop outreach and resources to help people find future employment in cyber security and wider digital industries.
We also deliver free cyber security training to SMEs across South East Wales, to support their digital growth. As a founding member of the Defence Cyber Protection Partnership in 2015, we supported the formation and promotion of the CyberFirst programme. Led by the National Cyber Security Centre, and in partnership with industry and academia, CyberFirst identifies and nurtures a diverse range of talented young people from all backgrounds. One example is the promotion of the Cyber Girls competition to encourage females into cyber careers. Thales champions CyberFirst talks in the region, alongside other industry partners, with the result that 24% of all CyberFirst Recognised schools and colleges across the UK are within Wales.
"Our trip to Ebbw Vale was invaluable to our learners! They left in awe of all the exciting, modern and inspiring technology available so close to home. Every effort was made by the team to ensure our learners maintained engagement throughout the day and no question was deemed too silly or unanswerable! We were thrilled that they considered our specific class topics and carefully tailored our experience to further the children’s learning. We all left feeling more knowledgeable and hugely inspired! Thank you Thales for a wonderful day." Chris Owen, Deighton Primary School