Professional Development is at the heart of what we do!
Dr Nara Ringrose, Head of People & Organisational Development:
The development of our employees’ leadership and management abilities is a crucial component of our HR strategy. At the beginning of 2022, we implemented an internal leadership and management programme that provides employees with hands-on experience and prepares them for workplace challenges. This in-house training serves to expand cognitive capacities, enabling leaders to engage in innovative and creative ways of thinking. Currently, we have 19 employees enrolled on internal leadership and management training. The HR team designs and delivers various training on management subjects to ensure our line managers are well supported. Our learning culture and commitment to personal development are linked to our values, “Elite” & “Ethical”, providing fertile ground for leadership growth. We are currently engaged in a dynamic collaboration with Ulster University, Northern Ireland. Dr Paul Joseph-Richard, a Chartered Psychologist and a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at the Ulster University Business School, serves as Aquila’s leadership development consultant. We are grateful to Dr Joseph-Richard’s expertise and admiration for our exceptional commitment to nurturing leadership within the company.
Dr Paul Joseph-Richard, a Chartered Psychologist and a Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management
What truly sets Aquila apart is the unwavering clarity of HR vision for leadership and management development. Aquila’s HR strategic approach is underscored by a research-informed understanding of the skills, qualities, and attributes that make effective leaders. The senior management team’s direction, and their commitment to the company values serve as a guiding light, ensuring that every effort and initiative aligns with their overarching leadership development strategy. Ulster University’s expertise, including the cutting-edge research capabilities, psychometric tools, executive coaching proficiency and feedback mechanisms have been complementing their efforts. I am genuinely excited about the future of our collaboration and the shared goal of fostering a generation of effective and visionary leaders across all levels within Aquila. It is a privilege to bring our expertise to Aquila and to be a part of their transformative journey.
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear supports mental health in Cumbria with charitable donation
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear is proud to announce its recent financial contribution to the Always Another Way charity in Cumbria. As part of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear’s commitment to delivering positive social impact in Cumbria, this charitable contribution supports Cyclife Aquila’s dedication to mental health initiatives. Always Another Way aims to enhance mental health support services for children, young people, and adults in Copeland and Allerdale, empowering the local community to overcome challenges and achieve mental well-being.
Always Another Way is a vital community interest company dedicated to delivering low level mental health support for young people and adults in the West Cumbria region. The organisation plays a crucial role in providing preventative mental health support services to individuals from diverse backgrounds. The passionate team comprises professionals from a wide range of disciplines, all united by their dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of those they serve.
Cyclife Aquila firmly believes in the importance of mental health and well-being for individuals and the broader community. Through this donation, the company seeks to actively contribute to the betterment of mental health support services in the region. By collaborating with Always Another Way, Cyclife Aquila aims to reinforce the CIC’s efforts in promoting resilience, self-confidence, and overall emotional well-being among the community’s most vulnerable members.
Commenting on the donation, Drew Corbett, Managing Director of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear, stated, “We are thrilled to support Always Another Way with their exceptional mission to provide mental health support in Copeland & Allerdale. Mental health is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being, and we believe that access to proper support and resources is vital in fostering a healthy community. As a company, we are committed to making a positive impact, and we recognise the significant role that Always Another Way plays in addressing mental health challenges. This donation represents our heartfelt commitment to the well-being of the local community. Moving forward we will also be providing operational support, from a number of our business functions to assist in its growth and development.”
The generous contribution from Cyclife Aquila will aid Always Another Way in expanding its outreach and providing accessible mental health support services to an even broader spectrum of individuals in need. By supporting preventative measures and early intervention, the charity’s dedicated team aims to reduce the long-term impact of mental health challenges and foster a more resilient community.
“We are delighted to have received this generous donation from Cyclife Aquila, which will enable us to continue our much-needed work in West Cumbria.” said Lyn Cavaghan, Executive Officer at Always Another Way. “We get some amazing feedback from our clients on the value and benefit of our service to them, and it is enormously satisfying to our small team that we are making such a difference to the lives of so many people in our communities”.
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear looks forward to continued collaboration with Always Another Way and other local organisations to drive positive change and improve the well-being of individuals in West Cumbria.
