2.4
A Thriving and Ambitious Workforce
Beyond our unique set of specialist facilities, it is the skills, knowledge and energy of our people that drives our work and fuels our purpose.
From award winning graduates to internationally acclaimed subject matter experts, we are fortunate to have some of the sector’s best minds within our midst.
Meeting the aims of our Focus Areas means continuing to grow this thriving, ambitious and expert workforce and ensuring we are able to develop and retain the complex mix of capabilities we require.
We are building a culture where everybody feels valued and can flourish, and a reputation as a home for stimulating, rewarding careers.
With the urgency of the climate crisis, there is growing public consciousness about the role each and every one of us can play towards net zero. Across NNL, all our employees can be confident that they are making a positive difference to society, within their daily roles.
This potential will only grow with the people we retain and recruit.
By developing our use of people analytics, we are making better use of data and ensuring we can anticipate the future requirements of our workforce and undertake the strategic planning needed for NNL to fulfil its aims.
Not only have we expanded our programme for graduates and apprentices, but we are also successfully bringing in talented individuals from other sectors and industries. This cross-pollination of good ideas and effective practices is building our strength as an organisation and keeping us at the cutting-edge.
Hand in hand with our science and technology agenda is the continued personal and professional development of our people. Each year, we invest appropriately in their skills and training.
As we grow, the processes we use to improve employee experiences also evolve and develop. We aim to act on suggestions for improvement to meet our people’s needs and promote their health and wellbeing so that everybody can deliver their best work.
By moving to a hybrid working model, for example, we are providing greater flexibility for our teams and responding to the needs of our people, whilst retaining the highest standards for how we deliver.
Complementing all of this, we have strong and productive relationships with our Trade Unions, GMB, Prospect and Unite. All parties have worked hard to build trust and ensure a smooth and productive way of working.
Nurturing the next generation of scientists and innovators
NNL prides itself on giving brilliant individuals the chance to develop their careers and expertise in an environment of encouragement, support and scientific curiosity underpinned by decades of expertise in nuclear science.
“I was encouraged to lead, to think independently and most importantly to challenge the world around me. It is incredibly rewarding to know the work I did and continue to do is helping to ensure the nuclear sector has a progressive future and can continue to find solutions for some of the key challenges society faces.”
Dr Hayley Green Post-doctoral Researcher in Special Nuclear Materials
Dr Hayley Green, describes the science she was involved at NNL as a Post-doctoral Researcher in Special Nuclear Materials:
“I have a PhD in Chemistry and during my studies I had the opportunity to do a summer placement at NNL and from there my passion for nuclear science was confirmed.
During my two years at the lab, I was lucky enough to work collaboratively across the technical teams at both NNL and Sellafield Ltd. The programmes I’ve worked on have provided me with a solid foundation in the challenges the industry has and will face and, more importantly, a clear understanding of where our focuses need to lie going forward.
This included the Alpha Resilience Capability (ARC) programme, which is all about ensuring the nuclear sector has the skills, capabilities, and robust scientific understanding needed for decades to come. I was able to collaborate with colleagues from the breadth of the sector and I am proud of the role I could play in helping ensure that vital skills are being retained and generated for the future.
Through my time at NNL, I was encouraged to lead, to think independently and most importantly to challenge the world around me. It is incredibly rewarding to know the work I did and continue to do is helping to ensure the nuclear sector has a progressive future and can continue to find solutions for some of the key challenges society faces.”