12-04-2021
Lancashire Energy HQ takes home the double at national nuclear awards
Nuclear Engineering Degree Apprenticeship toasted as UK’s best collaboration project and LEHQ student wins Advanced Apprentice of the Year Award.
At the 13th UK Nuclear Skills Awards, organised by NSAN, the team at LEHQ won the ‘Best Provider & Employer Collaboration Award’ for their Nuclear Degree Apprenticeship programme, beating tough competition from other major nuclear organisations and cementing the programme as one of the best in the UK.
Lancashire Energy HQ competed alongside Magnox Apprentice Recruitment and The Project Academy for Sellafield for its latest award.
Learning experts at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone engineering and manufacturing centre devised the world-class study programme in conjunction with employers BAE Systems (Submarines), Westinghouse Springfield Fuels, North West Projects and the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Candice Downie, Operations Manager at Lancashire Energy HQ, said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised with our partners for our work in delivering training to the next generation of nuclear industry leaders.
“This degree apprenticeship is proven to deliver high calibre engineers, which in turn is attracting others ambitious and talented students to the programme.
“Our first-class facilities and support we offer to employer partners has been identified among a range of benefits for working with Lancashire Energy HQ and B&FC on higher and degree apprenticeship programmes.”
The Nuclear Engineering Degree Apprenticeship is now in its 5th year – and due to be accredited by The Institution of Engineering and Technology later in 2021.
There are currently 50 nuclear apprentices on the programme.
To find out more about courses offered at the pioneering centre for engineering and manufacturing excellence,
visit lancashireenergyhq.blackpool.ac.uk or call 01253 504343.
Individual success for LEHQ student
In addition to LEHQ’s degree programme success, it was great news for one of its BENg (Hons) students, Kane Porter, who won the ‘Advanced Apprentice of the Year Award’, amid fierce competition from across the UK. Kane works at Westinghouse Nuclear Fuels and has studied at LEHQ from apprenticeship through to degree level.
We spoke to Kane to hear about his experience at LEHQ and to congratulate him on his win:
Tell us about your win:
“NSAN has a number of different awards for different levels of apprenticeship. The award that I won was for the advanced level, which acknowledges success in training for skills in the nuclear industry. Unfortunately, the usual celebrations were moved online due to covid-19 restrictions, but we were sent a gift box in the post that I enjoyed whilst celebrating with my family.”
What does this mean for you?
“My apprenticeship was sponsored by Westinghouse, where I now work, which is a similar set-up to many other apprentices on the programme – the majority get offered a full term contract at the place which covered their apprenticeship.
“However, the great thing about the course is that it covers a lot of different areas and you learn lots of transferable skills. People can go on to doing a masters, and then specialise in one particular area later, or take advantage of the many different doors that it opens up for your future career.”
What did you particularly like about LEHQ?
“Employers have meetings with B&FC to review and write material for the courses – it’s very much a collaborative effort. Course students are often brought into these meetings to give overall insight and feedback on the programmes, so that they can continue to improve them from both sides.
“The courses and teaching at B&FC are excellent and have definitely contributed to my recent success.”