Notes to Editor:
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear offers Engineering Solutions in the specialist areas of glovebox technology, shielded facilities, remote handling systems and transport and packaging to the following nuclear markets: decommissioning, new build, defence, science, and medicines. Cyclife Aquila Nuclear is a subsidiary of Cyclife EDF Group, a group dedicated to the dismantling of nuclear facilities and the management of radioactive waste. It combines industrial waste treatment sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden and France with advanced engineering capabilities through its subsidiaries Cyclife Engineering, Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions, which enable it to offer its customers a wide range of complementary services in Europe.
Always Another Way are a small third sector organisation based in West Cumbria and provide valuable, and much valued, low level mental health support to their clients, aged 11 years and above, via one-to-one coping strategy advice appointments, group support sessions, including sessions for members of the LGBTQ+ community, complementary therapies and short courses on mental health awareness. It is also able to offer a higher level of support to some very specific clients from a fully qualified therapist. Referrals come from a variety of sources, including social prescribing teams, GP’s and schools.
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear announces a new Managing Director
We are incredibly excited to announce the appointment of Drew Corbett as the new Managing Director of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear, effective 1st August 2023. Having served as Commercial Director, Drew brings with him a wealth of experience and his expertise in business strategy, coupled with a deep understanding of our operations and market dynamics, positions him perfectly to lead our organisation in to the future.
Drew takes over from Dave Barker, who stepped down as CEO on 31st July 2023, having been in the role for over 12 years when Cyclife Aquilla Nuclear was first established. We are equally delighted to announce that Dave will remain part of the Aquila team, now serving as its Director of Strategy.
Whilst our day-to-day business will remain the same, we are excited to see the progression and future of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear under Drew’s leadership with the support of its Executive Leadership Team and the wider business. We spoke with Drew about his new appointment:
‘It is a huge honour to be appointed as Managing Director for Cyclife Aquila Nuclear and I am extremely excited.
Firstly, I would like to thank Dave Barker and the amazing team at Cyclife Aquila Nuclear. Aquila Nuclear Engineering Limited was Dave’s vision, and he has had the determination, passion, persistence and industry knowledge to turn his vision into the impressive business that we see today. Our team have embraced the transition into to the Cyclife group, whilst continuing to perform in line with our values, ‘Elite & Ethical’.
Secondly, I would like to thank the team at Cyclife for their support in ensuring that our transition into the group was smooth and for affording me this opportunity.
The Nuclear Industry faces some amazing challenges over the coming years, and I believe that we are perfectly positioned, alongside our fellow Cyclife subsidiaries, to play a key role in providing the best possible solutions, whilst providing a fantastic environment for our people to grow and develop.’
We believe the transition will be seamless, given Drew’s deep-rooted understanding of our company and its values. We are also optimistic about this new chapter in our journey and anticipate continued success and growth under his leadership.
Please joins us in welcoming Drew in his new role and extending your support as we embark on this exciting new phase.
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear offers Engineering Solutions in the specialist areas of Glovebox Technology, Shielded Facilities, Remote Handling Systems and Transport and Packaging to the following nuclear markets- decommissioning, new build, defence, science, and medicines.
Cyclife
Cyclife is a subsidiary of the EDF Group dedicated to the dismantling of nuclear facilities and the management of radioactive waste. It combines industrial waste treatment sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden and France with advanced engineering capabilities through its subsidiaries Cyclife Engineering, Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions, which enable it to offer its customers a wide range of complementary services in Europe.
Media Enquiries
For media enquiries, please contact:
Olivia Tant
Marketing & Communications
Email: otant@cyclifeaquila.com
Professional Development Workshop Success with IMechE
On Wednesday the 9th of August, Aquila hosted Steve Acott, our local Membership Development Manager for the IMechE to conduct a workshop focussed on Professional Registration Applications. Seven of our mentees attended to understand more about what is needed for the perfect application, a key step in becoming Professionally Registered with either the IMechE, IET or NI. In the workshop, Steve clearly explained each engineering competency, listing some examples and outlining the best approach to structuring answers to questions within the application forms. Additionally, Steve also provided individual feedback and guidance on mentees existing answers, allowing them to go away and tailor their answers to the questions more appropriately.
