The first cohort of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Nuclear Operator Apprentices from Denmark Technical College (DTC) graduated on Thursday, March 9, after completing their Nuclear Fundamentals Certificate program. This certificate program is part of the Savannah River Site (SRS) Apprenticeship School designed to create qualified full-service employees trained in specific disciplines needed at SRS.

“The SRNS program was established six years ago beginning with Aiken Technical College, but was recently mirrored at DTC with tremendous success,” said David Jackson, SRS Apprenticeship School Program Lead. SRNS is creating new job opportunities and adding qualified operators to its workforce in collaboration with DTC, a two-year college that primarily serves Bamberg, Barnwell and Allendale counties.

“Denmark Technical College is elated to partner with the Savannah River Site and Apprenticeship Carolina for this revolutionary program that produces highly qualified employees to help fill the workforce pipeline in the nuclear industry, as we continue to put the tech back in Denmark Tech,” said Willie L. Todd Jr., Ph.D., Denmark Technical College President and Chief Executive Officer. The seven-month program is a unique learning experience with two days at SRS and two days in a DTC classroom. After completing a combination of classroom training, job shadowing and hands on assignments, the seven graduates will now transition to the SRNS H Canyon facility to apply their skills and knowledge to become fully qualified operators.

While receiving a competitive salary and benefits from SRNS, students also gain transferrable college credits almost entirely funded by grants and local partnerships. “It is a great feeling of accomplishment to be part of this graduating class,” said Kelsey Lewis, Operator, SRS H Canyon Outside Facilities, “I put a lot of hours and effort into this program and created such a strong bond with my fellow cohort members. This opportunity created a new path for me to provide for my family and reach new heights in my career.” Jackson designed the program to inspire students to overcome obstacles while establishing strong workplace relationships with other cohort members. “The curriculum promotes collaboration and bonding. As the students grow individually, they improve the functionality of the entire team. The family-like relationships they build in this setting will carry over to their careers at SRNS.”