The NDA group apprentices helping to ‘Build the Future’

Our apprentices are contributing to one of the most important environmental clean-up programmes in the world, and during the week we’ll be sharing their stories.

This year’s theme is ‘Build the Future’, and our apprentices are doing just that.

To mark the 15^th Apprenticeship Week we’re launching a new finance apprenticeship programme based across our group of businesses.

The new pilot scheme is sponsored by the NDA and will help to support our efforts to futureproof our mission by ensuring we have the right skills in place at the right time to achieve our mission of cleaning up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites.

David Vineall, NDA Group Chief People Officer, said: “Our mission to clean up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites is one of the most important environmental remediation programmes in the world, with work at some of our sites continuing for over 100 years.

“It’s vital we attract new talent into our businesses to enable us to deliver our mission, the work we do is varied, exciting and challenging and the opportunities and careers we can offer are rewarding.  Apprenticeships play an important role by providing us with a pipeline of talent.

“I’m incredibly proud of our apprentices and the contribution they make to the NDA group, we have a rich and established history in investing in apprenticeships and we will continue this commitment and investment for many years to come.

“National Apprenticeship Week is a great way to celebrate their achievements and thank them for the role they play in the success of our mission.

“The breadth and variety of roles we’re featuring this week demonstrates the diversity of opportunity available across the NDA group.”

National Apprenticeship Week gives us a chance to hear from our apprentices and their experiences of learning and developing in the workplace. We’ll be sharing their stories across our social media channels throughout the week.

We’ll hear from those training in a range of disciplines including quality technicians, health, safety and environment, welding, nuclear operators, project management, firefighting and business administration.

Katie Wightman, who was named UK Nuclear Apprentice of the Year at the National Skills Academy Nuclear Awards 2021, now works at Sellafield Ltd.

She said: “Joining the nuclear industry genuinely changed my life. What’s great about the industry is that it’s ever changing and diverse. That appealed to me massively and I knew I wanted to be part of it. I wanted to be part of the change.

“I respect what Sellafield Ltd and the NDA group stand for, the challenges we are meeting together, and the way we support each other and our local community. That's a company I wanted to be part of and I’m proud to say I am.”

Jack Lopresti MP, co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Apprenticeships said: “I am a huge supporter of apprenticeships, as they are an open door into the world of work. Apprentices earn while they learn.

“I am glad that National Apprenticeship Week offers the whole country the chance to see something of the great work done by apprentices with great support from employers.

“As we build back after the Covid pandemic, we need to reset our economy for a world that is rapidly evolving. Apprenticeships in the nuclear industry represent opportunities in a world-beating sector and are just the sort of skills our country needs.”