Apprenticeship program at PPPL to expand with DOE funding
After completing four years of training, Sean Hough works as an instrumentation and control technician for the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade at PPPL. He plans to pursue a degree in engineering.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) will expand its apprenticeship program model nationally, thanks to funding from the DOE’s Office of Science.
With $3 million in funding through DOE’s annual appropriations from U.S. Congress, PPPL will hire four additional apprentices at the Laboratory. Additionally, on behalf of the Office of Science, PPPL will lead an effort to expand its model apprenticeship program to additional national laboratories in the complex, which provide job training and education while also preparing the next-generation workforce to address critical national priorities.
“Our apprentices are an enormous benefit to the Lab, the state of New Jersey and the nation,” said Steve Cowley, Laboratory director at PPPL, which is managed by Princeton University. “Expanding the scope and diversity of apprenticeships into nontraditional sectors and for those typically underrepresented in the program is a priority of the Biden administration, the state of New Jersey and our national laboratory. We’re thrilled by the renewed focus on apprenticeships at the federal and state level.”
“Expanding the apprenticeship program will allow other national laboratories to support the growth of the next generation of innovators and technicians, who are integral to the success of our scientific enterprise,” said Juston Fontaine, deputy director for operations in DOE’s Office of Science. “PPPL is to be commended for their tremendous efforts to initiate and foster this noteworthy program. Building upon the success of their efforts, expanding the program will not only provide more individuals with the opportunity to learn and broaden their knowledge in critical sectors, it will also bolster the cutting-edge science and technology goals of the nation."
A national model
Launched in 2019, PPPL’s apprenticeship program has grown from four to 18 apprentices, representing 18 occupations certified by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). Today, each job posting receives between 100 and 200 applications.
The program has expanded from traditional trades like electrical and mechanical engineering, welding and HVAC to include fields like information technology, cybersecurity and environment, and safety and health. The apprentices complete up to 8,000 hours of paid, on-the-job training and 576 hours of technical instruction. The Lab graduated its first cohort in 2023, and all joined the Lab as full-time employees, filling critical roles needed to push the Laboratory’s mission forward.
The program was inspired by Cowley, who developed a similar program at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in the U.K., where he was the director before coming to PPPL in 2018. The effort allows the Lab’s highly skilled technicians to pass along their expertise before they retire. They are helping to train a new generation in the unique set of skills to support the development of fusion energy — a clean, safe and virtually limitless energy source.
Among the apprentices is Sean Hough, of Philadelphia, who changed careers to become an electronics technician apprentice. Hough works on diagnostics and safety systems for the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U). After completing four years of training, Hough was hired as an instrumentation and control technician. He plans to pursue a degree in engineering.
The program “was a one-of-a-kind opportunity,” Hough said. “It was a chance to enter a field and gain experience and take part in something that’s such an important mission — to say you contributed to that mission in some small way, that’s fulfilling in itself for me. It’s a foot in the door to great opportunities.”
VIDEO: Hough discusses the value of the apprenticeship program
Aaron Floyd, a power systems technician, said he didn’t know what to expect when he joined the program as part of the first cohort. He finished his technical courses in the first two years of his apprenticeship and is now pursuing an associate’s degree in electrical engineering at Mercer County Community College. “This is not the job I envisioned, but it’s been life-changing,” Floyd said. I have a new perspective on teamwork and camaraderie. The people I work with every day are truly stand-up individuals. They are the mentors who helped me grow into the person I am.”
Abigail Fellnor, an electrical technician apprentice, works on power systems with Floyd. “Everyone here is so kind and encouraging,” she said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to be able to learn on the job. It’s definitely a skilled trade. You get to work, get paid to do it and learn at the same time. It’s an excellent opportunity.”
Jimmy Henderson Jr. is an electronics technician apprentice at the Princeton Plasma Fusion Laboratory. “Our apprentices are an enormous benefit to the Lab, the state of New Jersey and the nation,” said Steve Cowley, Laboratory director at PPPL, which is managed by Princeton University.
Diversifying the workforce
The Lab uses its expertise in plasma, an electrified gas, to advance a range of fields, prepare the future workforce and contribute to U.S. competitiveness. Bolstering the innovation economy at home and nationally, the apprenticeship program equips workers with long-range skills applicable across science and technology industries. Many enrolled in the program learn how to build a fusion device to produce clean energy while also contributing to advances in the semiconductor industry and sustainable manufacturing.
Since its creation, the program has been applauded by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Gov. Phil Murphy, and members of Congress. It’s been recognized by USDOL as part of President Biden’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative to provide training for high-paying jobs across industries. The program has also received nearly $103,000 over three years from the Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors program from the USDOL and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which is part of Gov. Phil Murphy’s program to expand USDOL apprenticeships in high-tech industries in the state.
“Our program provides a valuable opportunity to invest not only in the state of New Jersey but to the broader scientific community and society as a whole. At the same time, it helps us advance our scientific mission, develop our workforce and promote diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” said Andrew Zwicker, head of strategic relationships at PPPL. “We’re incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help expand this into a national model.”
On Sept. 12, PPPL hosted a preliminary workshop to identify which laboratories will join the Office of Science’s apprenticeship program. The USDOL and New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development participated and presented at the workshop, along with affiliated community colleges and technical schools.
Now, PPPL will work with its partner labs to determine which occupations should be implemented and provide training to set up a foundational structure at each site. The goal is for other labs to formally launch in early 2025.
Jeanne Jackson DeVoe contributed to this story.
