Empowering Future Nuclear Experts: Celebrating ONR's Apprenticeships

This National Apprenticeship Week, we’re delighted to showcase the positive impact apprenticeships at ONR have made on individuals, our organisation, and the wider nuclear sector.

Learn more about how ONR is supporting young people through education into skilled work and helping build the future.

Apprenticeships help bridge the skills gap

ONR has traditionally recruited staff with many years of experience in the nuclear industry.

But as with many industries, the skills gap affects the whole nuclear sector and we recognised the need to act to ensure workforce continuity.

Relying on traditional recruitment channels was not a viable long-term solution, so we have introduced new talent pipelines to recruit and train the next generation of nuclear specialists and support staff.

The ONR apprenticeship programme

We have invested in apprenticeships for the last three years and currently have both business administration and nuclear degree apprentices working across our organisation.

We welcomed our first cohort of nuclear degree apprentices in 2019, who embarked on a five-year degree apprenticeship programme, with others now following in their footsteps.

During that time, apprentices work towards their Level 6 Nuclear Scientist & Nuclear Engineer Standard while completing a BEng (Hons) Degree in Nuclear Engineering through Lancaster University.

Meet three ONR apprentices

Lucy Ingham joined ONR as an apprentice as an alternative to going to university. Lucy wanted to be able to work while studying and so the programme was a perfect fit.

As an ONR apprentice, Lucy is completing the same degree she would have studied, but she enjoys the added benefit of being employed at the same time.

Jordan Downie is interested in nuclear safety and security and has benefited from the support of ONR to help her professional development.

Upon completing her ONR apprenticeship, Jordan hopes to complete her Master’s degree before training as an ONR inspector.

Jamie Finn was also drawn to the ONR apprenticeship programme because he wanted to combine academic study with work experience.

An aspiring ONR inspector, Jamie believes the five years of experience he’ll gain from the programme will help him achieve his goals.

For more information about opportunities with ONR, please visit our careers page.