The workshop was invaluable, with lots of positive and constructive discussions taking place during the session. As a result of the workshop, attendees can now confidently complete their applications so that they can apply to become Professionally Registered. I am looking forward to working closely with Steve in the future to help support mentees complete Career Learning Assessments, and Interview Training for those who attended the workshop. A big thank you to Steve and all those who attended the workshop – the expertise and quality of work at Aquila clearly left a great first impression with Steve!
Here is what some of mentees had to say about the workshop:
‘Thank you to the Cyclife Aquila professional development scheme and Steve Acott for running the IMechE Application Workshop, I found it extremely useful. Steve ran an engaging session, providing lots of feedback and helpful advice. It has given me the information and confidence to finally finish my chartership application ready for submission.’ Geoffrey Sherwood, Mechanical Design Engineer.
‘I thought Steve Acott was very clear and concise about what was required for chartership which was enjoyable and helped my understanding. He provided easy to understand examples of the chartership forms giving some great advice in filling them in. He also elaborated on the process for chartership including the interview process and what we a likely to expect moving forward. During the Aquila tour Steve also showed great interested in the type of engineer and equipment Aquila produces.’ Duncan Metcalfe, Principal Engineer.
An Estate Agent, Car Mechanic or Finance Director. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Liz Wheeler our Finance Director certainly didn’t imagine herself crunching numbers for a nuclear engineering company.
Growing up, Liz was a huge fan of Neighbours, the Australian TV show. So, when it came to future careers, being a Car Mechanic like Charlene from the show was at the top of the list, alongside being an Estate Agent. Liz would often spend hours cutting up house magazines and attaching them to the clothes horse to make a shop window, playing ‘Estate Agents’ with her mum.
Fast forward to today, life is a little different to how Liz could have ever imagined it. Joining Aquila at the start of its journey in 2011, Liz joined as the Accounts and Admin Manager and was responsible for all finance and administrative duties across the business. As the business grew Liz also took charge of IT and HR until the business was at a size where these teams became stand-alone functions. Then in 2019 Liz was promoted to Finance Director having completed her Chartership in Management Accounting (ACMA, CGMA).
Currently Liz’s role requires her to develop and manage our financial strategy and aiming to mitigate financial risk, whilst also ensuring accurate financial reporting from across the business. The role includes a variety of financial based responsibilities including the determination of cost rates and utilisation targets, creating budgets and forecasts, management reporting to our parent company, Cyclife EDF Group through to financial accounting and reporting in line with statutory requirements.
Liz joined Aquila for the professional development opportunities, after reaching the most senior position available in her previous company. Aquila offered flexibility in hours, to accommodate being a new mum, but still presented opportunities for development, like achieving her chartership and being promoted through the ranks to director.
Aside from the development opportunities, Liz loves what she does, the challenge each day brings is different and with our acquisition into the Cyclife group it has brought more learning opportunities and new systems to learn and get involved with. Aquila has a great culture and some superb individuals within the workforce with whom Liz has found not only fantastic dedicated work colleagues but also friendships. Most importantly as we continue to grow, and welcome new people we still maintain our core values of being elite and ethical.
Aquila Nuclear Engineering Ltd announces name change to Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
Aquila Nuclear Engineering Ltd has announced it will be rebranding to become Cyclife Aquila Nuclear, effective 01 June 2023. Having joined the Cyclife EDF Group in December 2021, the name change reflects the business being recognised as part of the prestigious Cyclife and EDF brand.
With its already stellar reputation in the nuclear industry, both in the UK and mainland Europe, the new Cyclife Aquila Nuclear brand will further support the business in being recognised as a key player in an international brand.
While the company name and branding is changing, its dedicated team, ongoing projects, and core values will remain unchanged. Operating from its Hampshire headquarters in Twyford, Winchester, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear is proud to have recently secured a 10-year lease for additional office space on site, as the company continues to grow and expand its operations. The company is committed to delivering its large array of projects from the decommissioning of nuclear sites through to nuclear medicines
As strong supporters of local grassroots sports and community projects, Cyclife Aquila will continue its volunteer work alongside Winchester City Council and ActiveMe360 and is looking to support more community projects over the coming months.
