Nucleargraduates
A full review of the Nucleargraduates programme approach and content was undertaken to ensure that it continues to be attractive to the brightest and best graduates and maintain this key pipeline of talent for both the NDA group and the wider UK nuclear sector.
Our commitment to attracting, retaining and developing a highly skilled, talented and motivated workforce and creating a culture in which they can thrive is a fundamental foundation of our Nucleargraduates programme, which is a unique 2-year graduate development programme.
Established by the NDA in 2008, the programme has been managed by our subsidiary Energus since 2010 and is now commercially operated and sponsored by a range of organisations including: the NDA, Sellafield Limited, Magnox Limited, International Nuclear Services Limited (INS), Rolls-Royce, ONR, and the Environment Agency. To date, the programme has recruited over 400 graduates, has gained an outstanding reputation and plays a key role in attracting diverse, critical skills and talent into the nuclear sector.
Nucleargraduates recruits into key skills areas such as engineering, science and in recent years has expanded to recruit to a broader range of specialisms including: human resources, commercial, project management, communications, strategy and risk. The programme has developed excellent relationships with universities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and continues to attract high calibre graduates from across a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisms.
The programme includes 3 industry placements in which graduates are encouraged to gain a broad range of experience within the nuclear sector and to challenge themselves both professionally and personally; it expands their knowledge and enables them to develop their professional networks. Placements also deliver great business benefit to the sponsoring organisations by enhancing the industry exposure of the graduates and enabling them to bring a wider perspective back to their sponsors.
The International Footprint is a nuclear focussed international visit arranged by the graduates themselves, themed on the technical, community and political aspects of the nuclear industry outside the UK. Graduates have visited Ukraine, Canada, Romania, Finland and Sweden in recent years developing their networks, contacts and understanding of the perception of nuclear internationally.
The programme is accredited by a number of professional institutes, bodies and societies and endorsed by the Nuclear Institute and National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN). The programme has received various awards including Science Graduate of the Year 2017 at the National Nuclear Skills Awards, the 2017 Princess Royal Training Award, and the Institute of Chemical Engineering Learning & Development award in 2018 and, in 2019, the Investors in People award for Learning & Development.
The programme focusses not only on the professional development of participating individuals but also on their own personal development. All graduates are STEM ambassadors and participate in various STEM activities over the 2 years, helping to influence the next generation of young people and encouraging them to think about the nuclear industry as a career.
In 2019, we undertook a full review of the Nucleargraduates programme approach and content in order to ensure that it continues to be attractive to the brightest and best graduates and maintain this key pipeline of talent for both the NDA group and the wider UK nuclear sector.
The programme is aligned to the priorities of the Nuclear Sector Deal (ref 15) and contributes to a number of targets within the sector deal, notably the 40% female employed by the sector. In 2019, 46% of the Nucleargraduate intake was female and we continue to strive to achieve greater levels of diversity and inclusion.