Technology Today issue 1 2008 - Raytheon

Raytheon
Systems Engineering Technical Development Program
SEtdp Graduates 57
Systems Engineers
The Systems Engineering Technical
Development Program (SEtdp) conducted a
graduation ceremony for Waves 14 and 15
on Nov. 15. This was the fourth such event
in 2007, and last year more than 210 engineers
completed this challenging program
intended to accelerate the development of
systems engineers from across the enterprise.
Fifty-seven students — engineers from
across the enterprise — celebrated their
program completion at the ceremony held
in Arlington, Va. Raytheon Engineering
leaders also participated: Brian Wells
(Corporate), Robert Smith (IDS) Kevin Kuehn
(IIS), Scott Whatmough (NCS), Bob Lepore
(RMS), and Pete Gould (SAS). Ben Mesick,
ET&MA Engineering learning leader from
Leadership and Innovative Learning, also
attended. Dr. Mitchell Springer from RTSC
was keynote speaker at the dinner.
SEtdp launched its first class in June 2004.
The program is designed to address the
need to accelerate the development of
Raytheon’s future technical leaders — chief
engineers, lead systems engineers, technical
directors — who will be needed due to the
retirement of key systems engineering talent
across the company, and to address the
demand for systems engineers needed to
help Raytheon’s growth in Mission Systems
Integration and System of Systems areas.
Participants are nominated from the pool of
top engineering talent from across the company
and selected through a screening process.
There are currently 560 participants — 174
active in the program and 386 graduates.
Four additional waves are planned for 2008.
Groups of students form waves that spend
a week at each business headquarters, culminating
in a final week in Arlington, Va.
The program involves 240 hours of classroom
activities. There are six sessions in
SEtdp, and at each session the students
engage in interactive learning activities and
site tours that focus on key technologies
from each business. Sessions are divided
into a series of learning modules that cover
a wide range of topics — from technical
discussions to customer interface skills, from
product lines to theory and application.
Technical presenters are subject matter
experts (SMEs) in their fields, and are prominent
members of the engineering community
who are eager to share their knowledge
and skills. Leadership team members
lead business classes and technical
overviews that allow the wave of crosscompany
participants to learn the depth
and breadth of each of the businesses.
Bob Byren, principal engineering fellow and
EO/IR and Laser Technology area director for
SAS, developed and instructs the Active EO
Sensors module at the first session at SAS.
Bob said that his module gives the students
a sound technical basis from which to make
prudent system trades involving different
sensor and weapon functions.
Commenting on graduating students, Byren
stated, “It has been gratifying to hear back
from our graduates that they have used the
technical information and methodologies
learned in SEtdp to improve their own
effectiveness as systems engineers and
architects and enhance their personal value
to Raytheon.”
Waves also work on a set of class projects,
where the cross-company teams of students
Events
apply their broad expertise to topics of
enterprise-wide impact. The teams work to
address current engineering challenges,
culminating in a formal presentation at
session six.
Many students are SMEs in their technical
areas, and many have returned to the program
as faculty to present one or more
learning modules.
Larry Robinson, Wave 6 graduate, and now
Wave 17 facilitator, said that he appreciates
that, “Raytheon has chosen to invest time
and resources in the development of the
engineering leaders of tomorrow. We are
being proactive … about the engineering gaps
that the industry will face in the near future.”
Graduates of the SEtdp develop an understanding
of the value that One Company
behaviors can have in helping to grow the
business. They bring the knowledge gained
back to their businesses and apply it to their
programs and share what they have learned
with their peers. Several graduates have
gone on to attend the Raytheon Certified
Architect Program to join the growing number
of certified architects across the company.
Others have been promoted to chief engineer
and lead systems engineer positions.
As a recent graduate wrote, “The SEtdp
experience certainly has contributed to my
personal technical growth and to the subsequent
growth of our programs.”
Paul Benton
paul_h_benton@raytheon.com
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGY TODAY 2008 ISSUE 1 431