Nick Taylor's journey to becoming Principal Engineer

BSc (Hons) Software Engineering, 1996

Nick Taylor is the Principal Engineer for Typhoon Avionics Displays and Controls at BAE Systems, and manages a team of around 100 engineers who are responsible for designing, coding and testing all of the hardware and software within the Eurofighter Typhoon cockpit.

Taylor’s journey to this position, though, started at UCLan as he graduated from the BSc (Hons) Software Engineering course in 1996, moving into his graduate role at BAE soon after.

“I was looking for a software engineering degree as I felt it was a growing industry that would provide good job opportunities,” he said. “Preston in particular appealed as I really liked the town when I visited for the open day visit.

“Had I not studied the particular degree I did, I would never have got the job and career that I have now.”

In 20 years, Nick has built his career up to team leader and senior management roles before eventually landing his current position. In that time, he has been responsible for bringing new business into the company and making multi-million pound cost savings.

However, he says, the single thing that he is most proud of is his work with early careers people, in particular setting up the first Software Degree Apprenticeship in the country. Nick still works with the University to date, placing eight apprentices per year to UCLan where they study two days per week.

Nick added: “Supporting, developing and helping young people grow is more fulfilling than anything else I have done in my 20+ year career.”

17 April 2018