Culham apprentice named Advanced Apprentice of the Year

Thomas Dominguez Walker, an assistant cybernetics engineer at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in Abingdon, won the honour at the 18th Nuclear Skills Awards.

The ceremony, which took place in Manchester on March 12, celebrates talent across the UK nuclear sector.

Mr Dominguez Walker was recognised for his technical ability, positive attitude, and work ethic during his Level 3 apprenticeship.

He said: “At the end of my apprenticeship, I was nominated by my group leader for the NSAN Advanced Apprentice of the Year.

“I’m proud to have that recognition, and being selected is genuinely exciting and a fantastic opportunity.

“Getting to this stage takes sustained dedication, developing technical capability and building the soft skills that make projects and collaboration succeed.”

During his apprenticeship, he contributed to the Robotics and AI Collaboration (RAICo), which is accelerating the deployment of robotics and artificial intelligence in nuclear decommissioning and fusion engineering.

He also supported research and development projects focused on developing solutions to robotics and AI challenges.

Mr Dominguez Walker added: “For me, that’s meant commitment to my apprenticeship studies, delivering on UKAEA and RAICo projects, and actively supporting others.

“My qualifications have been challenging and rewarding, giving me recognised qualifications and practical experience.

“I hope winning the award encourages others to consider an engineering apprenticeship and see what they can do.”

His training included 18 months of three-month placements across UKAEA, and a further 18-month placement at RACE, UKAEA’s centre for Remote Applications in Challenging Environments.

He spent a year working directly with RAICo.

James Ferrand, principal engineer and group leader at UKAEA, said: “Thomas has been an absolute pleasure to work with and manage over the last few years.

“He has really impressed me and built a fantastic reputation for his attitude to work.

“He has been excellent in picking up new technologies, striving to learn more both about the technology and where his work fits into the wider picture.

“I personally hold him as an example of the perfect apprentice for others to strive towards.

“Many congratulations, Thomas.”

During his apprenticeship, Mr Dominguez Walker earned a Higher National Certificate – a qualification equivalent to the first year of a university degree – achieving distinctions throughout.

Now employed full-time at Culham, he continues to work on RAICo projects.

He also volunteers at events promoting apprenticeships and engineering careers.

The Nuclear Skills Awards are organised by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) and Cogent Skills.

They showcase the excellence and achievements of individuals and companies across the nuclear sector.