Dave Barker, CEO, and founder of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear said:
“We believe that our company’s name change is a testament to the high esteem in which our organisation is held and serves as a clear indicator of the support and investment we have received since our acquisition by EDF in 2021. I am truly impressed by the professionalism displayed by the Cyclife Aquila team and the outstanding reputation we have earned within the nuclear industry. As part of Cyclife / EDF, we are proud to be associated with such esteemed entities and eagerly anticipate the prospects of continued growth and achievement. Even during our due diligence process the executive team at Aquila recognised that the EDF Cyclife group aligned with our values which is to be elite and ethical in everything we do”.
Estelle Desroches, Cyclife Group CEO said:
“By creating the Cyclife Aquila Nuclear identity, we wanted to symbolize the successful integration of Aquila into the Cyclife group, and the synergies already built up around the skills and expertise of our subsidiary, which contribute fully to our integrated dismantling and waste treatment and recycling service offering. It is with pride and confidence that we enter this new phase together”.
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
Cyclife Aquila Nuclear offers Engineering Solutions in the specialist areas of Glovebox Technology, Shielded Facilities, Remote Handling Systems and Transport and Packaging to the following nuclear markets- decommissioning, new build, defence, science, and medicines.
Cyclife UK
Cyclife UK provides integrated decommissioning and waste management services comprising consultancy, engineering, site project implementation and waste treatment services, principally in the UK.
Cyclife
Cyclife is a subsidiary of the EDF Group dedicated to the dismantling of nuclear facilities and the management of radioactive waste. It combines industrial waste treatment sites in the United Kingdom, Sweden and France with advanced engineering capabilities through its subsidiaries Cyclife Engineering, Graphitech and Cyclife Digital Solutions, which enable it to offer its customers a wide range of complementary services in Europe.
Media Enquiries
For media enquiries, please contact:
Olivia Tant
Marketing & Communications
Email: otant@cyclifeaquila.com
Last month Aquila attended the STEM Fair at the University of Southampton, to talk to students about the opportunities that a STEM career with Aquila could offer. It was great to meet the students and show them how important STEM roles and ambassadors are in everyday life.
Aquila is committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and supporting them in their next career steps alongside our experienced, established team.
Our stand included our latest 3D model of recently completed Hot Cells for a European client. Aquila has been completing the design, development, and installation of these Hot Cells, and it was fantastic to show the next generation of engineers our work, even if it is a slightly smaller version than the real thing!
Attending these careers fairs and exhibitions is important to Aquila because it affords us the opportunity to share our positive experiences with people who may not be familiar with the nuclear industry. It also allows us to positively influence the career development of the next generation of engineers by showcasing our capability and the opportunities available for those joining the industry.
Dave Collings, Aquila’s STEM Champion attended the event and commented on how wonderful it was to be back at a face-to-face event, the event was well attended by students from the University, and it was great to inspire them to consider a career in the nuclear industry. The event was engaging, exciting and encouraging!
If you met the Aquila team at the @University of Southampton and would like more information about one of our programmes, please contact the STEM team on STEM@cyclifeaquila.com
Aquila Nuclear Engineering has teamed up with Winchester City Council (WCC) to deliver football coaching for young people across the Hampshire district.
This summer has been jammed packed with great sport, with the Commonwealth Games, Ladies Euros and European Athletic Championships, to name a few. And it doesn’t stop there. The Aquila team is excited to announce that it is teaming up with Winchester City Council (WCC) and their delivery partner, ActiveMe 360 to deliver football coaching for young people across the Hampshire district.
Joe Taylor, Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at ActiveMe 360 said “ActiveMe 360 are delighted to once again be working with Winchester City Council to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people in the Winchester District this October half term. The football project allows children to take part in high quality football at 8 venues across the district without financial barriers, which is really important in the current climate. We are grateful to Aquila for their support in making the project happen.”
Delivering positive social impact is just one of Aquila’s corporate socially responsible schemes and as a business it chose to support an initiative that would benefit a diverse pool of young people from across the local communities. Funding to WCC will enable ActiveMe 360 to deliver sport activities across the local area and support young people. Winchester City Council’s Calum Drummond, said ‘the sponsorship support allows more children and young people to take part in a wide-range of sport and physical activity programmes across the district’.
