[A] Sellafield Ltd trainee gave an impassioned speech promoting apprenticeships at a prestigious Parliamentary event.
Rachel Hamilton, a third year scientific apprentice, told an audience, including, that she believed an apprenticeship gave her a better chance of achieving her dreams than going to university.
The 21-year-old from Egremont was invited to speak at the event, called Promoting the Prestige of UK Apprenticeships, by the Skills Minister Anne Milton.
“I was really happy to share my experiences as an apprentice and promote it as a first choice career move, not a plan B,” said Rachel.
“My twin sister and my older brother also chose the Sellafield apprenticeship route over university, and our parents were very supportive of this decision because of the high quality training and education on offer.
“Not only do I get a scientific qualification and the opportunity to do degree while I earn a salary, I also remain debt free and with a pension plan and exciting career progression opportunities.
“Apprenticeships also teach you sought after transferable skills,such as time management, team work and organisational skills. It has prepared me for the workplace by instilling a sense of responsibility for myself, my work, my colleagues and that of the organisation.”
The appearance was part of the National Apprenticeship Week campaign called #Apprenticeshipswork.
Sellafield Ltd currently has 550 apprentices on its books, having trained 10,000 apprentices over the last few decades.
The company now now offers 21 new apprenticeship standards, some at degree level, that they have been developed to match nuclear and UK needs.
Its investment in skills is cementing Sellafield Ltd’s reputation as a world leader in high quality training and education, helping to position Cumbria as a national hub of nuclear skils development.
They are also working to promote gender balance at the site, with 35% their apprentices being female, far higher than the national average.
Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Anne Milton said:“It’s fantastic that Sellafield is giving young people the chance to become nuclear experts with such a diverse and exciting range of apprenticeships.
“These high quality apprenticeships will give us the nuclear workforce of the future, and are supported by the new National College for Nuclear, which opened its doors last month.”
Copeland MP Trudy Harrison, who is also a government apprentice ambassador said: “Sellafield Ltd is leading the way in offering a wide range of courses up to degree level, initiating its own trailblazer schemes to fill the skills requirements and recruiting an impressive number of females – way above the national average – to ensure the new recruits are the future innovators to tackle the clean up challenges at the largest nuclear site in the UK.”
Head of Training for Sellafield Ltd, Les Studholme said; “We are proud to have trained over 10,000 apprentices in our 65 year history, and as we switch from a production line mentality to an entrepreneurial approach we are developing our apprentice programme attract the young innovators we need to drive our transformation.
“At 35%, our female intake is far higher than the national average and we’re working hard to build a diverse workforce for the future.
“We are also partnering with local schools, colleges and universities to raise attainment and aspiration in the area, offering the new project academy and national college for nuclear.”
