‘The UK’s nuclear industry is facing its biggest challenge in decades… Nuclear is back on the agenda. Engineers, scientists, business minds, talented managers and financial experts will all be essential to the future of this sector. That’s why leading businesses and organisations have come together to create a new graduate training programme; nucleargraduates is the most comprehensive scheme the industry has ever seen.’

Graduates joining the two year scheme with nucleargraduates can expect three placements; one onsite, one in a regulatory or governmental position and one with the private sector supply chain. Graduates are sponsored through the intensive program by industry players such as Rolls-Royce, Sellafield Ltd or the Office for Nuclear Regulation and mentors are on-hand to assist with the chartership process with institutions such as IMechE or RSC. The nucleargraduates scheme requires its graduates to be highly mobile and move around the UK extensively, whilst there are also opportunities for international secondments. With an average score of 3.9, nucleargraduates is rated especially well for training (4.4), colleagues (4.6) and ethics (4.2), however, there are slightly lower scores in management (2.9) and benefits (3.3). 

The average working hours for graduates with nucleargraduates range from 8am – 4pm, with an environmental officer explaining that ‘this varies depending on secondment and company’ and a decommissioning graduate working an average of 07:30 to 17:00 added ‘although the hours are long, the company I work for only work 37 hour week and get Fridays off’. When it comes to average graduate salary, the figures stand at £23,000 – £25,000, with one graduate explaining that ‘while the salary is lower than comparable energy sector schemes there is a significant fund available to each individual for Continued Professional Development and an expenses fund to enable that. Furthermore the job you move on to after the 2 year scheme is likely to be significantly higher than the nucleargrads salary’.

The best and worst things about working for nucleargraduates include;

‘The flexibility to plan your own secondments, training and development. Being one of a large group of individuals, largely in different locations and with varying requirements can lead to frustrations when planning and organising events and training. Communication links with HQ can be challenging but these are improving.’
nucleargraduate, Environmental at nucleargraduates
 
‘Lots of training, opportunities to visit nuclear facilities and government departments. The chance to do three separate 8-month placements, a large network of colleagues and support staff. Not necessarily guaranteed a job after the two year scheme. Some of the graduate scheme training could do with some tweaking.’
Geologist – Siting and Research, Radioactive Waste Management at nucleargraduates
 
‘The flexibility and the number of different opportunities available. The salary isn’t great, but with the training and T&S budgets included it’s not too bad.’
nucleargraduate, Rolls-Royce at nucleargraduates
 
Finally, interview tips include;
 
Application Advice: Do your research. This is a graduate scheme to feed into multiple companies. Make sure you know what these companies do, and especially which companies are present when you’re being interviewed.
Interview Advice: Just stay calm. The interview process is meant to make you uncomfortable, and you are all in the same boat. Also talk to the interviewers during the time between sessions, and at the dinner in the evening
Mechanical Engineering Assessor, Mechanical Engineering Graduate at nucleargraduates
 
Application Advice: Use the STAR technique to answer application questions. Use experience based examples and try to use some extra curricular examples as well as just academic.
Interview Advice: Try to think outside the box but be honest and be yourself, these people are mainly looking for people they think they could work with.
nucleargraduates programme member, ONR Sponsored at nucleargraduates
 
Application Advice: Have an idea which sponsor you would like to work for.
Interview Advice: Be preapred for a challenging 2-day assessment centre. Do a lot of research about the company and the industry to give you the best possible chance.
nucleargraduate, Rolls-Royce at nucleargraduates
 
Click here to view the full range of job reviews and take a look at the video below to find out more about the scheme from nucleargraduates themselves!
 
 

Over 600 companies reviewed and compared
Over 20k salaries compared
100s of jobs currently available
The top 150 companies to work for

Interview Tips That Will Help You Get the Job

Experts from the best companies in the UK share their experience and advice on how to boss the interview process

interview tips

Jazz Panesar is a Digital and Technology Apprentice at Severn Trent. Read Jazz’s story here.

1
Have your own questions prepared. It's your turn! As the interview comes to a close, one of the final questions you may be asked is "What can I answer for you?" Your interviewer will expect you to have...
2
Research the Company. Do your homework about the employer and the industry so you are ready for the interview question "What do you know about this company?"
© Copyright TheJobCrowd 2024 - Terms & Conditions - Privacy Website by PRG Marketing Ltd