Growing talent with trailblazer nuclear quality apprenticeships

In the nuclear industry, quality is a critical enabler for safe and predictable delivery at pace; we cannot afford to get it wrong. Skills gaps, scarcity of resources, increased demands, increased attrition rate and major facilities and projects competing for quality resources across the UK have meant that key challenges for quality have been to attract, develop and retain nuclear quality talent.

Developing quality talent  

Sellafield has invested significantly in growing our quality talent through our trailblazer nuclear quality apprenticeship schemes. Since 2015, 95 apprentices have successfully participated in our Nuclear Welding Inspection Technician and Quality Management degree schemes, with nine cohorts completing their apprenticeship.  

Our schemes enable us to mitigate risks relating to scarce resources and service delivery and improve quality performance. We have also continued to support our apprentices’ careers and personal development.  

We’ve gained impressive benefits through our quality apprenticeship schemes including:

• reducing our resource gaps by 67% 
• supporting growth for our local communities 
• achieving over 90% retention rate for our apprentices  
• improving performance and visibility for quality across our portfolio  
• promoting quality as a career of choice within, and outside, our organisation  
• establishing robust career pathways for our apprentices and existing employees 
• enhancing mobilisation of quality personnel throughout the lifecycle of projects and operations  

Working with apprentices is the best part of my job; they bring curiosity, enthusiasm and agility, and have truly helped us re-energise quality.

Karine Rackham, Head of Quality, Sellafield Ltd

Spotlighting our schemes  

The only one of its kind in the UK, the Nuclear Welding Inspection Technician Apprenticeship is an exciting and relatively new scheme. It is designed to develop nuclear welding inspectors who will provide quality control and welding inspection services for the nuclear industry. This four-year apprenticeship scheme covers material science, welding technology/welding inspection and non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques.  

For the first twelve months, apprentices attend college learning basic hand skills, and three in depth modules on welding techniques used within the nuclear industry. They then work towards a Level 4 Apprenticeship certificate, during which time they work alongside existing welding inspectors in the industry to achieve their inspection qualifications. 

The five-year Level 6 Quality Management Degree Apprenticeship enables our apprentices to work alongside experienced quality professionals. They learn how to integrate quality throughout the nuclear project and operation lifecycle, and problem-solve to support improvements on-site and in the supply chain. Apprentices learn governance, assurance, leadership and improvement skills to be able to implement change.  

Following a three-month induction programme, apprentices are mobilised in various work placements to optimise their experience and enable them to contribute and add-value from the start of their career. They have day-release for their academic studies each week.  

Throughout the scheme, apprentices work on exciting projects delivering complex pieces of work as they become an integral part of the quality professional community.

Inspiring future quality talent    

Sellafield apprentices enthusiastically engage in school outreach programmes as STEM ambassadors and help us host work experience for potential candidates. Many of our apprentices also volunteer to promote the schemes at apprentice launch events, showcasing the fantastic opportunities on offer.  

Being involved in promoting the scheme gave me the chance to share my journey and highlight the unique opportunities our pathway offers. It was rewarding to answer questions and share my insights into the perfect balance of academic learning and practical experience. 

Sarah, third-year Quality Degree Apprentice

Taking a ‘skills for life’ approach  

During their training, quality apprentices are rotated across our business and supply chain to optimise their learning and experience. Crucially, they get involved in initiatives to enhance our quality capability, create a strong quality culture and improve quality performance at enterprise and local levels. We also strive to match their aspirations when deciding where to mobilise them once they complete the scheme.    

The key has been to establish apprentice development programmes that comprise technical and behavioural skills, knowledge and experience aligned to our current and future business needs. We also benchmark against industry and professional standards, such as the CQI Profession Map.  

We have established a robust quality competency framework and career pathways to support the development of our quality apprentices beyond the schemes. Partnering with a local training provider to initiate a Quality Practitioner Scheme will broaden the development opportunities for our apprentices and our existing teams.  

We are committed to promoting our apprenticeship schemes with partners and network organisations, to help address skills gaps for nuclear quality. In collaboration with colleagues at the CQI’s Nuclear Special Interest Group our focus is to build on industry good practice and develop nuclear competencies and Typical Competency Profiles. These will complement the CQI Profession Map for quality professionals in, or looking to join, the nuclear industry.