Top Emirati students complete nuclear energy internship in S. Korea

Some twenty-five students from the UAE Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) have successfully completed a two-week internship in the Republic of Korea as part of the Nuclear Energy Sudo Summer Program, a joint initiative between the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), IAT, the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and the Sudo Electric Technical High School (SDE). The programme, now in its second year, offers high-achieving Grade 11 students from IAT with a unique opportunity to gain practical nuclear energy industry experience. Over the two week course, students were introduced to the theory behind nuclear energy plant operations at SEHS, and then applied that theory under the guidance of industry experts at specialised nuclear energy operative training facilities in Busan. The UAE graduates toured many of Korea''s leading science research centres and industrial parks, as well as some of the country''s most advanced nuclear energy plants. Students also gained insight into the rich Korean culture through various after school activities including the Nanta Performance Show and a visit to the Historical Palace, village and central market. "The Sudo Summer Program provides an excellent foundation for talented UAE Nationals by introducing them to specialised, technical concepts and skills that will allow them to play a critical role in the UAE nuclear energy industry," said Azza Al Sharhan, Director of Human Resources at ENEC. ENEC, the entity responsible for the construction and operation of the UAE''s first nuclear energy plants requires a large and diverse team to deliver its program. Current estimates are that ENEC will need approximately 2000 staff by 2020. "Training and development is a major priority for ENEC," said Azza Al Sharhan. "Our goal across the organization is to deliver a program that sets a benchmark for safety, performance and operational excellence - and that requires a highly skilled and experienced team. All of our programs combine a discipline-focused curriculum with real, hands-on experience from some of the industry''s leading engineering and nuclear energy experts, to ensure our students enter the UAE''s nuclear energy industry with world-class training." ENEC offers a wide range of scholarship-based training and development programs for UAE Nationals, which include undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational courses.