Y-12 Blog
Ensley W. is an enthusiastic go-getter who joined the UPF Project as an ironworker apprentice in June 2024 while attending Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Knoxville.
“I chose to go to TCAT because I wanted a better life, and welding was intriguing,” she said. “I wanted to know how to weld for artistic reasons but quickly figured out that the skill could offer me a lot more as a career.”
Raised by a single mother, Ensley said her mom worked two or three jobs to provide for her and her two siblings, and with her grandparents’ help, she was able to work a part‑time job and attend welding school at TCAT.
After posting a video on Facebook of a welding bend test that she did in a TCAT class, she was contacted by a friend who told her to check out the local union because it was hiring welders. What was intended to be a meet and greet at the local union hall turned into a job offer to work on the UPF Project.
When asked about working with her UPF Project team, she said, “It’s a lot easier to come to work when you like your coworkers. It’s like working with your brothers. They are teaching me a lot and are very helpful. This is a cool thing to be a part of — being able to build something that will keep us all safe is awesome.”
The opportunity to take advantage of this type of career path is not lost on her. With emotion in her voice, she said, “I now have the opportunity to go higher. My mom and grandparents are very proud of me because I have the option to advance my life. They are happy and excited for the path that I am on.”
Being part of the CNS craft family is important to her after her apprenticeship graduation. “I would love to stay on the project after I top out. The promotion track is incredible. They incentivize you to stay and do a good job. The opportunity to learn is all around.”
Bruce B., union steward, is pleased with Ensley’s progress.
“She is a very good apprentice. She came to us straight out of high school and is a very quick learner,” Brown said. “Apprentices are able to acquire on‑the‑job‑training and true‑life experiences that they cannot get in the classroom or from books. They learn how to deal with different situations and people. They also learn the importance of ethics, honesty, and how to achieve quality work. Training of apprentices properly is critical to the continuation of the union and the construction industry. So, I feel it is very important to have apprentices on this project — our future depends on it.”
To anyone considering a trade school as a college alternative, Ensley offers, “I would tell them to go for it. It’s 3 to 5 years of your life, and there are so many benefits to being part of the union. You can be successful if you stick with it. Having a skill like this affords people opportunities for a better life.”
She graduated from the TCAT welding program in August 2024 and will complete the apprenticeship program in April 2027. Since graduating, she has been asked by TCAT instructors to monitor and judge student bend tests. To date, there are 100 apprentices working on the UPF Project.
Daniel Riddick, Y‑12 Technology Transfer program manager, engaged with potential partners at NNSA’s Innovation Day in Arlington, VA.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established Innovation Day to enhance future collaborations, technology transfer, and mission‑critical capabilities. The widely attended event offered opportunities for business owners, inventors, and Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) labs, plants, and sites to connect on potential collaborations. Y‑12 National Security Complex was able to build new connections and further develop current ones by attendance at the forum.
“NNSA carries forward the legacy of the Manhattan Project, which represents the starting point for leveraging academia and the private sector for defense innovation,” said Jahleel Hudson, director of NNSA’s Technology and Partnerships Office. “NNSA Innovation Day brought together potential commercial partners and our NSE laboratories, plants, and sites to identify synergies that can enhance our national security and economic prosperity. We appreciate the participation of our NSE sites, such as Y‑12, who brought their expertise to Innovation Day and featured their technologies invented in the course of nuclear security mission work that can transition to commercial solutions to stimulate business growth and improve our daily lives.”
NNSA’s Innovation Day in Arlington, VA. (Photo by Grant Allard.)
Innovation Day was beneficial for Y‑12, with staff making 19 industry connections and receiving a number of inquiries on potential partnership opportunities. Y‑12 Partnerships and Technology Transfer leadership also engaged with DOE and NNSA to share Y‑12’s approach of using technology transfer for mission work, employing data analytics, and integrating technology transfer into the site’s university partnerships portfolio.
“Attending events like Innovation Day and establishing connections is crucial,” said Daniel Riddick, Y‑12 Technology Transfer program manager. “We created positive momentum and developed connections with potential partners. We’re grateful that NNSA provided us this opportunity.”
