A BAE Systems naval architect who has spent his 30-year career at the Barrow shipyard has been recognised for being at ‘the top of his field’.
Chief Naval Architect Jason Dobb has been invited to join the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors (RCNC), a rare accolade normally reserved for Ministry of Defence (MoD) civil servants.
Jason, who works in the Office of the Chief Engineer for the Dreadnought programme, is the first person in industry to be recognised in this way since a recent change in the RCNC’s membership policy.
The RCNC was established in 1883, consisting of a Corps of civilian staff (within what was then known as the Admiralty) who were involved in the procurement and support of warships for the Royal Navy. This broad aim remains 130 years later, with RCNC members providing specialist skills and knowledge for the procurement of new capabilities and support of current platforms.
The Corps provides opportunities for members to gather, share knowledge and experiences, and socialise.
Jason’s acceptance letter from Henry Parker, Head of the RCNC, stated his membership was awarded in recognition of “your status and professionalism in submarine design and construction.”
The letter added: “It is very rare for the RCNC to invite people from industry to join the RCNC as it is normally reserved for MoD civil servants. Due to the changing climate a number of positions which would have been conducted by the MoD are increasingly being done by industry. In recognition of this the RCNC selects a number of individuals at the top of the field to join the RCNC membership.”
Jason began his career working at the-then VSEL shipyard in Barrow for a year before receiving a bursary to study for a BEng in Marine Technology at Newcastle University. He then returned to Barrow and has since been working on programmes spanning Vanguard, surface ship building, Astute and now Dreadnought.
He said: “I’ll never forget that first awe-inspiring moment when I walked into the Devonshire Dock Hall for the first time, and I’ve never lost that excitement. Now is a good time to be a naval architect, with the Astute and Dreadnought programmes here in Barrow, we have never been so busy in recent times.
“It’s been incredible to spend my career here and see the development of the shipyard, and seeing the fantastic new capabilities that we have in the Central Yard Facility still inspires me today. Membership of the RCNC will be invaluable in allowing me to network and help support the upholding of the highest professional standards across the enterprise.”
