Programmes
Learn more about our work experience programmes available by clicking into each of the below.
Engineering Design
Locations: West Cumbria & Warrington
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 12.
Do you have an interest in problem solving and creative thinking? Would you like to experience an exciting and rewarding challenge whilst gaining an insight into the opportunities we have available in engineering?
During your work experience week, you will be tasked with defining and developing a solution to a real-life engineering problem at Sellafield Ltd, whilst working within a multiple discipline design team.
You will work with degree apprentices, industrial placement students and graduates based in process engineering design, mechanical engineering design, control, electrical & instrumentation engineering design, civil & structural engineering design, and Sellafield advanced business analytics team (SABA). You will also meet members of the Sellafield Ltd design community who all play different roles in delivering the success of our mission.
Whilst you are with us, we will support you in further developing some of the essential skills required for your future success including but not limited to teamwork & leadership, listening & speaking, problem solving and creativity.
Engineering & Maintenance
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & 12.
An award-winning work experience programme which will give you exposure to some of the key roles within our Engineering profession. This is a hands on task based programme in a workshop environment. Throughout the week you will work with some of subject matter experts to understand roles including;
Remote operated vehicle (ROV) is a cool robot that you can control from a distance using a remote control! These machines can move in different places, like on land, underwater, or even in the air.
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone, is a small flying robot that you can control without being inside it! You use a remote control to make it fly up, down, and all around.
Drones are fun and teach you how things fly, plus you can explore the world from a whole new view!
Condition-based monitoring (CBM) is a way to keep machines and equipment healthy by checking how they’re doing while they are working. Imagine if your bike had a special system that told you when the tyres were getting flat or the chain needed oil, even before you noticed that there was something wrong.
CBM is like giving machines a way to “talk” and let people know when they need help!
Civils or civil engineering is all about designing and building things that help people, like roads, bridges, and buildings.
Civil engineering is like being a builder for the whole community, making sure everything works well and stays safe for everyone!
Maintenance – good Maintenance plays a crucial role in keeping equipment, machinery and systems in a good working condition. You will learn how we keep our plants safe, efficient and healthy, using routine maintenance and fault finding. You are exposed to hand tools, test equipment and learn about following processes i.e documentation and instructions.
You will develop essential skills in listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, staying positive, leadership and teamwork throughout the week.
Quality
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 12.
Quality is about ensuring that everything we do is fit for purpose, consistently meets evolving stakeholder (a person, group or organisation with a vested interest, or stake, in the decision-making and activities) needs and continually improves over time. At Sellafield Ltd, our commitment to quality drives us to reduce nuclear hazards and speeds up the process of making the site safe, not just for today but for the future.
During the week you will explore the concept of quality which will include establishing management systems, planning for quality, applying quality assurance and control, monitoring, measuring, auditing and reviewing, and driving continuous improvement.
You will have the opportunity to collaborate with team members across the business, gaining insights from their experiences. At the end of the week, you will deliver a 5-minute presentation to the quality leads, sharing what you have learnt.
Nuclear Welding Inspection & Assurance
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & year 12.
Please note: Learners in year 10 must be aged 15 at the time of work experience.
Are you fascinated by how things are made? Curious about the science behind metals and welding or simply someone who loves to make sure everything is built to perfection? Our work experience programme is designed just for young people like you, who are eager to dive into the world of weld inspection.
Why nuclear welding inspection?
Nuclear welding inspection is an essential part of ensuring that everything from bridges to nuclear facilities, and high-tech gadgets are safe, strong, and built to last. It’s about more than just looking at welds—it’s about understanding the process, working with advanced technology, and playing a key role in major projects that shape our world.
This is your chance to step into an exciting, hands-on environment where you’ll learn not just by watching, but by doing. Whether you’re thinking about a future career in engineering, science, or manufacturing, this programme will give you a head start and valuable insights into a field that’s crucial to so many industries.
Environment, Safety and Health Physics
Location: West Cumbria
Year Group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & year 12.
