Y-12 apprentice graduate Jessica Griffen receives congratulations on achieving her journeyman status as an electrician from husband Gabriel and their four-month-old daughter Berkley. (Photos courtesy B&W Y-12)

The apprentice program at the Y-12 National Security Complex recently celebrated its third graduating class as 27 participants gained their journeyman status. The program was restarted in 2008 after an almost 30-year hiatus, a press release said.

Each graduate spent three to four years with a journeyman and attended between 144 and 246 hours of classroom training each year on his or her own time, usually in the evenings at local union halls.

“This program is a great way to transfer knowledge from our highly skilled workers to the new work force,” said National Nuclear Security Administration Production Office Manager Steve Erhart. “The apprenticeship program has positioned Y-12 for the long-term to ensure our future production capabilities.” [Read more…]