Five apprentices from Sizewell B power station in Suffolk attend their graduation ceremony, accompanied by station director Jim Crawford, maintenance manager Olivier Garrigues and apprentice co-ordinator Roger Barge.

Forty-three former EDF Energy apprentices have been told the sky is the limit for them, as they prepare to embark on successful nuclear careers.

The apprentices, who work across EDF Energy’s eight nuclear power station sites, made the trip to the International Motorcycle Museum in Coventry, to receive a graduation certificate from Dr Andy Spurr, managing director of EDF Energy’s Nuclear Generation Business.

Dr Spurr said: "I know how much work these apprentices have put in over the last four years to get to where they are today, so I was determined that we should properly mark their achievement with our own 'graduation' ceremony. It was also very pleasing to see so many family members there to share the day with them.

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"I have told them that there are no limits on what they can now achieve in EDF Energy. I pointed out that five members of my executive team started out as apprentices. So they really can take advantage of the full range of jobs within the company, all of them valuable in delivering safe, secure and affordable low carbon electricity.

"They should be very proud of their achievement and I wish each and every one of them the best in their careers with EDF Energy."

All 43 have successfully completed a four year apprenticeship and will now take up permanent jobs in a range of disciplines including mechanical or control and instrumentation technicians.

EDF Energy will be recruiting a new group of apprentices to join the company's Advanced Nuclear Apprentice Scheme in 2012. The lucky group that make it through to selection process will spend four years in training to attain an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship Certificate in Engineering and an ONC/HNC and also an NVQ Level 3. Local advertising will begin in December with the recruitment process closing in mid-January.

(CD/BMcC)