Please note: Learners in year 10 must be aged 15 at the time of work experience.
Are you inspired to create a clean and safe environment for yours and future generations?
Would you like to experience how our environment, safety and health physics professionals tackle real life situations at Sellafield Ltd and how this contributes to reducing the nuclear hazard to make the Sellafield Site safer sooner?
This project–based programme will enable you to learn how we keep our people and the environment safe. In our industry this also includes the impact of radiation and contamination which is managed by our team members known as health physics monitors.
You will be asked to think creatively in order to propose a solution to a nuclear problem, including considerations for conventional (day to day) and radiological safety.
You will get the opportunity to meet and work with members of our health physics, safety and environmental teams to hear first-hand how they are creating, clean and safe environment for generations to come.
At the end of the week you will present your idea back to the Sellafield Ltd environment, health, and safety team at the end of the week.
Operations & Safety Case
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 12.
This is a week-long programme for students in the later stages of full-time education offering an insight into the exciting and challenging areas of both the operations profession and the safety case profession. It is ideal for people interested in pursuing a career in a technical or analytical role, process engineering, business and leadership or lean manufacturing. It is office-based and includes a visit to the Sellafield site.
This is a project–based programme where students will learn about all aspects of operations and safety case. Using the knowledge you gain, you will work to develop and implement a safety case for a nuclear plant, taking account of how you will keep operators safe in this environment. Through practical tasks you will build experience in developing a document structure, identifying hazards, compiling safety assessments and understanding nuclear operator tasks.
At the end of your placement, you will be invited to present your work to members of both professions.
It is also a chance to improve softer skills including your listening, speaking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, all of which will be useful in your future career.
IT & Digital
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 12.
Do you have an interest in creative thinking, problem solving and teamwork? Are you interested in finding out how Sellafield Ltd as part of the nuclear sector are using technology solutions to deliver our mission while removing our people from harm?
Our operational technology group (OTG) and information technology and communications teams (ICT) are key components to Sellafield Ltd being successful in delivery of our mission, and will be demonstrating the vastly interconnected world, and how concepts learned at the desk, can be applied to huge projects.
It is also a chance to improve softer skills including your listening, speaking, problem solving, creativity, teamwork, and leadership skills, all of which will be useful in your future career.
This work experience programme will provide you with the opportunity to develop these skills through a range of activities such as designing, developing, deploying, and testing programming solutions to navigate a robotic dog around a mock nuclear facility. You will gain an appreciation of IT systems and insight to cyber security.
You will have the opportunity to meet and engage with members of our team who are at the cutting edge of developing technological solutions to enable us to successfully deliver our mission.
Business Administration
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & year 12.
Our Business Administration work experience programme will provide you with the opportunity to be emersed in our offices as part of nuclear professional teams, carrying out administrative tasks. This programme will provide you with a real-life insight into our business administration career pathway.
During this Business Admin work experience programme, you will rotate around multiple areas within our Group Business Services department and complete several activities. Your week will also include a visit to the Sellafield Ltd floor in the beacon at Whitehaven, where you will understand the critical role we have played in the UK Nuclear story so far. We have designed this programme to support the development of essential skills: listening, speaking, problem solving, leadership and teamwork all within an office-based environment.
Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
Locations: West Cumbria & Warrington
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 12.
This week-long programme has been developed for students to provide an insight into the critical role that members of the communications and stakeholder engagement professions play at Sellafield Ltd. This programme is ideal for you if you are interested in pursuing a career in marketing, media, design, photography, internal / external communications, and stakeholder engagement.
During your week with us you will have the opportunity to take part in our project–based programme where you will learn about all aspects of communications and stakeholder engagement. You will be emersed within our offices and work alongside members of our media, stakeholder engagement, digital and social media, and internal communications teams. While the placement is office-based, we aim to bring to life Sellafield’s important role in the UK nuclear story with a visit to the Sellafield Story exhibition at the Beacon Museum, Whitehaven.
