AIKEN, S.C. - The Reaching Engineers at the Development Years (READY) program provides an avenue for personal and professional growth at the Savannah River Site (SRS) while supporting the liquid waste cleanup mission.
Early career engineers can join the five-year career development program when they begin working for SRS liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation (SRR). The program stands on six foundational pillars - job rotation, training and development, mentoring/coaching, professional development, site visibility, and social networking.
SRR Salt Waste Processing Facility Senior Project Advisor Carl Scherman chairs READY. Scherman recognizes the challenges newly graduated engineers face when considering their careers. He said allowing participants to spend their first year rotating through three assignments gives them exposure to the many ways legacy liquid waste is remediated at SRS.
“Choosing an industry can be a daunting task, and many times newly graduated engineers are unsure about the trajectory of their careers," Scherman said. “Participation in the program helps SRR meet their business needs by developing its engineer workforce through a structured experience where employees obtain a broader knowledge of the liquid waste process."
The employees’ educational background sets the path for customized progression, allowing the engineers to find niches in the liquid waste system. They build knowledge and skills, increasing their advancement opportunities, while helping SRR retain its employees.
DOE-Savannah River Facility Engineer/Safety System Oversight Engineer Tom Temple said READY supports the long-term liquid waste mission by developing the contractor’s early career workforce.
“We are always trying to develop and implement new technology to better achieve our goal of safely receiving, storing, processing, and ultimately dispositioning the waste," Temple said. “This approach makes the work interesting, and keeps engineers engaged."
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
