AIKEN, S.C. - New Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) engineers supporting EM cleanup at the Savannah River Site (SRS) participate in the six-month Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP) to ease the transition from college to career.
“We at SRNS have a genuine interest in making sure our new engineers are ready, in all respects, for their first full-time engineering position," SRNS ELDP Manager David Bugg said. “It’s in the best interest of all involved. We want to heavily invest in each new hire, with the desire to keep them for the full length of their career."
The management and operations contractor’s program integrates technical engineering and operational training with work projects in facilities and processes across the site. The new hires work one on one with experienced engineers who act as mentors as they transfer knowledge to the new employees.
EM's Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) gave new hire Jordan Weininger a four-month assignment. Working with engineer and mentor Jean Plummer, Weininger became interested in the laboratory’s research and development program.
“It was a highly interesting research and development project that required skills in design engineering," Bugg said.
Weininger was integral to the team, according to Plummer. He later accepted an offer to work in the laboratory’s research and development program.
“Initially, we had several needs that were perfect for the pool of ELDP engineers," Plummer said. “Without their help, the unfunded projects they took on may have taken years to complete."
A recent graduate of Clemson University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Weininger said ELDP offers a unique experience to graduates.
“In this program, experienced members of the SRNS team take the time to guide us through a variety of tasks, work environments and training courses that prepare us for successful placement on site. It certainly worked for me," he said.
The SRNS engineering division invests most of its recruiting resources in regional colleges and universities. This strategy supports the schools’ academic engineering programs and produces candidates for SRS with local ties, helping increase employee satisfaction and retention.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
