Dounreay is Scotland's largest decommissioning project and is widely recognised as Europe's most complex nuclear closure programme. For more than 50 years it was known as the centre of the UK's fast reactor research and development and now the team is aiming to be recognised as a centre of excellence for nuclear decommissioning.DSRL has developed the Graduate Development Scheme to provide professionals that will deliver the Dounreay decommissioning programme and to support staff in the development of their careers. It is structured around project placements and promotes a practical, hands-on approach. The scheme makes available:- Internal and external courses (formal training)- Competence development- Industrial mentoring from an experienced professional (Chartered or Incorporated)- General mentoring and guidance from line managementOver the course of the programme I will gain experience working alongside DSRL's embedded Environmental Advisors across various areas on site. My role currently includes activities such as attending and contributing to SEPA discussions and project task work, presenting Environmental Awareness training, updating Environmental Compliance documentation (i.e. Environmental Aspects Assessments and Best Practicable Means documents), managing fuel spills and managing monthly discharge reports.I am currently based within the Reactors department where the main focus is to remove the remaining alkali metals still present in the site's two reactors - the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) and the Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR). The highly reactive nature of these metals when exposed to oxygen and/or water makes decommissioning the reactors especially challenging and requires a significant level of interdisciplinary team work. This has already provided me with a foundation of knowledge outwith my own profession and I now have a greater appreciation for the wide range of expertise required to effectively and safely decommission Dounreay as a whole.

In the bakery it was my job to complete bulk time-consuming tasks. I learned to follow instructions very carefully as it was important for me to correctly carry everything out, given that it is difficult to rectify a mistake during the preparation and baking process. Here I was also able to focus my skills on working independently and was shown how to thoroughly disinfect work surfaces and machines used in the bakery, which taught me about the significance of maintaining a clean working environment.

I worked in a local hotel kitchen as a breakfast chef and it was my responsibility to solely cater for hotel guests each morning, as well as begin the preparations for the lunch shift later the same day. From working in the kitchen I learned how to be adaptive to customers' needs, be it due to food allergies or simply through personal preferences, and cater for these accordingly. Being able to work independently and as part of a team were also two important skills that I have taken from my time at the hotel.

During the summer months I worked in a local horse and country store offering advice to people for their horses and equipment, and any other questions they may have, as well as recording stock and rotating products on display. During my time at Hilltop Horse Ltd. I was able to learn new skills in delivering professional customer service, using a till system and cash handling. It was also my responsibility to ensure the shop was clean, tidy, and that I, myself, was always presented in a neat but practical fashion.