Cleanup contractors at DOE’s Paducah Site engaged with the next-generation workforce at a Murray State University career fair for students from the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and occupational safety and health (OSH) fields.
DOE deactivation and remediation contractor Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership (FRNP) took the opportunity at the university in Murray, Kentucky, to recruit interns and build on the success of the internship program at the Paducah Site.
FRNP and the other site contractors have made a concerted effort to recruit and retain talent through the internship program to ensure the best and brightest in the region continue to support DOE’s mission at the Paducah Site.
“Recruiting the next generation of employees in the STEM and occupational safety and health fields is a high priority for DOE across the complex,” Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office Manager Joel Bradburne said. “The internship programs at the Paducah Site provides an opportunity for students to gain experience that hopefully translates into a full time career with DOE or our contractors.”
FRNP Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer Tristan Mathis began her career at the Paducah Site as an intern in 2019.
“My internship sparked an interest for me to want to come back (to the site) and learn more,” said Mathis. “Everyone I worked with during my internship contributed to my professional growth and staying local was important to me, so when I had an opportunity to apply for a full-time position, I took it.”
Mathis and many other interns have leveraged the knowledge and experience they acquired during their internship to pursue other opportunities at the site.
“The internship program brings plenty of enthusiasm for our employees,” said FRNP Program Manager Myrna Redfield. “Internships are one of the tools we use for workforce development at FRNP as we continue to see young students want to come back and work at the site.”
Internships at the Paducah Site provide students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom to practical tasks and project activities while learning from a team of experienced professionals.
