Stories

KBR employees working on Sellafield Ltd’s Programme and Project Partners (PPP) contract in the North West of England are set to be joined by six new intern recruits, after they successfully completed a four-week virtual skills academy to prepare them for the workplace.

The PPP internship scheme seeks to bring new blood into PPP and provide first-class employment and career development opportunities to young people in the local community, particularly those who have previously struggled to find sustained, quality employment.

The skills academy launched in February 2021 and provided 14 aspiring interns with the opportunity to complete a pre-employment program as part of the recruitment process. The program gave candidates a chance to showcase their skills in a supportive environment where they gained confidence and got a flavor for a career in nuclear.

“The scheme has been a collaborative effort between colleagues from across our partnership and the supply chain – allowing us to provide opportunities to young people from the local community and boost their skills and confidence,” said Dianne Richardson, KBR’s Social Value Lead on PPP.

“PPP isn’t just about delivering major projects on the Sellafield site, it also has a 20-year commitment to make a positive impact in the local community. Our internship scheme is providing opportunities to young people who face additional barriers to employment but have the enthusiasm and drive to succeed and that’s something we’re all keen to support.”

After completing the fully packed four-week pre-employment program, candidates progressed through an interview stage and six interns secured roles in a range of fields across PPP which will see them working as part of a team of teams to deliver high profile mega projects. The roles include program and project planning, construction, civil engineering, resourcing and social impact.

Gary McKeating, Sellafield Ltd’s Head of Community and Development, said: “Raising young people’s aspirations and building their confidence is a key focus in our social impact strategy – SiX. I’m excited to see PPP already contributing towards this and providing quality employment opportunities to young people from the local community. Sellafield Ltd and our supply chain continue to attract, develop and retain world class talent and together prepare for ever increasing workforce diversity.”

KBR employees have also been active in the community delivering virtual talks to Cumbrian teenagers taking part in the Elements programme run by the Centre for Leadership Performance and sponsored by Sellafield Ltd. The fun and interactive program develops skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, creative thinking and problem solving. Participating students gain awareness of the various skills, engineering disciplines, job roles and capabilities within Sellafield Ltd and its supply chain companies and the breadth of career opportunities and study pathways available.

“At KBR, we are extremely proud of our long history in supporting critical work to achieve meaningful social, economic and environmental outcomes in the local areas of our projects,” said Suzanne Harding, KBR’s Government Solutions EMEA Head of Social Value.

“We recognise the importance of implementing social impact initiatives at early planning stages, in order to achieve maximum social value. Working in this way provides greater impact being delivered to local communities and the taxpayer by achieving the best Social Return on Investment, and that is exactly what we’re seeing here on PPP.”

KBR has a growing presence in the UK Nuclear sector. In May 2019 it joined four world leading partner organizations to transform the Sellafield Nuclear site in the North West of England, home to one of the most complex portfolios of construction and infrastructure projects in the world. The PPP model is set to transform project delivery at the site and create a lasting legacy, through long-term partnerships – transforming it into a world leader in environmental remediation.

KBR is contributing to PPP’s legacy which will benefit people and businesses across West Cumbria and a vast supply chain. The benefits range from increasing value for money for the UK taxpayer, increasing local employment opportunities, creating a sustainable local supply chain, investing in new education and training facilities and the community. Planning is already underway to recruit a second cohort of interns which will provide more life changing career opportunities for local residents.