Graduate Project Manager Review

The Graduate Scheme at Sellafield is a good opportunity if you're willing to accept responsibility. There is quite a large amount of trust placed on graduates (more so towards the end of the schemes) and it is expected that graduates are willing to get stuck in and progress things.

I like engaging with different people. Getting to see all the different roles throughout the business has been really interesting. On the project management scheme the key skill is how you communicate, it has been a good challenge to learn different communication & leadership styles.
The main responsibilities have been closely tied to project delivery. Centred around being responsible for a section of a project, covering aspects such as monthly reporting, and earned value.

My final placement (PM scheme does 4, 6 month placements) has been brilliant in terms of exposure and responsibility. Typically at the start you are, quite rightly, eased in gently. Sometimes this could be frustrating if you feel confident enough to do something but it is important to learn from those who have been doing this for a long time - their advice is invaluable.

The salary, pension, work-life balance, and leave allowances are some of the best I have seen in the country. Working in the nuclear sector can be incredibly challenging so I was pleased to see the compensation package is more than fair.

Where I have ended up working specifically, is one of the most challenging areas for Sellafield as an organisation. The scope I have been managing in this area has been tough but I am continuously learning. This sets me up well for my future career, dealing with such challenges at an early stage in my working life will certainly help as I gain more responsibility throughout my career.

In the project management scheme we are given, placement managers, line managers, pathway leads, and mentors. There is always someone who is available to help. Regular check-ins and, more formal, appraisals are held to ensure we're on track. I personally, wouldn't have wanted anymore support.

This is likely to differ from scheme to scheme, and manager to manager. But in my experience the work life balance is excellent. There is not the expectation that you work beyond your hours, and in the event that you do, in my experience, people are more than flexible when it comes to getting that time back.

General office culture is good, people are always busy but happy to help out where they can. Working on site, specifically in some of the legacy facilities, the atmosphere can be much more serious - which of course is to be expected when working in dangerous environments.

Since I have been in the organisation, I have seen the company make great improvements in this area. They are supportive and run frequent initiatives to discuss the importance of being inclusive.

Yes

The compensation package, work-life balance, and challenging work all make the company a good all round place to work. The graduate scheme is a structured way to enter the organisation and having the nuclear industry listed on your CV is a real plus.

The recruitment process, and the information presented at various stages of interviews painted a clear picture of what the organisation was going to be like. Each placement on the graduate scheme has it's own pros and cons.