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Nuclear Apprentice of the Year Award case study
Summary
The South West RDA is supporting the South West Energy Skills
Centre – a new specialist nuclear skills training centre at
Bridgwater College.
The centre will provide high quality specialist training
facilities in science, engineering and specialist construction to
meet industry standards for a skilled, competent and safe nuclear
workforce.
Details
The success of the current skills training centre at Bridgwater
College was recognised nationally recently when a young star
apprentice who trained there won the regional and national nuclear
apprentice of the year awards.
Hinkley Point B worker Lewis Rush won the South West award in
February 2009 and quickly went on to scoop the national award given
by a judging panel formed by the National Skills Council for
Nuclear and Cogent. The judging panel was impressed by his
enthusiasm and dedication to his career in the nuclear
industry.
Lewis is training to be an instrumentation and control
technician, which involves dealing with process controls and the
calibration of nuclear significant equipment. He achieved
instrument technician status four months before winning the award
and helped raise the standards within his team. He currently works
for British Energy – part of EDF Energy.
On receiving his two awards Lewis said: “What can I say…I enjoy
everything I do. It’s a great time for the industry. Thank you for
all the support from the power station and Bridgwater College.”
Jean Llewellyn, chief executive of the National Skills Academy
for Nuclear said: “The UK Nuclear Skills Awards highlights the
exceptional quality of vocational learners, who are committed to
careers in the nuclear sector. Apprenticeships and foundation
degrees/HNDs are key avenues for replenishing and building skills
for the nuclear sector.”
Bridgwater College is set to receive more than £4 million in
funding to launch the South West Energy Skills Centre. The Learning
and Skills Council (LSC) and the South West RDA have confirmed that
they will be investing £2.25 million and £2 million respectively.
This will complement the £3.6m from Bridgwater College and
Sedgemoor District Council's provision of land.
The Government has decided that nuclear power has an important
role to play in achieving a lower carbon energy mix in the UK and
in combating climate change, and is taking active steps to
encourage construction of new nuclear power stations.
Further information
Date case study written: April 2010
Contact: South West RDA press office by email
news.enquiries@southwestrda.org.uk or telephone 01392 229389
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studies are available in our Resources section.