First Ascent Group and Energus Scoop Top National Award

We’re delighted to share that Oakridge, part of the First Ascent Group, and Energus have been named joint winners of the Best Employer and Training Provider Partnership at the 18th annual Nuclear Skills Awards 2026.

Left to right: Stephen Mangan, David Sales, Tina Cronin, Nicola Bacon (Energus), Simone Robinson, Tricia Austin (NSAN)

This recognition celebrates a partnership focused on developing the next generation of talent for the UK nuclear sector. Together, we deliver a behavioural development and knowledge and skills programme supporting around 150 graduates each year, with employer sponsorship from organisations including Rolls-Royce, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), and Great British Nuclear.

At a time when the industry faces a growing skills gap, the programme combines technical understanding with the human skills needed to thrive in complex environments. Energus leads the overall Nuclear Graduate Programme, while Oakridge delivers experiential development in areas such as self-awareness, resilience, commercial acumen and business strategy — equipping graduates to communicate, collaborate and lead early in their careers.

“We’re incredibly proud of what this partnership has achieved. This award reflects the power of combining structured, evidence-led development with real-world application. Most of all, it’s about a shared responsibility for developing the people who will lead this industry into the future.”

Simone Robinson, Director, First Ascent Group

Oakridge provide the graduates with their personal Emergenetics profile which identifies their thinking and behavioural preferences. The graduates refer to their profiles throughout each module of the programme and share them with their mentors and line managers to improve communication and collaboration.

Real Impact

• Graduate numbers increased by 49% over three years
• 100% content recall
• 93%+ satisfaction from participants
• 2.7x return on investment by month nine of the programme
• Increased gender diversity and stronger neurodiversity inclusion

These results demonstrate what can be achieved when behavioural development is embedded alongside technical capability.

Bringing This Approach to Other Organisations

While we’re proud of this recognition, what excites us most is the opportunity to partner with other organisations facing similar challenges, such as developing early talent, building future leaders, and creating inclusive, high-performing cultures.

Our approach is flexible, collaborative and designed to fit your context. We co-create programmes that combine evidence-led development with practical application — and we move quickly to make them work in the real world.

Looking to strengthen your graduate or apprentice pathway?

We’d love to explore how we could support you.

• Design or refresh your graduate programme
• Build behavioural capability alongside technical learning
• Accelerate leadership confidence in early careers
• Create inclusive, future-focused talent