10 New Apprentices Start At Dounreay

17th September 2016

Photograph of 10 New Apprentices Start At Dounreay

Dounreay has said "you're hired" to ten local newcomers who have started their careers at Dounreay this week. This makes it the 61st consecutive year that apprentices have joined the site.

The four-year apprenticeship scheme allows the successful applicants to gain on the job experience and training, whilst studying part-time through the University of the Highlands and Islands in Thurso, to gain higher national certificates and diplomas. This year, there are two mechanical apprentices, three instrument apprentices, two electrical apprentices and two design apprentices.

Apprentice, Adam Gunn, said: "I am the third generation of my family to work on site and am excited to contribute to the decommissioning work at the site, now and in the future."

Fellow apprentice, Connor Cormack, added: "I can't wait to start learning practical skills and theory after visiting our workshops for the first time this week."

David Lowe, Deputy Managing Director, said: “Investing in new skills is important for Dounreay and for the local community. Having recently taken on ten graduates, we are delighted to welcome our ten local apprentices, who will play a fundamental part in decommissioning the site.”

Well over 1,000 people have served their time as apprentices at Dounreay since the scheme began in 1955, with many now located across the world using the skills and knowledge they have learned at the site.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

30/6/2026 : Other Public Services

 
Innovative robotics trialled to tackle nuclear waste challenges

Innovative robotic solutions being trialled at Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) Oldbury site to tackle most challenging aspects of legacy waste management.   Oldbury nuclear decommissioning site is a trailblazer for robotics and other innovative approaches, with NRS deploying robotics trials in South Gloucestershire to tackle some of the most challenging aspects of legacy waste management, reducing risk to workers and improving efficiency.  

16/6/2026 : Other Public Services

 
NDA group employees recognised by His Majesty the King

Three NDA group employees awarded honours in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours list.   Three NDA group employees have been awarded honours in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours list, for services to the nuclear industry and the local community.  

4/6/2026 : Other Public Services

Wylfa Decommissioning But With Good Propects For Future Nuclear Dvelopments

Wylfa, located on Anglesey, North Wales, is a historic nuclear site that operated from 1971 to 2015, featuring the UK's largest and last Magnox reactors.   Known for its significant contribution to UK energy, it is currently undergoing decommissioning while being designated as a premier location for new, small modular reactor (SMR) technology.  

20/5/2026 : Other Public Services

 
Scottish nuclear site hails e-learning platform as great example of industry collaboration

The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board’s (ECITB) award-winning e-learning platform has been hailed as a great example of industry collaboration in action.   To mark Learning at Work Week 2026, NRS Dounreay has highlighted how the ECITB’s Learning Experience Platform (LXP) has become a “go-to training solution” for its 1,400 workers.  

15/5/2026 : Other Public Services

 
NRS socio-economic funding supports 129 UK community projects

Almost £2 million was invested by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) last year in socio-economic initiatives, supporting good causes in communities local to its 14 decommissioning sites.   The NRS socio-economic scheme provided £1,979,721 during 2025-26 to enhance the social and economic wellbeing of communities located near NRS sites.  

15/4/2026 : Other Public Services

Buried in the Sand: The Radioactive Legacy Washing Up on Britain's Shores

It sounds like something from a Cold War thriller, not a family day out: fragments of radioactive material, invisible to the naked eye, quietly lying in the sand.  Yet for decades, beaches near Dounreay and Sellafield have been the final resting place for exactly that.  

14/3/2026 : Other Public Services

 
Why Repaint a Building Marked for Demolition? The Practical Logic Behind the Dounreay Dome's Fresh Coat

At first glance, the decision to repaint the iconic Dounreay dome as it is a structure already scheduled for demolition seems baffling.  Why spend money maintaining a building that will soon be torn down? Why refresh the exterior of a landmark whose days are numbered? The answer is far more practical than it appears.  

11/3/2026 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
Nuclear project academy goes national

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is launching a UK‑wide training programme to support the development of project professionals across the nuclear sector.   The One NDA Project Academy is an expansion of a programme initially launched at Sellafield in 2016.  

3/2/2026 : Other Public Services

 
From Headlines to Hidden Lines - Dounreay's Quiet Legacy of Radioactive Particles

For years, radioactive particles discovered near Dounreay were headline news.  Each find triggered a press release, picked up by local and national outlets, reminding communities that the nuclear legacy was still with us.  

17/12/2025 : Advisory / Counseling Services

UKAEA and NDA strengthen collaborative approach to decommissioning

UKAEA and NDA sign formal agreement to share knowledge and expertise, advancing the delivery of major decommissioning programmes.   Memorandum of Understanding agreed to enable and encourage knowledge sharing, and improve best practice.