Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 2411 10 University WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PRIMING THE TALENT PIPELINE In the 67 years since the United States Atomic Energy Commission came to Idaho, one thing that has remained constant is the profound effect it has had on the workforce at a local, regional and state level. Today, Idaho National Laboratory stands on the threshold of a new era. The lab is a key player in regional and national efforts to create the energy and technology workforce of tomorrow. But 30 percent of INL’s workforce is at least 50 years of age and approaching retirement. Combined with a growth in business volume at the lab, developing a talent pipeline is one of INL’s most important missions. The impending shortage not only affects researchers, there is also an acute need for highly trained, qualified and talented technicians and mechanics. The University Workforce Development program helps create an environment in which technology can be brought to market by meeting industry needs and making sure the next generation of tech workers is prepared to step into the shoes of the longtime employees. This is done in a variety of ways, including support for economic development agencies, universities and graduate programs. STEM EDUCATION Through the University Partnerships Directorate, INL supports STEM education in public schools and partners with universities through a number of programs. A partnership among INL, Idaho State University and Partners for Prosperity, an eastern Idaho-based nonprofit organization, has resulted in the creation of the Energy Systems Technology and Education Center (ESTEC) in Pocatello. ESTEC offers a unique approach to educating students by offering the specific knowledge and skills needed in energy production. The skill requirements have been developed in partnership with energy utilities and vendors to assure that program graduates enter the workforce with the precise skills required by the energy industry in a broad spectrum of electrical, oil, gas, renewable and allied manufacturing sectors. Students learn through traditional classroom experience and extensive laboratory exercises. Electrical generation technologies addressed include nuclear, coal, gas and renewable technologies. HIGHLIGHTS OF 2016 INL’s $100,000 investment enabled Eastern Idaho Technical College (EITC) to reinstitute the Radiation Control program. With the first class, 100 percent of the graduates were placed with INL or Fluor Idaho, the company that took over the Idaho Cleanup Project in 2016. Another development that would not have taken place without technical and financial support from INL was the University of Idaho’s request to the Idaho Department of Labor for a program to provide fire protection certification. University of Idaho received a $244,000 training grant to develop an online, 18-credit certification program to train fire protection specialists and engineers. With that in place, UI plans to train 30 people within two years. PRACTICUMS Practicums are an unpaid opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in the classroom in a working environment under the guidance of a professional. From INL’s side of the equation, managers have the opportunity to evaluate students and their potential for employment after they have completed their training. Radcon technician students from Eastern Idaho Technical College “job shadow” professionals at the Materials & Fuels Complex and the Advanced Test Reactor Complex. In the Occupational Medicine Program, University of Utah candidates studying to be physicians are given the opportunity to work alongside INL physicians, getting hands-on training in a safe environment. MY AMAZING FUTURE My Amazing Future is a program that allows eighth-grade girls from southeast Idaho to learn about STEM fields and professionals serving in them. In 2016, 150 students participated in a full day of hands-on sessions designed to be educational and engaging. Twenty different sessions are designed to illustrate how a STEM education translates into exciting career options. Among the offerings, teens had the opportunity to catch a hacker, identify density through a drink, and learn about powering a deep space mission. $200K AIDED BY A $200K INVESTMENT, INL HAD EIGHT ESTEC INTERNS IN 2016 ANDWAS ABLETO BEGIN ANNUAL ENROLLMENT. $23.00 STARTINGWAGES UPON COMPLETION OFTHE PROGRAM ARE AN ESTIMATED $23/HOUR.