Does anyone work for Qinetiq here?
Discussion
They don't have the best rep in the industry these days. Some major staff cutting I heard recently too. Last stuff I saw that they'd developed I was not impressed with I have to say - it was some kit they were trying to sell to us.
They seem to suffer the same issues as a lot of defence contractors: some very clever chaps who struggle with project management.
I agree with Eric. Can't see them existing for much longer as it's difficult to make money out of pure boffins with no clear product. Profitable consultancy needs very good PM.
They seem to suffer the same issues as a lot of defence contractors: some very clever chaps who struggle with project management.
I agree with Eric. Can't see them existing for much longer as it's difficult to make money out of pure boffins with no clear product. Profitable consultancy needs very good PM.
I've decided to not progress the application further. I have a choice, which is nice in the current climate. It wasn't exclusively based on qinetiqette, but it does seem like a bit of a horrorshow (qinetiqette does seem like an ex employee with an axe to grind, so pinch of salt etc.). Glassdoor.com is an interesting site that I found too.
Tonsko said:
I've decided to not progress the application further. I have a choice, which is nice in the current climate. It wasn't exclusively based on qinetiqette, but it does seem like a bit of a horrorshow (qinetiqette does seem like an ex employee with an axe to grind, so pinch of salt etc.). Glassdoor.com is an interesting site that I found too.
Definitely apply. If nothing else the the interview will be good practise.I've contracted there in the past. It's not a bad place to be, and possibly the best defence oriented site I've worked at.
I mostly prefer working on commercial projects though it needs to be understood that the pressure to deliver is usually very much higher, the company practices tend to make this much easier.
I mostly prefer working on commercial projects though it needs to be understood that the pressure to deliver is usually very much higher, the company practices tend to make this much easier.
Yeah, I work there. As an ex Civil Servant, I had no issues with fitting into the culture but there has been issues of longer term employees finding the switch from the cozy Civil Service to a more commercial outlook difficult. In the past 'stuff' happened here which was funded by the tax payer and people would work on no hope projects for years with no one questioning how it was being paid for. Now, if a project doesn't have a hope of being commercially acceptable or a customer paying for its long term development, its ditched. The Board seems much tighter now and acknowledge its the intellectual property of its work force that will keep the company afloat. The share price is now back to its floation level and if there is no hostile takeover then it does seem to have a long term future with some pretty exciting projects. They awarded a 4.5% pay rise this year as well. Thats why I'm staying.
My advice, as someone who joined and left the organisation after the transition to industry, is to give the place a miss. The long term future of the business is at best middling, there has been very limited investment in growing or expanding the business away from the UK MOD advice side base, with most of the current CEO's efforts focusing on reducing costs.
When I left, the place was organised by committee and it was very hard to do any business without seemingly consulting everybody in the department. As such, despite efforts to 'commercialise' the business it was still a frustrating place to work, highly bureaucratic and hardly dynamic despite the ostensibly interesting nature of the work.
Contrary to the the previous poster the share price is not yet up to flotation levels (220p per share). Last time it was up this high, it was soon back down to 145p or so (2008)
Bear in mind the UK business has gone from around 10,000 employees in 2005 or so to 5,000, very many exceptionally talented employees have been lost to rivals or started their own businesses taking customer work with them. I see no reason why this trend will not continue. I expect the business to end up at around 3,000 UK employees, half being ex civil servants hanging on for pensions with a smattering of management consultants and graduates.
That said, it is a good place to spend a few years, and looks reasonable on the CV.
When I left, the place was organised by committee and it was very hard to do any business without seemingly consulting everybody in the department. As such, despite efforts to 'commercialise' the business it was still a frustrating place to work, highly bureaucratic and hardly dynamic despite the ostensibly interesting nature of the work.
Contrary to the the previous poster the share price is not yet up to flotation levels (220p per share). Last time it was up this high, it was soon back down to 145p or so (2008)
Bear in mind the UK business has gone from around 10,000 employees in 2005 or so to 5,000, very many exceptionally talented employees have been lost to rivals or started their own businesses taking customer work with them. I see no reason why this trend will not continue. I expect the business to end up at around 3,000 UK employees, half being ex civil servants hanging on for pensions with a smattering of management consultants and graduates.
That said, it is a good place to spend a few years, and looks reasonable on the CV.
I recently started working for them, or to be more precise for a wholly owned subsidiary which may make me have a different view, and I honestly find it a refreshing change from my last employer (a major defence contractor) without a lot of the senior management BS that normally happens in large companies.
Thread resurrection, but what's the general consensus now for working at QQ? They seem to have diversified successfully and their share price is reasonably strong at at the moment too. I have an interview with them in the aviation sector. I'll be coming from an O&G background. No issues at the current company but I feel like I should be doing something that I have more of an interest in, so a potential big career change.
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