Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) marked a milestone this week as 10 apprentices completed training and were recognized as fully qualified nuclear operators for the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE).
The graduates were honored during a ceremony at Denmark Technical College, according to a press release from SRNS. The program combined eight months of classroom learning with paid, hands-on training under senior operators.
Graduates earned a Nuclear Fundamental Technology certificate from Denmark Technical College, along with a U.S. Department of Labor credential.
Graduate Caelan Postell reflected on the program’s impact during the ceremony.
“I want to thank the apprenticeship program for giving us this opportunity,” he said. “Not only did you give us a job, but you also gave us a career.”
Nick Miller, SRNS senior vice president for National Nuclear Security Administration Tritium Operations and Programs, highlighted the importance of the achievement.
“The graduates are now equipped not only with the foundational skills necessary to become world class operators, but also with a profound understanding of the strategic importance of their roles,” Miller said.
The Nuclear Operator Program is part of the larger SRS Apprenticeship School, which has produced more than 800 graduates. Ninety percent of its alumni have gone on to work at the Savannah River Site, supporting a variety of missions.
In addition to job placement and competitive wages, participants can apply their technical college credits toward an associate’s degree.
For more than 70 years, SRTE has provided the nation’s only tritium supply, a critical element for maintaining the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The apprenticeship program continues to build a pipeline of skilled workers to sustain this mission.
SRNS, a partnership between Fluor and HII, manages and operates the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina.
