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NEW CAREERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN NUCLEAR CLEAN-UP 9 September 03

Twelve  young  people  from  Caithness  have  started  new  careers  in the decommissioning  of  Britain's  former  centre of fast reactor research and development.

The  latest batch of engineering apprentices and secretarial and scientific trainees  to  complete their skills training programmes at the site attended their indenture ceremony at the Park Hotel, Thurso last week

Dounreay's  head  of  engineering Sandy Charter will tell them the skills and  experience  they  gain at the Caithness site will be in growing demand throughout  the  UK  and  abroad  as more nuclear plants reached the end of their operating lives.

"The  quality  of  the training you have received at Dounreay is recognised throughout  the  world  as  being  of  the  highest order," he said. "That, combined with Dounreay's leading edge at the forefront of Britain's nuclear clean-up business, gives you a fantastic opportunity to develop a career in a industry that will grow for many years to come.

"Decommissioning  is not the end of an industry but the start of a new one.  The  demand  for  highly-skilled decommissioning staff is growing, and I am proud  of  the  expanding  role that Dounreay is playing in the creation of training opportunities for young people in the Highlands."

UKAEA Dounreay indentures for 2003:
Modern apprenticeships:
HND  in  Mechanical  Engineering  and  and  SVQ  Level  III  in Engineering
Maintenance:
�  Colin Macdonald, Forss
�  Scott Harland, Portskerra
�  Calum Helliwell, Murkle

HND in Electronic Engineering and SVQ Level III in Engineering Maintenance:
�  Gordon Brims, Reiss
�  Gordon Sinclair, Watten

HND in Electrical Engineering and SVQ Level III in Engineering Maintenance
�  Colin Thain, Bower.

Engineering Apprentices l - r:  Gordon Brims, Colin Macdonald, Gordon
Sinclair (Johnson Controls), Colin Thain, Scott Harland

Secretarial training
(Morson International)
�  Shona Campbell, Halkirk
�  Debbie Denoon, Thurso
�  Michelle McCarthy, Halkirk
�  Hayley Polson, Thurso

Secretarial Trainees l - r:  Hayley Polson, Shona Campbell, Debbie Denoon,
Michelle McCarthy, Allison McLean, Supervisor
 

Scientific training
SVQ Level II in Laboratory and Associated Technical Activities and Advanced
Higher:
�  Shona Simpson, Barrock
�  Audrey Chalmers, Thurso

Scientific Trainees l - r:  Shona Simpson, Audrey Chalmers

Craft apprenticeships started in September 1955, since when more than a thousand apprentices have completed their training at Dounreay.

This year, UKAEA has introduced a modern apprenticeship in Nuclear Operations and Decommissioning ? the first in the UK. Five young people have started a three-year training programme (see UKAEA news release http://www.ukaea.org.uk/press/2003/03_09_03.htm). A total of 21 apprentices and trainees have been recruited to UKAEA schemes at Dounreay this year.

Dounreay was Britain's centre of fast reactor research and development from 1955 until 1994. Three reactors and associated chemical facilities were built and developed on 135 acres of land. The site is now
being decommissioned.

The Dounreay Site Restoration Plan published by UKAEA in October 2000 describes some 1500 projects required to decommission and restore the environment of the site over 50-60-years at a cost in the region of �4 billion. It can be viewed at www.ukaea.org.uk.