Tech students can now join new SRS Apprenticeship School

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Students attending area technical colleges can now participate in the new Apprenticeship School at the Savannah River Site.

In addition to getting paid, SRS apprentices gain job-related experience, network to obtain job references and test drive occupations of their choosing while pursuing college degrees.

A team of employees from SRNS, the Savannah River National Laboratory and liquid waste contractor Savannah River Mission Completion are working together to quickly grow and enhance the school. Generally, apprentices will be recruited twice each year to start school in January or in the fall.

The apprentice programs are designed for soon-to-be high school graduates or adults who want to plan for after graduation, need resources or support to attend college, have an interest in an occupation at SRS, and enjoy hands-on work.

Aiken and Denmark technical colleges are currently participating in the unique school.

“We’re in the process of developing a program with Augusta Technical College and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and recruiting a cohort of students from those colleges for the fall of this year,” said Dorian Newton, the SRNS Apprenticeship School Program manager.

Currently, the programs are built around three career paths: facility/production operators, maintenance mechanics, and electrical/instrumentation mechanics.

“We are also looking at increasing the number of maintenance mechanics and laboratory technician apprentices at the site sometime this year by partnering with local tech schools to further expand the number of apprentices at SRS,” Newton said. “In fact, the first class of maintenance apprentices recently graduated from our program.”

The school creates qualified full-service employees trained in specific disciplines needed on the Site. Students will complete this program with a nationally recognized and portable credential from the U.S. Department of Labor.

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