Kirsty Sloan

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 I have been a YGN Company Champion and it is great to support young people in developing their careers. 

Current Employer: DBD International (on secondment at Sellafield Ltd)

 

Currently, I work as a Lead Process Engineer at DBD International, where I have been on secondment at Sellafield Ltd for nearly four years.

Route into nuclear

My journey into the nuclear industry began with family ties to agriculture, but my wonderful mother encouraged me to consider a career path with more stability. Following high school placements at the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), where I got a glimpse of the diverse opportunities in the UK's nuclear industry, I pursued Chemical Engineering at the University of the West of Scotland in Paisley.

During my time there, I was fortunate to encounter DBD International, a consultancy company offering an undergraduate support scheme. Their sponsorship provided me with valuable summer placements and eventually led to a full-time job after completing my studies.

Professional Membership

I joined the Nuclear Institute due to DBD's encouragement to participate in NI/YGN events. Attending various YGN events as a graduate was a fast-track way for me to understand the industry and its challenges, making it a valuable resource for my professional growth.

I find NI membership essential in accessing a wide range of industry-specific information for my daily work and being able to champion the nuclear industry when volunteering or answering questions from friends and family.

Nuclear professionalism

Being a Chartered Engineer is a significant milestone for me as it demonstrates my dedication to growing as a professional and signifies my industry-specific knowledge. The application process itself has allowed me to appreciate my growth so far, and I am determined to continue striving within the nuclear industry, always seeking to see how far I can go.

The future

I've decided to focus on honing my strengths and talents. While recognizing the need to improve in some areas, I am determined to maintain a balance and allocate time and energy to develop my communication skills, visual deliverables, data handling, and organizational tasks.

My recent participation in the YGN Becoming Me course has already highlighted different effective communication approaches, allowing me to collaborate effectively with colleagues who may approach tasks from different viewpoints.