Y‑12 manages a portfolio of 148 patented technologies that are available for government and commercial licensing, 120 of which have at least 5 years before expiration. Technology transfer benefits Y‑12’s core nuclear production mission by providing opportunities to accelerate technology maturity through private industrial investment. Some of Y‑12’s technologies featured at NNSA Innovation Day include:
- The Modulated Tool‑Path (MTP) Chip‑Breaking System — a cost‑saving solution for machining operations that creates continuous chips in a significantly safer environment
- Chemical Identification by Magneto‑Elastic Sensing (ChIMES) — a new, low‑cost sensor technology developed in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, that uses target response materials (TRMs) as actuators in magneto‑elastic sensors
Collaborating with industry partners to mature and commercialize technology is essential to building an industrial base that supports the NSE’s labs, plants, and sites and maximizes value for the taxpayers.
If you are interested in exploring a potential collaboration with Y‑12, please email OTCP@y12nsc.doe.gov.
A representation of a glovebox within a digital twin allows operators to practice operations virtually before working with actual materials.
It’s no secret that Y-12 works with hazardous materials in order to deliver on the site’s missions for the nation. To protect employees, the site relies on engineered controls, such as gloveboxes, and administrative requirements, including limiting exposure to a hazard. Employees receive considerable training before they work with any materials. However, there’s really no substitute for actual experience … or is there?
The answer might lie in using digital twins to simulate real-life scenarios. A digital twin is a virtual 3D model or simulation that is a replica of a real-world product, system, or process making it a valuable training tool for high-hazard, high-consequence operations.
“You can train on scenarios that you wouldn’t want to do in the real world,” said Scott Couture, senior director of Production Research, Development and Integration. “For example, you can simulate a part breaking during microwave casting. That’s something you wouldn’t want to create in a real-world environment.”
Training first responders
At the Emergency Response Training Facility on the Oak Ridge Enhanced Technology and Training (ORETTC) campus, Director Ashley Stowe said they are now able to train first responders in a different way than before by using a virtual 3D space.
“ORETTC is using virtual reality as a more cost-effective training method for the Office of Radiological Security,” continued Stowe. “Rather than flying everyone here to train, we can now ship headsets out and bring them together in the virtual environment.”
Projecting future-state operations
Fabrication has been using a digital twin to design the Advanced Manufacturing Prototype Shop. The team had a conceptual layout in a drawing that changed many times. When they examined the space in VR, they realized the layout was not the most efficient. Now they are developing the layout in VR to give Design Engineering a place to start.
Couture said a digital twin can create an accurate and in-depth virtual representation of systems. “You can put physics behind it with process flow and capacity analysis—things that increase efficiency and reduce cost.”
The team’s experience illustrates the ease of taking a vision and making it some form of reality.
There are other advantages to using a digital twin, including demonstrating future capabilities. When new or greater work scopes are planned, a virtual tour of the future scope can be created.
Enhancing safety at UPF
Don Sproul, CNS Environment, Safety, and Health manager for the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Project, recognizes that while his applied-use case for a digital twin may not be as the technology was originally intended, it has been extremely effective during the construction phase of the project. The UPF leadership team has engaged with ORETTC to develop a solution to better communicate incidents and lessons learned, along with putting today’s workforce in tomorrow’s work environments.
Stowe said the technology has that “wow” factor. “When you show how it can be used, people really get excited. For UPF, they are able to walk into spaces that aren’t built yet,” he said. “The digital twin speeds up transition/commissioning time and our understanding and validation of the equipment. Employees can learn faster and test against abnormal conditions or in different configurations. These activities are mental studies now, but we can leverage the system to actually see it.”
The simulations have been well-received by the UPF Project workforce. “Many of our employees are gamers, so they are familiar with this type of presentation,” said Sproul.
Given the reception and effectiveness of these digital twins, Sproul can see the tool being used for a number of things. “I’d like to use the technology for the mobile equipment and personnel interface so employees can explore the setting and how the work feels without exposing themselves to hazards of moving construction equipment,” he said.
