Contributed / Savannah River Nuclear Solutions
A group of high-school students studying construction and welding at the Barnwell County Career Center recently learned about career opportunities at one of the largest construction projects happening in the nation – the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
The students and their instructors toured SRS to learn about the site’s missions and the increasing demand for construction workers to support the SRPPF project as SRS establishes an enduring pit production mission. Once constructed and operational, SRPPF will produce plutonium pits for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) in support of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.
“Students involved in the building and skilled trades programs at local high school career centers have promising career opportunities after high school,” said Kim Mitchell, Lead Education Outreach Specialist with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). “There is a high demand for skilled craft positions which led SRNS to enter into a Project Labor Agreement with the Augusta Building and Construction Trades Council. There are also supporting positions through the SRS Apprenticeship School.”
SRS is constructing SRPPF through repurposing an unfinished structure onsite which allows the NNSA to make use of an existing seismically-qualified, concrete structure with numerous supporting facilities and existing infrastructure.
During their visit, students received a short overview of SRS and apprenticeship programs, toured the Waste Solidification Building (WSB) facility, and spoke one-on-one with craft employees who shared their career experiences in the construction and labor relations fields.
The students also heard from a senior construction manager within the SRPPF project, who told them that starting their careers as part of the SRPPF project could lead to a lifelong career in an exciting and in-demand industry.
“SRS is planning for an influx of craft workers as construction of SRPPF is gearing up,” Mitchell said. “Over the coming years, thousands of construction workers will play an integral role in transforming the 400,000-square-foot structure into a modern production facility.”
Once construction is complete and upon reaching steady-state operations, it is expected that the SRPPF will require approximately 2,000 employees for its enduring mission.
The plutonium pit production mission is an essential part of the NNSA’s long-term strategy for nuclear stockpile sustainment. SRS and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) are working toward the shared responsibility to produce 80 pits per year to maintain and replenish the nuclear stockpile.
To learn more about SRNS education outreach initiatives and apprenticeship programs, visit these sites online: SRS - Education Outreach Programs and SRS Apprenticeship School.
SRS is a 310-square-mile site located near Aiken, S.C., on the Savannah River, which borders South Carolina and Georgia. SRS covers 198,046 acres, including parts of Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale counties in South Carolina. The SRS annual budget is approximately $3.8 billion, with a workforce of about 12,700.
Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile; works to reduce the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and militarily effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken.
