E&M Grad Scheme Review

good but changes to grad scheme have meant there ae heavy restrictions and predetermined placements for some schemes like Engineering & Maintenance, whereas other schemes have freedom/flexibility to choose.
This can mean it is less likely you will end up in a role/team which is aligned to your academic background or interests - eg chemical engineer doing electrical-related work or mechanical engineer doing admin tasks & data entry/excel.

4 placements, 2 on site, and 1 each in reliability and design
design placement is interesting and uses much of the degree level engineering
site placements can be very good or very bad - either doing interesting engineering work or admin/plant tasks which do not require a degree.
reliability is similar to site placement - either interesting asset strategy work or admin/excel tasks which dont align with degree level background.

good when work is aligned to background and good for development.
But poor when it is essentially data entry or asset care work (job cards, searching for and updating tags, maintenance tasks, system health reports and updating excel databases for asset management work). the latter often can be done by anyone/does not align with academic background and is often done more effectively by workers that have been on plant as an apprentice or maintainer and know the system inside-out.
The excel work and updating internal databases are fine as part of a broader scope of work, but when given as main tasks, it feels like you are being de-skilled as these skills are not transferrable (these are bespoke systems not used elsewhere and will be phased out/updated) - as opposed to engineering in design placements which are calculations, modelling software, simulation packages which are ubiquitous across industry and very beneficial to become adept at.

very good salary but perks like hybrid working depend on your team. some grads have 3-4 days per week work from home, but some site grads are 5 days a week on site, no work from home, so it depends on your team - which for engineering and maintenance are randomly assigned and you have no say over.

good experience in some site work and design placement, but the excel work/data entry and "business as usual tasks" are not engineering and is done by those without engineering degrees, but have been there for years so know the assets, know how sellafield's processes and procedures work and have learnt how to use the internal systems well eg theyve served their time. for example if you started on the shop floor or as an apprentice by the same age as a uni graduate you've had nearly a decade of sellafield experience which can be hard to learn/get your head around during a grad scheme.
the data entry / database updating work would not prepare you well for an engineering career elsewhere/other companies but would prepare you well for a career at sellafield as these are internal systems and processes.

support from mentor and senior coordinator was very good.
good support pastorally, but no flexibility granted for placements - in engineering and maintenance these are all predetermined and you have no say, the work may not align with your discipline, eg chemical doing electrical tasks.
it is worth noting all other grad schemes, eg design, commissioning, construction have much more flexibility and choice over the secondments, so this is only for engineering and maintenance.

work times are 07:30-15:40 or 08:10-16:20 if you are based in cumbria, but in warrington you can start anytime between 0730-0900. the very early start times can mean most hobbies are harder to do, as cumbria is so remote you have to travel to do some sports, but the early start times mean you either have to sacrifice the hobby or sacrifice your sleep.
if your hobbies are just gym, gaming at home or socialising at pubs then you wont be affected.
the early start times and travel restrictions - you cannot drive to park and ride as single occupant etc are often not needed as an engineering graduate - eg starting at 0730 to sit in an office on site, not to perform maintenance or plant work.

the goals of the company are very interesting for those keen on nuclear.
Remote working depends on your scheme and your team - which are preassigned in e&m.
satellite offices are very welcoming with a more forward thinking culture and approach.
site offices are generally less welcoming and there can be plenty of favouritism/bias/exclusivity towards those that are local and served their time/worked their way up, i know many engineering graduates that 'put on' a local accent/mimic cumbrian dialect to try to fit in or do not mention they have a uni degree (eg local ex apprentices can stereotype you for having done a-levels and going to uni instead of starting "on the tools") .

quite inclusive and progressive in the satellite offices, lots of employee led networks and initiatives, charities etc.
being on site is a completely different story though, can be a much tricker environment to work in, often with no resemblance to modern company offices, and it can be hard to relate or build a rapport with colleagues if you are not a local. The offices on site can have a "locker room" vibe - this is speaking as a male in his 20s.
often the site based offices have workers that have had different backgrounds eg worked on the shop floor, or as an apprentice and therefore can have very different/outdated workplace attitudes.

No

yes if you choose a grad scheme that gives you flexibility in the placements - ie design, commissioning etc

did not match at all, advertised as engineering but can get pigeon holed and deskilled into data entry and excel work, the advertising from recruitment process was very different, saying that we could do placements with robotics and at least have a say in the areas we get to go into.