Too old for YGN, sad.

2000 was an auspicious year for me, I got married, had knee surgery and went to Slovakia on crutches to the first ever International Youth Nuclear Congress. I was one of five lucky employees from (what was) BNFL, selected from around the country, to go and find our more about the YGN. Why? Well, the YGN had been active in the UK between 1995-97 but the role of YGN Chair had passed on more as a token than as a responsibility and role. As a direct consequence the YGN network had withered away in the UK.

Whilst in Slovakia I was delighted to find out that there were many active networks for younger people in the nuclear industry all over the worl. As a direct result of the IYNC experience I came back determined to get the UK network reinvigorated. We did - there were a few of us involved and you may remember those names as some of us are still active in the Nuclear Institute. I am really proud to look back and know I played a pivotal role in leading the network through to bring it back to a solid footing with a succession plan for the committee.

One of the hardest things for me, but I felt the most important, was to self limit the time of Chair. I believed that the reason the previous network had failed was due to someone taking over who had no defined end date to leave, no succession plan and no committee. Putting those in place was key to having a successful vibrant and growing network.

Ten years later, I am now an executive team member at the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria. Part of my success in achieving this level in my career has been down to the invaluable exposure to leadership that I got as Chair of YGN. I spoke at international conferences (boy was that nerve racking, I remember my whole body shaking) and at major UK events. My reputation across the industry has been enhanced by my active participation in NI events. I got access to senior people and learned a lot about leadership, professionalism, organisation and having fun. I think the motto that I learned most through YGN is that it is ok to have fun, you can still get your work done. I bring this to all my jobs now and demand my teams have
fun - it makes your work life easier and you can still get the job done.

Since learning about the YGN the last 10 years have really seen a difference for
me- apart from the 2 young kids, the triathlon, the long suffering but very supportive husband, I have also been involved in roles in the NI and I am now Chair of the Nuclear Institute Cumbria Branch (and yes I will hand that one on to as it is only fair to give others a shot at it), I achieved Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and before moving to the executive team at the LLWR I was Project Manger for some major Sellafield projects. I am also a Board Member of an RSC Board for Qualifications. I get so much learning out of my external experiences and both personally and work wise, can see the benefits of looking outside the day job.

My career has done well because I am good at what I do but that brings with it a whole package of other important skills that the YGN helped hone- communication, managing and working with stakeholders, influencing people, raising visibility, being active and getting things done.

I started with the YGN more by accident than design, when in late 2003 I was asked whether I wanted to organise the Reactor Seminar (now re-vamped and under the Rough Guide banner). And if I wanted, I could join the committee. So I said, why not. This phrase has seemed to accompany most of my career; a willingness to give most things a go, even if they're a little daunting.

I said 'why not' to attending the Barcelona European YGN meeting in early 2004 and then became one of the UK representatives. I learnt valuable skills in communication, influencing and also gained insight to the European nuclear industry.

I said 'why not' to being on the IYNC board and attending IYNC2004 in Canada, where I presented to my peers. Nerve-racking as there are some exceptionally clever people out there, but reassuring as they were part of the YGN community.

'why not' applied to becoming the vice-chair and then chair of the YGN, but there was also a strong element of 'yes please'. To lead and influence such an enthusiastic, bright and dedicated group of young folk from our industry is a privilege and provided me with many opportunities to engage with not only senior figures from the industry, but those that make things happen on the ground.

'why not' has allowed me to take advantage of many opportunities, but without being part of the YGN those opportunities will not have been there.

I forget the exact year now, I think it was 2004, but I remember speaking to the then YGN Chair and asking why the British Nuclear Energy Society advertised on its website that it covered Wales in the West to Oxford in the East! As a result of this question, I agreed to form and chair the South East Branch of the BNES, to ensure that at least it spread to East Anglia! I should have learned by now that asking these sorts of questions doesn't always result in the kind of answers you are expecting!

Since then, the BNES has merged with the Institute of Nuclear Engineers to become the Nuclear Institute, the numbers of the YGN and the Institute have expanded enormously, and the UK is seriously looking at new build nuclear power stations. In addition, I've moved from the South East! In fact at the last Energy Choices event, I was remarking to some person who had the misfortune to end up talking to me that it was my sixth Energy Choices event!

My career has taken me from BNFL as a student on operating and decommissioning Magnox nuclear plants, to a brief sojourn on coal and gas power stations through to my jobs at Sizewell B on Chemistry and latterly operations for the country's (currently) only Pressurised Water Reactor. I have now been working on new nuclear build for Horizon Nuclear Power for two years at our two sites at Wylfa in Anglesey and Oldbury in Gloucestershire. Whilst I am one of those fortunate people who tend to enjoy my jobs, it's not the be all and end all. I'm also involved to varying degrees in the Royal Society of Chemistry, American and Australian nuclear societies; but it was through the Nuclear Institute and particularly the YGN that I have been fortunate enough to build up a good network of contacts and friends. Whilst your professional work and training can prepare you for the workplace, and put you in touch with those individuals in your workplace, only an institution such as the YGN can open it up to the entire industry, and the contacts and things you can learn through the YGN enable you to take things that little bit further.

My little pearl of wisdom? Get involved! Oh and in case you were wondering, I have 5 years to go before I must retire from the YGN!