Y-12 Blog
There is no Planet B, so Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) focuses on recycling everything from regular office paper to electronic equipment and scrap metal. In Fiscal Year 2017, employees at Pantex and Y-12 recycled more than 4.6 million pounds of materials, demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship.
The Uranium Processing Facility project completed the Site Infrastructure and Services subproject, which included completion of a concrete batch plant and a 65,000-square-foot Construction Support Building.
The Uranium Processing Facility project continues to make progress with the recent completion of the Site Infrastructure and Services subproject.
“Completing the SIS subproject is an important step in paving the way for future subprojects and to ultimately deliver UPF,” said UPF Federal Project Director Dale Christenson.
SIS is the second of seven subprojects that will construct UPF. Work included the completion of a concrete batch plant and a 65,000-square-foot Construction Support Building. There also was building demolition, utility work, site grading and installation of new erosion protection and security features as part of the SIS subproject.
Read the recent NNSA news release and watch this time-lapse video showing some of the current work.
CNS, along with URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) and the Cooperative Agreement of Labor & Maintenance (an organization comprised of Oak Ridge Construction Employers and the Knoxville Building & Construction Trades Council), announced the first inaugural Apprenticeship Readiness Training Program taking place March 12–29.
Joe Kato, manager of Construction, said, “I am looking forward to introducing some of our local residents to the history of the building trades and the upcoming opportunities for construction workers in support of our national defense and environmental cleanup.”
Charlie Woody, president of KBCTC, said, “The KBCTC is very proud and excited to work with CNS and UCOR on the program. We appreciate the opportunity and know it will be successful due to the partnership we have.”
The classes are sponsored by North America’s Building Trades Unions and provide a gateway for local residents, particularly those from underserved communities, to gain access to apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeship Readiness Programs are administered by state and local Building Trades Councils and feature the Building Trades’ nationally recognized Multi-Craft Core Curriculum.
Oak Ridge High School students work on a project brought by Y-12 volunteers during Engineering Week, or EWeek.
Some 30 Y-12 engineers visited schools across East Tennessee for Engineering Week, a yearly effort to celebrate how engineers make a difference, increase public dialogue about the need for engineers, and bring engineering to life for kids, educators, and parents.
Students learned about the basics of engineering, the variety of engineering specialties, and how to become an engineer. Volunteers shared what inspired them to pursue the profession and challenged students with a design competition. Many of this year’s volunteers were visiting schools that they attended; it was an opportunity to give back and inspire the next generation of students.
“Y-12 engineers have been faithfully serving area schools through Engineers Week for many years. It’s encouraging that in my seven years of involvement, I’ve seen a noticeable increase in the number of students who say that they know what engineers do, and that they would like to become an engineer, which is what this effort is all about,” volunteer Anita Hazlewood said.
Engineers visited 14 area schools, reaching more than 2,800 students.
Future engineers from Oak Ridge High School display their STEM challenge creation.
More than 500 middle- and high-school-aged girls recently attended Y-12’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering event.
The attendees could interact with and ask questions of engineers, who were a large part of the more than 90 volunteers at the event. Keynote speakers included NNSA Production Office Deputy Manager Teresa Robbins and Y-12 Deputy Site Manager Amy Wilson. The students also could participate in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) challenge and visit 23 booths that highlighted engineering careers.
One parent who attended with his daughter said, “My daughter and I were impressed with the organization and the information that was given. It has given her a great insight to what engineering field she wants to pursue. Overall, it was time well spent.”
“This event opens up a potential for our family to have a fifth-generation employee at Y-12,” said an employee. “I’m filled with pride that our company provides something like this for workforce development.”
Watch this video to see the students’ perspective.