The exciting opportunities in the nuclear power sector were on show in Parliament this week, as MPs met with apprentices and graduates who were taking their first step into a growing sector.

Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, attended the Nuclear Industry Association’s ‘Nuclear Week in Parliament’ (NWIP), to show his support for the young apprentices in the industry and learn more from young people at the start of an exciting career in the sector.

Toby, who is also Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Apprenticeships, said, “It was fantastic to meet with the young graduates and apprentices who were clearly very excited and energised by their new careers. This is an exciting, growing sector that will play a crucial role in de-carbonising our energy supply.

It was good to hear about the range of opportunities and it is definitely a sector I would encourage young people to consider.”

Toby and Parliamentary colleagues attended the NWIP Skills and Apprenticeship Fair and had the opportunity to meet with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group to hear about their critically important task in safely and securely decommissioning the nation’s oldest nuclear sites.

Toby met with Holly Cameron, a Business Admin Apprentice with the NDA, who said, “my apprenticeship in business administration has given me the opportunity to develop my personal and professional skills. I have been able to build my confidence and communication skills through different projects that I have provided support for. I am looking forward to my future in the nuclear sector.”

There are currently more than 1,500 apprentices and graduates across NDA group early careers schemes and hundreds of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers have been sponsored, focusing on developing advanced skills.

Toby added, “We all want cheaper, cleaner energy and nuclear power could be vital in helping us meet our carbon targets, reducing bill, ensuring we have energy security and boosting economic growth. But we also need to ensure decommissioning of nuclear sites and disposal of waste is done in a safe way. So it was really useful to meet with the NDA and NIA to discuss the opportunities in nuclear, and to discuss how the sector ensures safety is always paramount.”

Anyone who is interested in a career within the NDA, including graduate and apprenticeships opportunities, can find out more at:
ndagroupgraduates.co.uk, energus.co.uk/skills-training/apprenticeships/