Steve Barker, Commercial Manager for Aquila Nuclear Engineering said:
“As the lead for social projects at Aquila I could not be happier with this initiative. Winchester City Council and its partners deliver some excellent programmes to our communities often with tight budgets, and we are proud to contribute to this through this new sponsorship arrangement.
The funding we are putting in place not only enables the delivery of this initiative, but it also indirectly allows the Council to reallocate resources to other great programmes and schemes that might not otherwise be possible without appropriate funding.
Football is just one of many sports that should be accessible by all, and we are confident this initiative will deliver real positive impact to the young people attending and might even inspire the next generation of a major trophy-winning football team!”
Purpose & Role
Responsible for the provision of electrical engineering elements associated with successful delivery of machine design and build projects. Working as part of a project team, you will manage electrical design output of Cyclife Aquila Nuclear’s sub-contractors, from concept to validation.
Prime Responsibilities and Duties
- Managing and outsourcing of EC&I design and build project elements.
- Work alongside design engineers to ensure designs are fit for purpose and identify design solutions.
- Peer review of sub-contractor produced drawings and documentation against project specification requirements.
- Help develop and maintain a good working relationship with clients and suppliers, including the identification, assessment, and integration of new EC&I sub-contractors.
- Project conclusion and integration
- Witnessing factory acceptance tests and projects sign off.
- Attending bid reviews with respect to engineering estimates, including supporting the production of the technical aspects and estimates for tenders.
- Supporting the scheduling and tasking information to the Lead Engineers and Project Managers to support project delivery.
- To assist in general clerical and administrative duties to ensure smooth running of the engineering department.
We are proud to have formed a new partnership with STEM Returners to help engineers return to the sector after a career break. Find out more below, or through our feature here: STEM Returners
“Aquila Nuclear Engineering, a Cyclife EDF group subsidiary, delivers projects across a range of domestic and international nuclear market sectors. from the design concept stage right through to manufacturing, testing, installation and commissioning.
The company will offer a pilot STEM Returners programme at their site near Winchester, Hampshire, which kicks off with the role of Senior Mechanical Design Engineer. The role will open to engineers who have struggled to return to their career through standard recruitment channels.
STEM Returners programmes act as a ‘returnship’, allowing candidates to be re-integrated into an inclusive environment upon their return to STEM.
Annual research from STEM Returners (The STEM Returners Index) has revealed the challenges engineers face when trying to return to work, following a career break. Recruitment bias is shown to be the main barrier to entry.
Natalie Desty, Director of STEM Returners said: “We are very proud to be entering this new partnership with Aquila, to return highly skilled people back into the industry they love. Only by partnering with industry leaders like Aquila, will we make vital changes in STEM recruitment practices, to help those who are finding it challenging to return to the sector and improve diversity and inclusion.”
Grace McMullan, Recruitment Advisor at Aquila, said: “At Aquila Nuclear Engineering, we strive to break down barriers and build an inclusive and diverse workforce. We support those who have taken a career break and aim to get them back into their chosen profession. We have recently formed a new partnership with STEM Returners to help Engineers get back into work, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
There is currently a well-known skills shortage in the UK engineering industry, but despite a clear need for people, professionals who have had a career break are often overlooked. STEM Returners has recently launched the 2022 STEM Returners Index to better understand STEM professionals’ experiences of trying to re-enter the sector after a career break.
The survey is open to all STEM professionals who have had a gap in their career, who are attempting to return to work, or who have recently returned to work. It is anonymous and asks a variety of questions including reasons for a career break, what challenges were faced when attempting to return to work and what impact COVID-19 had on finding a role.
The STEM Returners’ programme aims to eliminate barriers, by giving candidates real work experience and mentoring during their placement, as well as helping them to seamlessly adjust to life back in work.
Whilst the scheme helps solve the problem of sourcing talent in sectors with a shortage of skilled professionals, it also has the added benefit of increasing diversity in a host organisation. STEM Returners’ population of experienced professionals attempting to return to work are 51% female and 38% from black and minority ethnic groups, compared to 10% female and 6% BME working in the STEM industry. Successful candidates may be offered full-time positions at Aquila upon the completion of their 12-week placement. Since STEM Returners launched in 2017, nearly 250 STEM Returner candidates have joined programmes across the UK”.