Any information on Detica What is the culture like?How is it percieved across the industry?Any other info that will help also. Thanks

Respectable IT consultants to the public defence sector. The firm is populated with straight-up, practical consultants. Technical skills are favoured over consulting skills, which is consistent with the priorities of the main client base in defence. However, it has limited the firm from taking off into higher value work and other sectors. The firm went backward commercially over the past few years as public sector work fell off relative to private sector work. Going forward, the firm is expected to de-brand and become primarily an internal consulting group for BAE, as well as conducting implementation of BAE systems for clients. As such, it is perceived as a short-term competitor only within the wider consulting industry.

Useful and plugged in analysis anon, we could use more of that on this forum!

Anon - that answer was almost completely wrong, today, and probably always has been, and just goes to show how misleading sites like this can be.Detica grew from the National Security business and some Defence (currently ~30 consultants out of 1,500) over 35 years. It has consistently achieved ~30% growth year on year for the last decade, including during the dot.com bust - because it focuses on solving clients' hardest problems, some of which are IT related. Actually Business Consulting is the largest, fast growing and highest revenue earning profession in the business.In the last 3 years (since I joined) there have been 5 mergers and acquisitions, spreading the Detica footprint across the US and Europe. Biggest wins have been in Homeland Security (eborders) and Financial Services (Project Turquoise market trading platform).The largest BU is Govt, alongside TMTE/Commercial/FS and National Security businesses - although this is a business strength as it is hedged against economic times such as these.Govt revenue growth has been little short of market leading - so don't know where you are getting your 'facts' from?The business has just sold for a cool $1bn to BAE Systems (think equity shares), because of the assessed growth in the Intelligence, Security and Resilience markets, worldwide - this worries Detica's competitors because the IP is there and proven, now the financial backing is there to take on the big pieces of work.I doubt very much whether Detica will 'de-brand' - this is an unknown - but why would you destroy the brand value?You're completely wrong on it becoming an internal consultancy for BAE Systems as well - Detica will absorb BAE's ~100 existing consultants (if they're good enough), and are already tasked with leading BAE Systems into new markets through their existing network of C-level business contacts.Just my view - but come back in 2 years and I'd expect Detica to have doubled in size (again) and to continue to grow...

Anon-I would be interested to know what information sources your comments are based on. Certainly from the commercial perspective we have grown significantly over the past few years. As for debranding, yes BAE with past acquisitions does not waste any time in hauling their signs up, but Detica is different type of business from what BAE has purchased previously, so to it is to early days at the moment to say whether Detica will debrand. Deticon-agree with most of your comments but structural changes are already being seen in the commercial business and all this cash that seems to be wafting around, well I have heard about it but not seen it... I think one has to be cautious about what BAE is saying internally to their new employees, especially in the current economic climate!

Agreed - all investment will need to be justified, and I certainly don't think Detica or the sale are all upside, but I do disagree with the idea of the company becoming BAE's internal consultancy, why pay so much for a function you could grow internally for a fraction of the cost, why give up the revenue streams and clients, to leave your main business challenge (declining defence spend) unresolved?

So it seems three other characteristics of the Detica consultant would be blind loyalty, paranoia and low self-esteem/defensiveness.Think engineers with poor people skills, in uncomfortable, ill-fitting, suits that make them all the more miserable to work with.I can't comment on Detica's "illustrious" history in public sector IT, but as at November 5 2008 it definitely doesn't compete in the consulting industry or show any indications of moving into that space.

No AX,We look for a balanced viewpoint based on evidence and we are already in the consulting industry.

Projecting your own issues by any chance?!BTW - when did we reject you? ;-)

AX - where do you get this BS from; Detica is currently the 14th largest UK business and technology consultancy (see the Top Consultant table), and one of the (if not the) leading player in its specialism>

Deticon, your initial response on this thread was absolute rubbish - just the sort of tripe that senior management churn out to ensnare the more gullible junior members of staff. Are you churning this out hoping to convince us, or, as I suspect, a junior bod who has swallowed it hook, line and sinker.BAES have bought Detica to sweat the asset, make no mistake about that. Detica was sold because Tom Black wanted a nice little earner on which to retire, and he didn't care if he sold everyone down the river to get it.That's life, get on with it. But you might want to start scoping vacancies at CapGem or other.....

Ok rocket man, put your money where you big mouth is.I'm not disputing that a CEO can cash in his equity, that's his privilege, or that consultants get sweated - not in my experince.So (just to show you're not all wind and p1ss) let's hear SPECIFICALLY what you take issue with.

As a recent, but now ex, Detica employee from the ma-p acquisition, my view is that if the original poster wishes to move into a govt focused IT/Data Mgt/Info Mgt role - its a great company. Top people, decent pay, interesting work... assuming all that stays given the BAE takeover. However if you're a telco or fin mkts business consultant - I'd avoid like the plague. Afterall - these are not really BAE's core strengths - honestly - what investment bank is really going to buy business consultants from BAE - just wont happen. Which is exactly why they are all being made redundant - 15 gone already, another 18 once their current client engagements run out early next year....just my tuppence worth.

Sorry to hear that ex-Detica; I suppose BAE Systems selling consultancy to IBs is too much of a stretch. Were you offered roles in other BUs?

Hi, I would apprecatiate an update on Detica in the current financial climate.Also, what is the grading structure and pay bandsMany thanks

bump

not strictly true re BAE and IB. In fact the whole point is that it is not BAE doing the selling (or delivery) to any client; that responsibility rests with Detica. Some jobs will start and end with a pure consulting assignment others will leverage say business strategy into a major programme of work for which we need additional skills (eg sub contract management) this is where BAEs add value to us.

Gotta agree with a lot of the negatives here. Significantly below competitors pay. 55+ hour weeks. Paranoid and agressive when you leave.

I had the misfortune to apply to a graduate position here, and found communicating with HR a nightmare. Arranging interviews was a nightmare, not to mention getting feedback. Was finally informed that there wasn't a position that met my profile 5 interviews, and 9 month after my initial app. On the other hand, the consultants I interviewed with all seemed nice enough

Two important points here - lots of people who post here don't have a clue what they are talking about and typically have an ace to grind. Secondly, why is it that some people just can't accept that employees might actually be happy where they are and enjoy the work they do.very little value on this site overall. And no I don't work for Detica.

Ask - perception across the industry, or at least my view, is they are a niche player and are very technically focussed. I worked alongside some of their people on a government project and was very impressed at their knowledge and how they conducted themselves. I would work with them again for definite.

i've worked for Detica in the past, and glassdoor is a useful website to get information about the firm. http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Detica-Reviews-E25107.htm.