The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is now accepting applications for its latest cohort of apprentices for fields including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information technology, welding, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HAC). The Laboratory's four-year apprenticeship program provides on-the-job learning through full-time employment and coursework through a partner educational institution. This is the fourth year that the Laboratory has offered apprenticeships.
During a March 1 virtual information session, PPPL director Steven Cowley stressed that the apprenticeship program, which he helped establish in 2019, is necessary for the Lab to build and maintain the machines that will help researchers test ideas that could advance the world's quest to harness fusion to produce clean electricity. "We are looking for people to join with us and work with us," Cowley said. "We're getting close to making fusion energy a reality, and we need new recruits to push the effort through to the end."
Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the start of the program in August 2022 and have either a high school diploma or an equivalent. They also must apply for a four-week pre-apprenticeship program to be considered for an apprenticeship.
PPPL is one of 17 U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories and is a world-class
fusion energy and plasma research center operated by Princeton University for the federal government. It is the only national laboratory dedicated to developing the scientific and technological knowledge for fusion energy as a safe, economical and environmentally attractive source for the world's long-term energy needs.
During the information session, the group explained why apprentices are critical to the Laboratory's operations, what the apprenticeships entail, and how one could apply. Cowley stressed that the effort requires staff with a wide range of skills. "Making these things happen not only takes physicists and engineers, but also technicians and support staff," he said. "You can't build these machines unless you have people who can think with their hands as well as their heads; people who can make things; people who can repair things, work with high voltages, and prepare materials in particular ways. We need a new generation of these people to bring fusion energy to the grid."
The presentation also featured Shannon Swilley Greco, the Lab's science education senior program leader. She talked about plasma, PPPL's mission, and the fusion process. In demonstrations, she used magnets and plasma devices to show a plasma's properties. "We're all working together to achieve this mission of clean energy," she told the audience. "This is a really exciting time to be a part of the Laboratory."
