Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) is working closely with the Allendale County School System to develop a paid youth apprenticeship pilot program at the Savannah River Site (SRS). According to Dorian Newton, SRNS Apprenticeship and Pipeline Training, a successful apprenticeship program is already in place to develop and grow the talents of area high school-age students currently enrolled at nearby technical colleges offering occupational certificates and two-year degrees.

“We’re talking a small number of students for the pilot youth apprentice program,” said Newton. “But it’s an important step within a dedicated effort to learn what is best for the students. This is especially true regarding balancing their time in school with hours worked at SRS. By the end of the pilot program, we’re confident we’ll have a promising plan to move forward with an optimized program meeting the needs of numerous students from high schools throughout the region.”

The program exposes youth apprentices to specific sets of duties and responsibilities common to many missions pursued at the Department of Energy site. “This, of course, will help achieve one of our company’s most important objectives, creating a strong employee pipeline filled with qualified candidates possessing a variety of skills and abilities tailored to the needs of our company,” said Newton. He noted that both apprenticeship programs, at the youth- and collegiatelevel, provide an important avenue for these students who are often facing social, educational and economic barriers not experienced to the same degree as most high school or technical college students in other parts of the state.

“I am confident that the resources in Allendale County School District, combined with those at SRNS, will create new and innovative ways to inspire and grow our scholars, resulting in a robust positive relationship that will ultimately