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Level 1, Virtual Twin: a physically accurate digital representation Level 2, Connected Twin: integrates real-time data to provide performance insight Level 3, Predictive Twin: leverages data to predict outcomes Level 4, Prescriptive Twin: leverages modeling and real-time simulation for future scenarios Level 5, Autonomous Twin: uses multiple real-time data feeds to learn and make decisions to correct issues automatically |
Future is virtual
Plant-Directed Research and Development is developing digital twins at various scales, and the investment is also helping to create tools for other projects. “Digital twins are tools. They are a simulation at some level to help you solve some problem, such as improving the capacity and reliability of a machine,” said Couture.
While a “true” digital twin is a simulator, Stowe noted that not all projects need the full simulator because different projects require different levels of connectivity and realism.
“There are applications across the maturation continuum (see sidebar),” Stowe said. This continuum allows digital twin technology to be beneficial across a variety of projects with differing needs.
“Digital twin technology really has something for everyone—engineers, data scientists, procedure writers,” said Stowe. “The technology applies to and can inform many, many jobs and facilitate decision making.”
Take 5 minutes to learn about Brent Wright., of Y-12 Production Operations. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Sometimes when people are asked how they are doing, their response is a sarcastic “I’m living the dream.” However, for Brent Wright, that response would be sincere.
“I have to pinch myself that I get to do what I do,” he said. In his current role, Brent oversees several major capability areas, including Assembly Disassembly Operations, Special Materials Operations, SNMO, Fabrication Operations, and Enriched Uranium Operations.
He has been at Y-12 for almost 23 years and came to the site shortly after graduating from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
“The commitment of the people in this valley I’ve seen over the past 23 years is the most impressive aspect of the job,” he said. “There are a lot of challenges, with an aging infrastructure and aging equipment. We constantly overcome these challenges. I think what drives us to do this is that desire to meet the mission. To be a part of that, there is no greater satisfaction. I’m blessed to go to a job that matters to our nation.”
For Wright, what stands out the most is not just employees’ commitment to the mission but also their commitment to Y-12 itself.
“There are people who have spent 40+ years at Y-12,” he said. “That just isn’t the norm outside of the valley. Once you are introduced to this industry, to the magnitude of the scope, the commitment is contagious. I get up in the mornings and go to a place that is helping to secure the nation’s and our allies’ freedom and security. I can’t see myself doing anything else at this point.”
Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? If so, describe how you got here.
I couldn’t have envisioned being in this business, but becoming an engineer was natural for me. I always liked to solve problems and work in a team environment. I was raised by a chemical operator that taught me the value of working with all levels of the organization…most importantly, with the people who perform the tasks on a daily basis. They are the ones who understand the processes and the complex tasks performed here.
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?
Our capacity to do all the things we do throughout the facility, given all of the constraints we have to work through. Even with all the strict standards and regulations, we are still able to meet mission numbers. That’s pretty impressive. I attribute the success to the team environment and the people that we have at Y-12.
What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?
Enjoying baseball with my sons. I played baseball in school, and now, I get to watch them do it. I’m glad they’re playing because baseball is a great sport that teaches teamwork, respect for authority, and how to face success and failure. Baseball is a great teacher of life. I’ve had the opportunity to coach baseball for the last 20 years, and I really enjoy working with young adults to hopefully make an impact on not just their baseball future but their lives.
What tools do you use and reference to keep current on changes to your skillset?
I have a small group of mentors who have challenged me over the past 23 years. Each of them has a different perspective and different skills that push me to improve. Those different viewpoints make you feel uncomfortable. When I have the opportunity to mentor employees, I often tell them to stay uncomfortable––that is where growth happens. I tell them to surround yourself with people who will be honest with you and challenge your weaknesses and encourage your strengths.
Nick D. and Kiki R. are wrapping up their 10-week stint at Y-12
Some problems encountered at Y‑12 require a broader perspective, like paying better attention to the details of business models, administrative procedures, and statistical trends. While many engineers and scientists learn principles and then apply them to technical problems, data analysts who apply statistical principles to business problems can offer a new perspective. That is where the Graduate Assistantship Program, also known as GAP, comes in. In partnership with the University of Tennessee, Y‑12 has a contract in place where students enrolled in the Haslam College of Business master of business administration (MBA) program participate in a fellowship at the site.
