Industry Liaison

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Welcome to the Industry page. This area is all about connecting the YGN with the wider nuclear sector and creating opportunities for young professionals to engage with organisations, industry leaders and key stakeholders. Here, you'll find information on our Company Catalyst network, company partnerships, collaborative initiatives and the activities that help ensure the voices of young professionals are represented across the sector.

Whether you're looking to expand your network, learn more about industry engagement, or explore ways to get involved, this page showcases how the YGN works with organisations across the nuclear industry to support its members and shape the future of the sector.

The Company Catalyst Scheme

The Company Catalyst Scheme is a network of YGN volunteers who represent a wide range of organisations from across the nuclear industry. The Scheme is designed to help the YGN maximise its impact at a local level across its member organisations; each Catalyst acts as a local point of contact, making communications and outreach from the YGN more accessible and effective. As part of the Scheme, we also offer personal and professional development opportunities to Catalysts, including technical tours at various nuclear sites, in-person events, and training and workshops specific to Catalysts.

What is a Company Catalyst?

A member of the YGN who has volunteered to young represent the YGN at their company. Company Catalysts act as the main point of contact between their organisation and the YGN, and should therefore have (or be keen to develop):

  • Good communication skills
  • Self-motivation
  • Energy and willingness to engage and help implement change

What are the responsibilities of a Company Catalyst?

In addition to being enthusiastic about supporting the YGN, Company Catalysts have three key responsibilities: being a communicator, an ambassador, and a contributor.

Communicator: Sharing opportunities at a local level for the YGN and NI

Ambassador: Acting as the first point of contact and an advocate for the YGN

Contributor: Collecting feedback and ideas, and taking part in the Catalyst community

If you would like to find out more about the Company Catalyst Scheme, please refer to our Best Practice Guide.

Best Practice Guide

If you are interested in becoming a Company Catalyst, please contact industry.ygn@nuclearinst.com

Hear from current Company Catalysts

Caitlin Touhey - Uranium Asset Management

Caitlin Touhey, Governance, Marketing and Risk Manager

 

 

  • What opportunities have the YGN brought to you?

I have only been a Company Catalyst for a short time but I am looking forward to networking during annual dinners in addition to voicing my opinions and those of other young people at UAM during the quarterly meetings. I really appreciate the opportunity to have a forum in which to express the important and vital thoughts of the young generation in the nuclear industry.  

  • How did you find out about the scheme? 

I found out about the scheme at the NI/NIA Industry Dinner in London. Here, higher management at Westinghouse and UAM encouraged me to get involved in some capacity (UAM is a subsidiary of Westinghouse).  

  • How have you been implementing this across the company? 

Ahead of my first quarterly meeting, I have spoken to other young people at UAM and have gathered a list of training and tours that they would like to see and attend. 

  • How has your overall experience been within the YGN?

Great. Throughout the introductory process, the YGN have been incredibly informative and efficient. The volunteers themselves have been friendly and welcoming.

Laura Manson - Dounreay

Laura Manson, Trainee Mechanical Engineer

 

 

  • What opportunities have the YGN brought to you?

I have had the opportunity to sit on the Industry Partner Steering Committee, attend the annual seminar and dinner in Edinburgh and Cardiff, and build the YGN at Dounreay. Through doing this I have been able to build relationships with senior leadership in my own company and others, network with lots of peers in the nuclear industry, learn so much about what else is happening in the Industry, and build my leadership and organisational skills.

  • How did you find out about the scheme? 

I found out about YGN from one of the other company catalysts at Dounreay. They got me involved in helping to organise events at the company and then I went along to the annual seminar and diner in Edinburgh. After going along to that I was really interested in staying involved as you really get to see the bigger picture at these events.

  • How have you been implementing this across the company? 

Along with the other two company catalysts I have built up the YGN presence at Dounreay over the last 2 years. We have created an email distribution list which we use regularly to contact young people in the organisation, I have spoken on a panel at the NDA Stakeholder Summit to highlight the opportunities that I have had as a young person, and I have secured a budget for the YGN at Dounreay to be used to send people off to YGN events.

  • What has been your favourite YGN event? 

The annual seminar and dinner. It is the flagship event for a reason and, after being to two of them, I always leave feeling inspired and motivated to keep changing the industry.

  • How has your overall experience been within the YGN?

It has been brilliant. There are so many opportunities available to you, and the network that you build from being involved is so wide and diverse.

Company Partner

The YGN Company Partner provides support to help foster talent across the industry, provide early-career professionals with the networks, knowledge, and opportunities to grow.

Company Partner

We were pleased to announce in April 2025 our company partnership with Great British Energy – Nuclear. The YGN / GBE-N Company Partnership is a three year partnership which will play a pivotal role in helping GBE-N to meet its strategic priorities in skills and workforce development by supporting and inspiring early career professionals in the nuclear sector and by strengthening the future workforce of the growing nuclear sector. It also aims to champion the role of the YGN in the sector.

Vision: A vibrant and diverse partnership between the YGN and GBE-N to support the development of early careers communities internally and across the UK nuclear sector.

Mission: To collaborate on building an inclusive early careers community within GBE-N and to support and inspire the next generation of nuclear professionals joining the sector by championing the YGN.

Many past YGN volunteers have built successful careers in the sector, including Alys Gardner, GBE-N’s Head of Skills and Development, who was YGN Chair in 2016. Alys said: “Volunteering with the YGN has been hugely influential on my career to date; I gained leadership skills, a network of contacts across the sector and a passion for continuous learning from an early stage in my career. I’m so pleased that colleagues in GBE-N will get the opportunity to interact closely with the YGN and the NI and experience the benefits of these organisations for themselves”.

If you’d like to know more about the YGN / GBE-N Company Partnership, please contact industry.ygn@nuclearinst.com

Get involved

Whether you're an early-career professional interested in becoming a Company Catalyst or an organisation looking to strengthen your engagement with the next generation of nuclear professionals, we'd love to hear from you.

Get involved with the YGN and help us build stronger connections between young professionals and organisations across the nuclear sector.

Interested in becoming a Company Catalyst, exploring opportunities to work with the YGN or simply finding out more?

Email us 

Industry Liaison Lead

Lucy Jarvis