Nuclear Decommissioning Authority extends youth scheme

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced a two-year extension to its industrial partnership aimed at supporting young people in the nuclear industry.

The NDA group of companies became the Young Generation Network’s (YGN) first-ever Industrial Partner in September 2020 and has supported a series of successful events over the past year, aimed at exhibiting industry leadership for young people achieving personal and professional development within the nuclear industry.

The partnership aims to support the development of early-career professionals in the industry and aligns behind the YGN’s aim “to encourage, develop and inspire young nuclear professionals and ensure that their voice is heard in shaping the future of the nuclear sector.”

The partnership also fosters opportunities for senior leaders within the NDA group to offer support to young professionals, to underpin the NDA’s aim to “be a great place to work” – and in forging NDA group collaboration.

David Peattie, NDA Chief Executive, said: “This partnership is unique and means the NDA group’s aims of promoting and supporting young professionals to make a successful career in nuclear are perfectly aligned with the YGN.

“Their professional approach to the partnership and their dynamism in creating interesting platforms in which to engage and inspire has been behind our decision to extend the partnership for another two years.

“This is an extremely important partnership and will afford young people within the NDA group, and beyond the opportunity to engage with senior figures to create an environment of support, so that the young professionals of today can become the industry leaders of tomorrow.”

A steering committee comprising young professionals from across the NDA group, including Sellafield Ltd, RWM Ltd, Low Level Waste Repository, Magnox Ltd, Nuclear Transport Solutions, Dounreay and Energus in West Cumbria has worked with NDA staff in organising a series of events including the YGN Festival in 2020.

Hannah Paterson, this year’s YGN chair, and Strategy and Technical Manager at Sellafield Ltd said: “Extending the industrial partnership for another two years is great evidence of the value the NDA has seen the YGN provide.

“And it’s a great example of the NDA’s leadership role in inspiring its young nuclear professionals and their development.

“We have been working with key senior leaders in the NDA to develop an ambitious set of goals to take the partnership to the next level and involve many more young people across the NDA subsidiaries in 2022 and beyond.”