Nick D. and Kiki R. are wrapping up their 10‑week stint at Y‑12 (they will complete the fellowship in the fall semester by working several hours each week). The two share similar backgrounds in that they were college athletes (Nick for University of Delaware football and Kiki for University of Tennessee softball), and both will graduate in December with MBAs. The pair shared their perspectives on the GAP, acknowledging that they accepted the fellowship without knowing a lot about the Y‑12 mission but are taking away valuable lessons learned.
“I was not expecting to find the community of family I found here,” Kiki said. “Everyone wants to help you move forward in what you’re doing.”
Nick agreed. “It’s a family‑like atmosphere. There is very serious work going on at the site, but everyone is open to helping you.”
Nick is working with Jim H. in Y‑12 Technical Assurance to apply analytical skills to Y‑12 Production. “Jim offers a wealth of knowledge… Working with him is like drinking from a fire hose,” joked Nick in terms of the variety of information he is gaining.
“Nick and Kiki brought what any prospective employer would want: an insatiable appetite for learning, a different perspective, and a great attitude,” said Jim. “They brought insight and creativity to a variety of projects, ranging from fissile material handler training to artificial intelligence, but their greatest contribution by far was in how they shattered my preconceptions!”
Kiki, who is working with Jacob S. in the Production Activities Training group, shared that her time at Y‑12 has been filled with leadership experience opportunities.
Jacob said, “Kiki has been a valuable addition to the Production Activities Training team. She revamped our SharePoint site, resulting in a streamlined and more efficient platform that enabled an easier interface for all users. She has also brought unique leadership experience as a D1 athlete and facilitated a forum to share her perspective on leadership with our entire team.”
Working at a government facility wasn’t something either student had considered. “There are good opportunities in most areas — even if it is an area where we normally wouldn’t have thought we would have joined,” Kiki said. “Stepping into these new areas opens our minds to new doors. It’s good to have different experiences as well as a variety of references and contacts.”
Nick said he had an idea of what he wanted to do next as part of his MBA education, but a fellowship at Y‑12 wasn’t what that idea originally looked like. “I’m glad I stepped outside the box of my ‘plan.’ I’ve appreciated the journey and connections I’ve made. The experiences have been valuable.”
Ashley H., former program manager for University and Industry Partnerships, said, “These fellowships are subcontracts we have with UT, giving the fellows opportunities a traditional intern might not have. It is important for leadership to support this program and continue bringing GAP students to Y‑12. Their presence gives us opportunities to bring in students who may not be considered otherwise [because their expertise is in a different or non‑STEM discipline].” Ashley left CNS August 15 to pursue other opportunities, but she hopes to see continued opportunities and success from the programs and students as they continue to grow. “My mission for outreach and mentorship is part of my core values, regardless of where I work,” she added.
Jacob stated that Y‑12 is moving into a new era, with a large percentage of the site population nearing retirement. “In the near future, we have the start‑up of the Uranium Processing Facility and Lithium Processing Facility; it is paramount that we [Y‑12] do not miss an opportunity to hire great candidates to support our mission, regardless of their area of study.”
According to Jacob, having an MBA student on the team reenforced the importance of the new Y‑12 GOLD program (Growth, Opportunity, Leadership, and Development — a site leadership development program). “Y‑12 must continue to develop well‑rounded leaders. Kiki’s innate ability to lead was impressive. Having no knowledge of our facilities or processes, she quickly adapted and was able to create positive change in our organization almost immediately.”
Jim said that the pair challenged his own way of thinking. “I had a very narrow notion of the skillsets I thought were ideal [for job placement], but Nick and Kiki’s intelligent and articulate engagement in every discussion made me realize that I must broaden the qualities of an ‘ideal’ candidate.”
Both Nick and Kiki were complimentary when asked about the GAP. “Go into the program with an open mind — even if it’s not something you think you would do,” she said.
“You’ll be surprised what you will learn,” Nick added.