Savannah River Site (SRS) Women in Nuclear (WIN) members visited students enrolled in the Nuclear Fundamentals’ Chemistry class at Aiken Technical College to share insight on the nuclear industry at SRS.
One of the many objectives of SRS-WIN is to educate the community surrounding SRS. SRS-WIN members, including Savannah River Nuclear Solutions’ F-Area Facility Manager Kela Lofton, F-Area Shift Operations Manager CJ Rachels, and Risk Remediation Operator Antonio Jenkins, began their visit with a discussion about their diverse backgrounds in the nuclear industry and how SRS played a significant role during the Cold War. This discussion led the group to briefly cover SRS’ current missions, including national security and non-proliferation.
The discussion then transitioned into an interactive conversation about the students’ desire to work in the nuclear industry. The SRS-WIN members were asked about their day-to-day responsibilities as the students tried to envision what a job at SRS would entail.
The career opportunities at SRS surpass many offered in the CSRA, said Rachels, who was born and raised in North Augusta.
“As a former Radiological Technician, I explained that the students’ interest in nuclear and their drive to learn is how careers at SRS begin and flourish,” Rachels said.
Because of their career choice, they will automatically become an advocate for the nuclear industry, and we recommended that they learn as much as they can so that they can educate others, Jenkins said.
“We took the opportunity to discuss safety statistics and explained that the nuclear industry is one of the safest working environments in the nation based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor,” Jenkins said. “The students learned that workers at SRS are highly trained and safety is integrated into the planning and execution of each job.”
Lofton, who also serves as the SRS-WIN President said she enjoys visiting with local students.
“It is my hope that visits from groups such as ours inspire students to do something great with their futures,” Lofton said. “I can’t imagine working in any other industry, and I am proud that I directly contribute to the security of our nation.”
