Open day to showcase growing apprenticeship opportunities at Sizewell sites 

• Apprenticeships at Sizewell A, B and C – spanning the entire nuclear timeline from new build to decommissioning
• 1,500 apprenticeship opportunities to come for Sizewell C project

This Saturday, an open day at Sizewell Visitor Centre will showcase some of the growing apprenticeship opportunities at Sizewell nuclear sites, covering a range of careers in the nuclear sector, from engineering to chemistry, project management and human resources.

There will be current Sizewell apprentices on hand to talk about their experiences, as well as representatives from each of the nuclear sites offering an insight into the apprenticeship opportunities coming up at Sizewell A, B, and C – meaning there will be apprenticeship opportunities at every stage of the nuclear timeline, from new site to existing site and decommissioning.

Gavin Rousseau, Plant Manager at Sizewell B, who started as an apprentice at Sizewell B in 1990, and is now Plant Manager at the station, said: “We have a wide variety of apprenticeships on offer at Sizewell. These apprenticeships not only provide specialist technical training but, importantly, they build important and essential life skills. I know many senior leaders, talented engineers and technicians, all of whom started their career as an apprentice and still reflect on the value of that experience: it made them who they are today.

“Apprenticeships offer important practical foundations for a career that can lead anywhere, and they are fundamental to the continued growth of our organisation, enriching our workforce with a diverse balance of people who will become the engineers and leaders of the future.”

Sizewell B apprentice Jack Hovell joined Sizewell B in September 2021 after being made redundant from another apprenticeship in Ipswich during the pandemic. He now specialises in electromechanical work and has been continuing his education at Colchester Institute.

Jack, who was awarded the Sizewell B Apprentice of the Year Award in 2023, said: “It’s been a fantastic experience. I was really able to learn from experienced personnel on site that have completed the apprenticeship themselves: people who know what it is like to first begin working at a nuclear power station like Sizewell B and could show me how to develop my skills successfully. And now I have the choice of either staying on the tools or moving into a more office or management type job role as I have seen many others in the department do.”

1,500 apprenticeships to come on Sizewell C

Last week, in another milestone for the project, Sizewell C announced it had entered the construction phase. At peak construction, around 2,600 workers – a third of the workforce on the site – are expected to come from the local area, with opportunities for 1,500 apprenticeships available during the construction phase.

The Sizewell C apprenticeship scheme is now open, meaning those apprenticeship opportunities are becoming available, providing on the job training with industry experts on the Sizewell C site.

Georgia Pleasants, currently a HR Apprentice at Sizewell C, said: “Apprenticeships are a very good way to get an education, get some qualifications, and be working at the same time. It really sets you up to be ready for the workplace.

“And I’m absolutely loving my apprenticeship at Sizewell C: it’s my favourite thing! It’s in the local community, it’s right on my doorstep, there’s fantastic benefits, brilliant support, and the teams are amazing to work with. I get to speak to lots of different people, and the opportunities are endless: you learn something new every single day.”

The Sizewell C project has established Young Sizewell C, through which people aged 16 to 21 and living in Suffolk or Norfolk can get help connecting to in-demand career and apprenticeship opportunities as they begin to emerge with the project.

The project is also working closely with further education providers in Suffolk to ensure that local people are able to develop the skills needed to work with the project. Many of these skills will be transferrable to other projects in the East of England providing long-term stability to those who acquire them, regardless of occupation.

Daniel Mayhew, Director of Community and Partnerships Kingfisher Schools Trust, said: “For the young people living in Leiston and the surrounding areas, a Sizewell C apprenticeship offers the chance to gain valuable skills, higher earning potential and improved life chances. The number and breadth of apprenticeship opportunities offered by Sizewell C is phenomenal, offering the chance to build a career in the local area for huge number of youngsters.”

The Sizewell C Consortium has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and further education colleges to develop local skills and deliver opportunities to the regional economies.

At Sizewell A, Nuclear Restoration Services, formally Magnox Ltd, is recruiting over 30 level 2 – 6 engineering and business apprentices to be a part of its mission to safely and sustainably decommission the UK’s earliest nuclear sites.

John Vickerman, NRS Chief People Officer, said: “NRS is an exciting place to be. We need new talent, people who are tuned into our values on diversity and inclusion, who care about the environment and the generations to come. Our apprenticeship opportunities are suited to those who want to succeed and be part of a great team that is delivery focused, transformative, innovative and growing.”

Many Sizewell apprentices will spend the first part of their apprenticeship at the National College for Nuclear, a state-of-the-art nuclear training facility on the Cannington campus at Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC).

Jenny Ashworth, Managing Director, National College for Nuclear, said: “The National College for Nuclear are delighted to support vital apprenticeships at Sizewell B and the Sizewell C project. National College for Nuclear students benefit from innovative, industry-designed, experiential learning that means that they complete their programmes ready to work on site and make a highly valuable contribution to the business.

“The state-of-the-art facilities and high-quality teaching that apprentices access on their programmes, enables them to develop industry-leading skills and behaviours, whilst enjoying an unforgettable and highly rewarding experience.”

Open Day: where to go and how to to attend

Location: Sizewell A, B and C Apprenticeship Information Day

Date: Saturday 27 January 2024

Time: Arrival from 10:00am for 10:30am presentations

Venue: Sizewell Visitor Centre, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4UR

To register: please register in advance with the Sizewell Visitor Centre on 01728 653974 or email sizewellbtours@edf-energy.com

More information on apprenticeships at Sizewell C

For more information and examples of the types of roles available on Sizewell C, check out the Employment & Training Prospectus on the Sizewell C website.

You can see the latest Sizewell C opportunities on the Current Vacancies page.