The next generation of energy workers: Bradley Price

Bradley Price, 20, has just started the second year of his Mechanical Engineering degree apprenticeship programme, which requires working four days a week at Nuclear Transport Solutions, part of the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

After school, I always wanted to go down the engineering route, but I was open to different pathways. I applied for university, as well as trying to find apprenticeships because my sixth form was pushing the university option quite hard.

However, in my head, I always knew that apprenticeships were going to be better and more beneficial for me.

Obviously, with university, the fees are very expensive and to pay for that when you’re not 100% sure if it’s something you’re going to be doing forever is a big commitment.

Bradley Price

I thought having hands-on experience would also make me stand out, compared to a graduate with just the degree, which helps solidify my role in company.

I found this five-year Mechanical Engineering degree apprenticeship, with an added section on Nuclear, because I’d be working for Nuclear Transport Solutions through my degree. I thought it sounded cool and it was a paid role too, so I applied for it, and I actually got the role.

I did Physics at A-Level, so I knew about Sellafield, but I didn’t know much about the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and I wasn’t very clued up about how Britain handles its nuclear waste.

In my first year, doing the HNC, I was full-time at college and just coming into the office at NTS during half-term and on breaks.

Since the summer though, I’ve been working here full-time at Hinton House in Warrington, as an Apprentice Design Engineer, and will be going to college on Wednesdays. This is the pattern now until the end of the apprenticeship.

Working at NTS

I’ve been made to feel very welcome at NTS. Everyone is so friendly and wants to help you. It’s a small team so you get to know everyone well. They just take you in and treat you as their own.

I’m looked after, but I’m not too supervised either, so it’s a good middle ground. I have my own independence and get on with my own work and my college stuff. Also, I always have the opportunity to go on different trips and training courses.

At the moment, I’m learning the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software which we use in work because we used a different one in college so this will take some adjusting.

I’ve been designing a tool and doing calculations like bending moments, stress and strength to figure out if it works properly and will withstand the required stresses.

I really enjoy the CAD work. I always wanted to do something in design so it’s funny I’ve got into design through this route. I like the freedom when designing to be creative, but you’ve also got to follow the proper guidelines.

I’m also currently designing something for the website because I’ve done as much as I can on the tool for the moment, so it’s another little task for me.

I’ve enjoyed doing the nuclear module at college too because it’s a break from doing all the maths! It’s more about the history and theory of nuclear, and I feel that’s beneficial because that’s the industry I’m going into.

The future

Although I am just an apprentice, I wanted to join Prospect because starting an apprenticeship is intimidating especially at the start; you think you’re coming into this by yourself. I guess being part of a union helped me feel that I’m not alone.

I’ve got four years left and at the end I’ll have a Mechanical Engineering degree and all the hands-on experience that I’ll have gained. There will be a permanent role offered, I think, but I may need to do an interview again. That’s the plan though; that when the apprenticeship ends, I’ll stay here with a permanent job.

• Read more: Adam Lever, NTS, on his apprenticeship