Union workers inspire the next generation

Ironworker Thom Meredith is so passionate about his career at the Laboratory that he returned one last time before retirement to demystify the work the Laboratory does for high school students eyeing their futures.

"The people are exceptional, unlike anywhere else," Meredith said to the group of 25 students. "If you want to build a career, join a union and work at Los Alamos."

Shedding light on the Lab

The Community Partnerships Office worked with UNM-Taos to arrange for students from high schools in Rio Arriba, Colfax and Sandoval counties to visit the Lab and learn more about its craft workforce and 12 partner unions.

The students were already familiar with unions through their coursework, but for many, the Lab was still a bit of a mystery.

"Many of the students had never been to Los Alamos," said Sylvia Leyba, staff operations manager with the Logistics division. "They could imagine a future as a union worker but hadn't even considered looking at the Lab. For the first time, students saw the Lab up close and from behind the fence. It made them feel special, and the program opened their eyes to new options."

The students are part of the Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3), a comprehensive, pre-apprenticeship training that provides high-quality, apprentice-level content to those interested in construction. The goal is to prepare students for careers in the industry while they earn as many as three certificates. When complete, students have an opportunity to enter an apprenticeship and receive dual credit with UNM-Taos.

"Our partnerships with unions have been very fruitful, with our craft workforce often innovating improvements that make the Lab safer and more efficient," said Facilities and Operations Chief Operating Officer Brian Watkins. "This connection with Northern New Mexico students will result in a new generation of Lab employees ready to stand up the mission through safe and exceptional operations."

Finding a future through stories

Students traveled from as far as Angel Fire — a four-hour drive roundtrip — to visit Los Alamos. The program began with a presentation from Logistics Division Leader George Randell, Logistics Deputy Division Leader Brittney McKinley, and Operations Managers Casey Byrd and Larry Velasquez. It continued with a driving tour of Los Alamos and finished with lunch and meetings with craft workers.

More than 20 craft workers, with experience ranging from five to 50 years and from every union at the Lab, discussed their diverse career paths and how they found themselves working at a national laboratory. The students had a chance to understand how their coursework could connect to a long-term career that might evolve into leadership.

"The students were excited to ask questions and hear stories from our workforce," said Rebecca Estrada, a community outreach specialist from the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office who helped develop the program. "They wanted to see the work happen, but they also wanted to hear from the workforce. The volunteers painted a picture for the students, and the students learned that you don't need a Ph.D. to do meaningful, interesting work at the Lab."

Moving the Lab into the future

The craft workforce is instrumental to the success of the Lab. They can be found in every corner of the site, working on most operations projects, yet their work can be overlooked as they move quickly to the next project. A strong craft workforce helps maintain a robust, safety-focused culture.

"Our leaders in our craft workforce who came forward to make this the most memorable experience for students were so excited to see a room full of what our future can be," McKinley said. "I am inspired by their stories and how eager they were to connect with the students. Our Logistics craft are amazing, and I can't wait to see the continued force for good they will be as we partner with schools for future visits to the Lab."

The team is anticipating future events with other high schools in New Mexico and want to continue building on this success.

"This was an incredible collaboration," Leyba said. "Rural students don't often get to see the amazing work happening just a couple of hours away. Craft workers often work behind the scenes, and we don't often hear their stories. This tour helped connect the two for an incredible opportunity. These students internalized their experience and took those stories back home to the community."

"I'm honestly a little emotional when I think about how big LANL turned out for our northern kids,” said Elizabeth Campbell, program manager at UNM-Taos. “I feel like you may have made some life-changing differences in the post-tour discussion."