Physicists tip cap to global energy specialist

ENGINEERING group Amec Foster Wheeler has won a prestigious award for the way it trains and looks after its physicists.

The company, which designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers across global energy and related sectors, has received  The Best Practice in Professional Development Award, presented by the Institute of Physics (IOP).

The honour recognises and celebrates employers who can demonstrate excellence in the way they train and develop staff and promote work-life balance.

The IOP’s judging panel cited several examples of good practice at Amec Foster Wheeler’s Clean Energy business, which employs 1,200 people in Knutsford and Birchwood, Warrington.

These included a competency assurance scheme, head of profession roles, ‘lunchtime learnings’, allocation of mentors, and a system of ongoing appraisal.
The award, valid for three years, will be presented formally in November at the IOP’s awards dinner.

Vishanti Fox, the IOP’s membership, careers and continuing professional development manager, said: “We were delighted with the high volume and standard of entries and the excellent practices that the winners are showing in the way that they support and develop their physicists.”

David Boath, vice president and chief engineer at Amec Foster Wheeler’s Clean Energy business, said: “Our physicists play an important role in maintaining our status as the UK’s leading nuclear services company with 3,300 specialists around the world.

“It is rewarding to see that the quality of our work on training and development has been recognised by the professional body at such a high level.

“Investment in our people is an investment in our future and in the future of the nuclear industry.”