Using the knowledge you develop through the week, you will be tasked producing a multi-media presentation detailing the past, present, and future of Sellafield Ltd aimed at people of your own age.
We will invite you to present this to our head of external communications.
Through the practical tasks that you will experience you will build awareness and skills in interviewing, writing for different audiences, using communications channels effectively, audience insight, measurement and evaluation, and presentation skills.
Legal
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for year 12 learners.
A week-long office-based programme for students who are or who are considering taking law at university or wanting to pursue a career in law. This programme offers an insight into the legal profession and the office of General Counsel.
This is a project–based programme where students will learn about all aspects of practice in an “in-house” environment. You will meet members of our legal, company secretary, corporate investigations and conduct and compliance teams. Through working examples, learners will build experience in all aspects of the legal practice at Sellafield, such as regulatory law, planning and real estate, commercial and employment law.
At the end of your placement, you will be invited to present your work to the General Counsel of Sellafield.
Dive Team
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & year 12.
The Sellafield dive team conduct diving and marine services for the Sellafield site. Work involves commercial diving, commercial vessel operation, maintenance of diving equipment and other assets including the onsite decompression chamber, compressors and ROVs (remotely operated vehicle). We operate at several inland and offshore workfaces.
This scheme will give you an insight into the design, engineering, maintenance and operation of a bespoke standalone diving team providing services for the Sellafield site.
There will be opportunities to assist as deck crew during vessel operations, assist the diver assembling the rig, kitting and de-kitting, checking the diver’s equipment. This is known as dive tenders. You’ll also get an overview of the recompression chamber operations and have involvement in emergency scenario training.
Dependant on weather and time we will also work with ROVs and learn basic first aid and casualty treatment.
Firefighter
Location: West Cumbria
Year group: Suitable for learners in year 10 & year 12.
Please note: Learners in year 10 must be 15 at the time of work experience.
This is a week-long programme for students who are in the later stages of full-time education offering an insight into the firefighting profession. Ideal for people interested in pursuing in firefighting or emergency services.
This is a hands-on programme where students will learn about all aspects of firefighting and emergency services. This active placement is based in a training facility where you will take part in general firefighter drills, ambulance introductions, road traffic collision exercises, a chance to use breathing apparatus as well as demos throughout the week from the on-duty crew.
There is also the opportunity to meet the Deputy Chief and complete a first aid course which is externally accredited.
It is also a chance to improve softer skills including your listening, speaking, teamwork, and leadership skills, all of which will be useful in your future career.
Evolve – Robotics & Artificial Intelligence
Location: West Cumbria
Year Group: Suitable for learners in year 10.
Do you have a passion or interest in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Would you like to build your understanding of how we use technology at Sellafield Ltd today, to help us fulfil our mission in creating a clean and safe environment for future generations?
Evolve is a work experience programme focussing on reducing the nuclear hazard through the introduction of technology. During the programme, you will be tasked with proposing a solution to a real life engineering problem at Sellafield Ltd, using creative thinking and problem solving.
Based in West Cumbria, whilst on the programme you will get to meet and work with some of our nuclear professionals from different areas of the business who all play important roles in the successful delivery of our projects. Meeting a range of employees from robotics, project management, engineering, quality and commissioning, you will get a real insight in to the different careers available at Sellafield Ltd.
You will work as a project team to develop a solution to the problem: remotely monitoring our hundreds of kilometres of pipework, much of which is critical to the operation of our site. As part of a team you will need to investigate, design and develop proposals for how we could remotely inspect the pipework using technology and present this solution back to the Sellafield Ltd team at the end of the week.
As part of the programme, we will support you in further developing some of the essential skills for success: teamwork, listening & speaking, problem solving, and creativity.
The Evolve Work Experience Programme is managed and facilitated by Centre for Leadership & Performance (CfLP), on behalf of Sellafield Ltd.
If you would like to apply for this opportunity please click here.
All correspondence for this programme will be sent to you from Centre For Leadership Performance (CfLP).