By Brad Beck and Bob Putnam
Each summer, Los Alamos National Laboratory hosts more than 1,800 students and postgraduate interns. In 2026, for the first time, the Plutonium Workforce Development Institutional Partnerships (PWDI) program will pay for more than 30 of those students to come to the Laboratory. Selected from New Mexico colleges and universities, the students will gain real-world work experience at Los Alamos, supplementing their education with hands-on training at one of the nation’s leading scientific institutions.
Initiated by the Laboratory’s Associate Laboratory Directorate for Weapons Production, the PWDI began in 2022 in close collaboration with the New Mexico Consortium.
In its first year, the program distributed $3 million from the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Production Modernization and Materials Management to 10 partner institutions—including three research universities, three four-year colleges, and four community colleges—to address the growing need for skilled workers to support the Laboratory's plutonium pit production mission. Plutonium pits are a critical component in all U.S. nuclear weapons, and the Laboratory is at the center of the effort to restore manufacturing of this key component in support of our nation’s nuclear deterrent for national security. As of October 2025, the program has funded the purchase of dozens of scientific instruments, including seven major pieces of equipment at the University of New Mexico alone—from scanning electron microscopes to vacuum furnaces—and developed courses that have been taken by nearly 2,000 students across the state.
The initiative is already delivering results: increased internships and fellowships are feeding directly into the Lab’s workforce pipeline. The program has even enabled hands-on radiochemistry training at New Mexico State University and helped launch summer camps partnering Central New Mexico Community College with Explora to introduce New Mexico youth to advanced manufacturing careers.
In 2026, the Laboratory received new funding to expand these efforts, continuing to build the state's mission-ready workforce for decades to come.
The PWDI is preparing students for careers at the Lab in three ways. First, it funds participating institutions to update equipment and course materials so students can learn the skills they need to work at the Lab. Second, it provides scholarships for students at participating institutions—more than 20 have been issued since 2022. Third, 2026 is the first year that the initiative is bringing a cohort of students to Los Alamos for internships.
Despite its name, the PWDI is not limited to students who work directly with plutonium. Many critical functions must be performed in support of pit production, such as engineering, finance, contracts, chemistry, and more. Students in these areas are also supported by the PWDI.
Take logistics, for example. Managing the careful receiving and handling of materials as they arrive at Los Alamos and move within the Laboratory itself is a critical function. Through PWDI, the Lab can hire supply chain management students to gain real work experience that supplements their education.
The Laboratory’s rationale is simple: data shows that employees hired from Northern New Mexico are substantially more likely to remain at the Laboratory for five years or longer—up to 70 percent more likely than employees hired from outside the region. Investing in training, hiring, and retaining a local workforce pays for itself while fostering vital partnerships and enduring relationships within the community.
Participating Universities
University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Navajo Technical University, Northern New Mexico College, New Mexico Highlands University, San Juan College, Luna Community College, Central New Mexico Community College, Santa Fe Community College
Contact
Media Relations | media_relations@lanl.gov
