This article was first published as part of a social media campaign on mallowstreet – an online community for pension funds. The author was undertaking a placement year in the Sizewell C Financing and Economic Regulation team at the time.
Not only do nuclear power stations generate low carbon electricity, but they also create long-term and sustainable careers. Through this they hold the potential to be a massive stimulant for positive change in our society – through the education and upskilling of thousands of people. With the addition of nuclear power, communities can be transformed into better places for all. Stories from Sizewell B (SZB) are a prime example of this in action.
SZB has been generating electricity since 1995, and in that time it has created a plethora of jobs for local people – with clear opportunities for job progression. In fact, both the acting station director, John Yates, and the acting plant manager, Adam Anderson, entered the working world as apprentices and have gradually worked their way up the ladder. Combined, they have amassed 55 years of experience working with Sizewell B – a testament to thecareer longevity that nuclear power generates.
The sustainable course of job progression is not, however, a thing of the past: the mentality of upskilling new employees can still be seen in action today.
For Rochelle Grimmer, her desire to work at EDF Energy began with a work experience placement at Sizewell B when she was 13 and studying at Kirkley High School in Lowestoft. She worked in a number of different departments, but learning about chemistry was her favourite. In September 2011, having passed her A-Levels, she successfully secured a Chemistry trainee position at the SZB power station. She was given on-the-job training whilst also studying for her Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Chemistry.
Now qualified, Rochelle is employed as a chemistry technician, where her focus is to provide environmental support for SZB. Rochelle attributes her successful employment to the hands-on experience that she gained at the station.
Through encouraging young people to consider pursuing STEM subjects, SZB promotes opportunities for long-term, highly skilled careers. For Niki Rousseau, who has worked in the nuclear industry since she was 18 and is now the Community Relations officer at Sizewell B, it is this outreach work that ha been one of her favourite parts of her job:
“it has been amazing to be part of a company that grows and nurtures talent. Through [Sizewell B’s] mentoring programme I have been able to go ‘back to school’ to encourage young people to think about a career in science, particularly girls, to share my experiences and how my learning journey started exactly where they are now.”
Such opportunities to develop and extend oneself are not limited to established nuclear power stations. In fact, there are many similar stories playing out at Hinkley Point C (HPC) – the first nuclear power station being built in a generation.
Twenty-seven-year-old Tom from Bridgwater never thought that he would go from being a shop worker to operating a tower crane. However, he is now well on his way to operating a tower crane at HPC, having pursued a Lifting Technician Apprenticeship with Bylor:
“This opportunity is something that I never would have dreamt about. I worried that going from my previous job back into an educational environment would be difficult but it’s been great. If there was anyone out there, of any age, who wants to try something new, or go for a complete career change – I would thoroughly recommend going down the apprenticeship route. Being able to say that I was part of one of the biggest construction projects to grace the UK for a generation – that’s something pretty special.”
These are just a few stories from those working in the nuclear industry – an industry that employs roughly 160,000 people directly and indirectly. The opportunity that nuclear power represents is vast, and its capacity to upskill people is clear. As the country progresses with projects like those at HPC and Sizewell C, the opportunities will continue to increase.
The Sizewell C team is currently working on a proposed new nuclear project in Suffolk, which represents an exciting opportunity to develop an energy hub and different low carbon technologies. A regulated asset base financing model is being considered by the government. If approved, it would provide a long-term, low risk, regulated return on investment while lowering costs for consumers. Through the agreement of this financing model, and the progress of the project, we could see the re-invigoration of yet another local community – thus highlighting the role that nuclear can play in ensuring that the UK is able to build back better, and bring young people into long-term and sustainable careers.
BioSphere 