Students | https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/local-students-complete-los-alamos-waste-operator-boot-camp
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management has announced that twelve operators in nuclear waste processing have successfully completed a 16-week Nuclear Waste Processing Operator (NWPO) Boot Camp and obtained their certifications as nuclear waste processors or handlers. The program was provided by Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos (N3B), a legacy cleanup contractor for EM Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA), in collaboration with the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA).
In addition to the NWPO Boot Camp, N3B also offers a Radiological Control Technician (RCT) Boot Camp through a similar arrangement with UNM-LA, according to the DOE Office of Environmental Management.
The graduates of the NWPO Boot Camp have secured full-time positions at N3B and earned 10 college credits after passing the waste operator comprehensive exam. The program combines on-the-job waste remediation training for the EM-LA legacy cleanup mission at LANL with classroom instruction at UNM-LA, taught by N3B instructors who hold faculty titles.
"The NWPO Boot Camp program has been very successful," said Paul Allen, dean of instruction at UNM-LA. "Many of these participants may not have seen themselves as prospective college students. But when they complete this certification, they see they can manage college coursework, and that provides them with an incentive to continue their education."
During their participation in the boot camp, attendees receive a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits. N3B also covers the tuition expenses of both boot camp participants and graduates who choose to pursue an associate degree in nuclear enterprise science and technology at UNM-LA.
James O’Grady, N3B Operations Manager, expressed confidence in the boot camp programs, stating, "The NWPO and RCT boot camp programs are critical in helping us train and retain the staff we need to support our work under the Los Alamos Legacy Cleanup Contract for EM-LA. I’m confident the boot camps and the experience these graduates gain as they work with us will serve as the foundation for successful careers long after we complete our mission here."
The NWPO Boot Camp and RCT Boot Camp are part of the efforts to train and retain skilled workers for the Los Alamos Legacy Cleanup Contract. The graduates of these programs are equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to the cleanup mission and build successful careers in the field of nuclear waste processing and handling.
