An internship program administered by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions is preparing a workforce with skills to meet future cleanup needs at the Hanford Site, an example of how the One Hanford team is developing and retaining new talent.
Office of Environmental Management
May 21, 2024
minute read time
Hanford Site contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions’ 2024 co-op interns pose for a photo after their final presentations to company leadership. From left: Tory Stone, Cristal Meza, Jasmine Morales, Courtney Wilkinson, Franklin Leon, Jaime Mireles, Emilio Avila, Baily Ellingford, Abel Melendrez, Maksim Karazhbei, German Anguiano, Christina Paul and Andrew Jurgilewicz.
RICHLAND, Wash. — An internship program administered by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) is preparing a workforce with skills to meet future cleanup needs at the Hanford Site, an example of how the One Hanford team is developing and retaining new talent.
“Internships with the Hanford Site serve a dual purpose,” said Sydney Nachbaur, Hanford’s Workforce Resource manager. “They help us cultivate the future workforce while connecting local students and military veterans with on-the-job experience in their respective fields.”
Initiated in 2021, the HMIS Co-Op Internship Program matches college students and individuals seeking career transitions, including veterans, with work that complements their academic studies or professional goals. Students also have opportunities for scholarships funded by HMIS to support their education.
Since the program’s launch, it has welcomed 32 graduates into full-time positions at HMIS, highlighting its effectiveness in building a robust workforce equipped to support Hanford’s cleanup mission.
Abel Melendrez, a 22-year Army veteran and intern with the HMIS Safeguards and Security team, reflected on the program's effects: "This internship offered me a path to transition my career post-military, complete my degree and provide for my family, all while adapting to a new professional environment."
While the HMIS Co-Op Internship Program does not guarantee employment after the internship term ends, its primary goal is to transition as many interns as possible into full-time roles, preparing them with skills and experience required to be effective and successful members of the Hanford Site workforce in the future.
-Contributor: Shyanne Palmus
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