My secondment in Canada! International opportunities in the Nuclear sector

Why I chose to work abroad?

I wanted the opportunity to work in a completely different role to ones I've previously held, discovering a new country and new adventures.

A new kind of role in nuclear safety

My previous experience ranged across Net Zero, Nuclear Commissioning and Nuclear Safety. This role was for the preliminary design stage of a new build project. I'm now supporting the process design for the new Romanian reactors (Cernavoda units 3/4) and I am excited to see how the role develops over the secondment.

What I've learned on this international opportunity?

I have been learning a lot about the CANDU® design and the differences with other reactor designs. It has been learning from technical leads who have 20+ years' experience purely for a CANDU reactor as they have so much knowledge about these systems and can answer any questions you have. Outside of that there has been a lot of soft skill development with discipline management and leading the design of packages for key nuclear systems.

Outside the office: Canadian adventures

There have been lots of new experiences! From watching hockey games, skating lessons and general exploring. I was so lucky to see a bear cub on my first weekend away in Algonquin and over the winter I made the most of all the outdoor skate rinks, skating along Rideau Canal in Ottawa and getting to go to the Fire and Ice Skate night at Arrowhead National Park! Over the last few months I have been skiing in Whistler, trips to Niagara and visited New York City, Montreal and Quebec City. As it gets warmer, I am looking forward to exploring more of Ontario and travelling further west to Banff, Jasper and Vancouver Island.

How secondment has shaped my career?

The secondment has been a great opportunity to develop my technical skills, learning more about leading packages and managing work across disciplines. My soft skills have hugely developed as I’ve grown my network and now work with people who have different working cultures and experiences. I’ve had to adapt to new challenges, and I think the secondment has made me a better engineer. Hopefully I'll continue to meet more people, learn more about the Canadian Nuclear business and see where that takes me!

The biggest challenges of working abroad

The hardest part has definitely been the time difference and distance from my family and friends. I’ve had to change how I keep in touch with people which was a difficult adjustment. My assignment is 12 months so I’m trying to embrace the time remaining, see as much as I can before heading back to the UK in the autumn.

Support from my UK and Canadian teams

The team back in the UK has been very understanding and supportive. They've been able to raise queries and support me in getting valuable work. My host team have been really good at providing technical support and the wider UK secondment community have been great as we are all going through similar challenges.

Sharing knowledge across regions

This experience has been a great way to develop connections with Candu Energy and learn more about their ways of working. The knowledge I've gained from being seconded has been invaluable and will benefit the teams by being able to support the growing connections between the EMEA and Canadian regions.

Would I recommend a secondment? Absolutely

I'd encourage anyone interested in working abroad to look for opportunities! Short term secondments are the perfect way to trial a country without a full move and you will learn a lot about yourself.

I’d recommend reaching out to people on / completed an international secondment so you can ask questions about moving abroad and gain insight into challenges you may not have thought about. Moving can be difficult and it isn’t a decision to be made lightly.

If an international secondment is something you're really interested in, you will find ways to overcome challenges and keep your connections back home!

Explore these live roles in nuclear at AtkinsRéalis.