I remember that moment of joy and sudden stress relief when I received the email I had been anxiously waiting for:
“I am pleased to share that your security clearance has been received”.
The lead up to this email was months in the making. A finalized and approved security clearance was an important and long-awaited step that meant I could finally start my Ivey Analytics Laboratory placement at Bruce Power, the world’s largest active nuclear power plant.
That description still blows my mind... Over the course of the summer, I get the opportunity to work for the world's largest active nuclear power plant. The plant isn’t located in some foreign, far away land either, but merely two and a half hours north of the Ivey Business School. Located well beyond the reach of the 401 between the small towns of Port Elgin and Kincardine, lies the even smaller town of Tiverton, Ontario, home to this eight-unit nuclear reactor facility with a capacity of over 6400 megawatts.
On a high security job site as large as Bruce Power, you can only image how overwhelming it was starting out. From the daily badge checks required to access the site to walking through metal and explosives detectors before entering the station, this was quite the change of scenery compared to the minimal Ivey security consisting of a very heavyfront door. These necessary safety and security precautions constantly remind me of the serious nature the industry. A workforce of such magnitude requires a strong, focused, and collective effort to keep each other and the environment safe. Bruce Power’s culture is one that instills accountability and good judgement, allowing everyone to hold each other to high standards for both work performance and safety. Even as just an analytics student it took over a week for me to complete all the required safety and job site training. I’m very fortunate to have been placed with a company that cares equally about each of its 4000+ employees' safety. There is no better feeling when walking into work (especially at a place like this) than knowing your employer has your best interests in mind every step of the way.
