Destination Nuclear: Interview with Chris Conboy

We sat down with Chris Conboy, MD of AtkinsRéalis’ Nuclear & Power business in EMEA to talk about the nuclear skills gap, progression and culture at AtkinsRéalis, and what ED&I means to him.

Thanks for speaking to us today, Chris, we know you’re a busy man. You’ve been in post as Managing Director of our Nuclear & Power EMEA business less than a year, but you have a long history with AtkinsRéalis.

What do you see as the best three reasons to work for AtkinsRéalis?

In my opinion, it’s our culture, the brilliant people I get to work with, and the career opportunities that are available. It’s the most exciting time to be joining AtkinsRéalis. Our Nuclear & Power EMEA business is performing really well, we’re getting great feedback from our clients, and we’re working on some of the most interesting and technically complex programmes the region we operate in has to offer.

And what do you look for in potential recruits?

Our people are our greatest asset and its hugely important to me that everyone comes to work each and every day with a sense of enthusiasm, curiosity and purpose. We want people with a desire to give their absolute best, in a business that has a culture that enables them to give their absolute best. And of course, for people to enjoy what they’re doing.

Speaking of people, how would you describe the culture?

Great question. When I reflect on our Nuclear & Power EMEA business, I feel a sense of pride with the amount of effort we’re consciously putting into our culture; making our business the best place to work. Our people surveys tell us we’re doing better and better each year. We have a strong ED&I agenda but there’s no doubt we can do even better on this and we’re working hard to make that so. I was sold years ago on the benefits that a truly diverse workforce can bring to a business. And it’s not just about business performance, it’s about each and every one of us being able to better develop the talent we each have for our progression, as a result of working in diverse teams. Learning from each other, seeing how our individual backgrounds and experiences can contribute in different ways to solving the most technically complex project problems.

I truly believe we’re doing well on fostering a culture of inclusivity, of diversity, of thought, where colleagues can work in a psychologically safe environment. Where we can feel free and confident to bring our whole self to our role; bringing our personal best to the job each and every day and have an awful lot of fun along the way. 

It’s great that you’re championing individuality as a key asset helping us collectively strive for brilliance. And how do you ensure AtkinsRéalis staff maintain job satisfaction? What keeps recruits in their roles?

The career experiences are brilliant; our businesses are involved in some of the most technically interesting and complex projects which provide all kinds of career opportunities. Whether someone wants the opportunity to work across markets, geographies, and cultures – it’s so easily accessible in our business. The mobility we provide has allowed colleagues to experience project delivery in a different environment to what they’re familiar with, to experience a new culture or way of working, or to go and develop new business in a new geography or market. That can only be a great thing for career development, not to mention adding to rich life experiences in general. It’s also important that people understand that our Nuclear & Power EMEA business is an international business. Not only do we operate in the UK, but we also have businesses, and therefore opportunities, in France, Germany and the Middle East. 

Are there any challenges you see facing recruitment into nuclear? How do you combat them if so?

There’s no denying that there’s a shortage of skills in the sector. We recruit over 400 new staff each year into our business and that need is only going to increase. I do see our business in having a social responsibility in ensuring there’s a suitable supply of skills into the sector. AtkinsRéalis is a member of Destination Nuclear – a Government-led recruitment campaign set up to streamline the hiring process into nuclear.

To be proactive, we also stay very close to the university system, sponsoring relevant engineering programmes and we are actively engaged with apprenticeships, and summer student and industrial placement programmes. That said we’ve a real focus also on attracting talent from what traditionalists may call ‘a departure from the norm’ (whereas I don’t agree with that phrase). Whatever background someone comes from, they deserve the right to be supported to achieve their best in life. 

That’s great to hear, and how do you help recruit more diversely?

We’re working hard to connect resources through a whole host of diverse routes. We’re scanning the entire spectrum of resource pools, regardless of background or qualifications. We’ve changed our recruitment process to be based around a strengths approach. We’ve reset how we advertise for roles to ensure true inclusivity and we’re targeting many more diverse routes and avenues to attract the best talent. It’s not simply to meet our people quota, it’s about how diversity drives different thinking, different ideas, resulting in a different level of overall improved performance. We’ve a way to go, but we’re making some really good progress.

That’s a great and honest sentiment, and it’s reassuring to see that ED&I is about being consistent and making changes, not patting ourselves on the back after a quick win. Thanks for your time, Chris, this has been a very insightful and inspiring chat.

If you’d like to join our team of gamechangers in Nuclear & Power EMEA, you can view our current opportunities or join our talent community using the link below.