Q&A with Advanced Apprentice of the Year, Thomas Dominguez-Walker

Thomas Dominguez-Walker – who recently won a National Skills Academy for Nuclear award – discusses his recently–completed RAICo apprenticeship. 

Name: Thomas Dominguez-Walker

Job Title: Assistant Cybernetics Engineer

Employer:  The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), one of RAICo’s members, based in Culham, Oxfordshire. Thomas works on several RAICo projects from Culham as part of his role with UKAEA.

Apprenticeship Completed: Level 3 Engineering Technician (Product Design and Development), Level 4 Electrical and Electronic HNC.

Please tell us a bit about yourself – where you’re from, where you’re based now and why you chose this career?

I’m Thomas, and I’ve been based in Oxfordshire for 14 years. I’ve wanted to be an engineer for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved taking things apart, understanding how they work, and solving problems, so an engineering career felt like the natural path for me.

I’ve completed a Level 3 Engineering Apprenticeship and Level 4 HNC and am now working as an Assistant Cybernetics Engineer at UKAEA, with my work mainly involved with RAICo projects.

How did your apprenticeship come about, and how long have you been there?

I started my engineering apprenticeship at 16, straight after my GCSEs, right after the COVID pandemic. A-Levels weren’t the right fit, so I chose a practical route with UKAEA, attracted by the scheme’s broad, R&D-focused training. I completed a year full-time at college, followed by 3-month placements, which gave me a wide view of the organisation and led me to Cybernetics and Robotics. That experience led to RAICo projects during my apprenticeship and beyond; I’ve now been with UKAEA for about 4½ years, including six months working full-time on RAICo projects as a qualified Assistant Cybernetics Engineer.

What do you do in your role as an Assistant Cybernetics Engineer? What is a typical day like? Are you solely based at the Culham site?

I currently work full-time on RAICo projects at the Culham site. Most of my work sits in R&D, building and improving robotics and control solutions for nuclear tasks, with technology that can be transferred to other sectors. No two days look the same: one day I might be designing, building and testing a remote swabbing platform; another I’m supporting sample handling work in the Materials Research Facility.

A lot of the job is breaking a big project goal into small, solvable problems and working on a small task each day. I’ve got good freedom in how I deliver work (within project requirements), and I collaborate with specialists across the site, drawing on a wide mix of skills—from handson design and testing through to data analysis and documentation. I’m based at Culham full-time, but projects take me into different areas across the site as needed. The role is varied and project-driven, which I really enjoy.

What have you learned in your time here? What is the most interesting thing about your role?

I’ve built up a solid technical foundation through my apprenticeship, but my biggest growth has been both personal and professional. I’ve learnt to communicate across diverse teams, adapt quickly to new environments, and understand how the organisation works. The rotational placements gave me a strong network and the confidence to navigate complex projects, and I’ve learned how valuable a broad, cross‑disciplinary skill set is for effective collaboration—it often comes down to who you know that is available to help.

I think the most interesting thing about my role is how varied it can be; there are so many different ways to approach projects. The variation lets me apply generalised engineering knowledge across multiple areas, which is both challenging and rewarding.

What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far, and how did you overcome it?

Whilst I did choose to do a Level 4 HNC alongside my Level 3 apprenticeship, it definitely was a challenge at times, balancing two qualifications and day-to-day work.

People may think that apprenticeships are not as academically challenging or intense, but I think otherwise. Balancing work and college deadlines was tough, especially trying to achieve high grades and deliver results on projects. I kept organised, used the support available, and communicated proactively when training timelines needed attention, which helped me complete both with Distinctions and continue to deliver work outside college.

Another challenge was adapting to the 3-month placement scheme that made up a large part of my apprenticeship. I had to adjust to a new team, projects and engineering disciplines regularly. Some departments were extremely busy, while others were quieter. I think staying motivated and establishing routines, asking questions early, and seeking extra responsibility were all ways I was able to make the most of them. This definitely helped improve my adaptability and collaboration skills.

Please tell us about your nomination for Apprentice of the Year (for which you are a finalist, congratulations). What does it take to get that far?

At the end of my apprenticeship, I was nominated by my apprenticeship assessor and group leader for the NSAN Advanced Apprentice of the Year. I’m proud to have that recognition, and being selected as one of three finalists in the industry is genuinely exciting and a fantastic opportunity.

Getting to this stage takes sustained dedication, developing technical capability and building the soft skills that make projects and collaboration succeed. For me, that’s meant commitment to my apprenticeship studies, delivering on UKAEA and RAICo projects, and actively supporting others. It’s the combination of delivery, openness to learn, and peer support that I believe helps someone stand out.

As this is presumably your first role, what do you plan to do in your career? What will you do next?

I’m keeping an open mind because the path that suits me most, Cybernetics, only became clear once I tried it. That being said, I’m interested in a degree apprenticeship or a part-time engineering degree in the future, likely focused on robotics or a combined mechanical/electrical discipline.

For now, I’m prioritising experience and enjoyment in my current role and letting that guide my next steps. Even after completing my apprenticeship, I have plenty of options, and I’m excited to see where my work takes me and what I can accomplish next.

What advice would you give to future apprentices – at UKAEA, and in general?

Keep your options open, and don’t close any doors would be my number one piece of advice. This is definitely helped by proactively asking questions, looking for opportunities and building up a network of colleagues and peers to support you and others.

If you are studying, keep organised and proactively complete work, you’ll thank yourself later on. And sometimes, you just need to go above and beyond to make sure things get done, for qualifications and at work.

Finally, I would say be open to learn and try new things. Don’t worry too much about where you’ll end up, varied placements and a whole apprenticeship course can really change your perspective.

What would you like the public to know about your work, and the work UKAEA does? Are there any misconceptions we can clear up?

Robotics and cybernetics are helping make real-world tasks safer and more efficient, especially where sampling or inspection could expose people to hazards, and much of that development transfers beyond nuclear into other sectors. Through UKAEA and RAICo, the supporting work for fusion programmes and decommissioning is highly applicable to a wide range of industries and problems, broadening the impact of UKAEA and RAICo outside their mission statements.

Apprenticeships are a strong route into engineering, and a very viable option. My qualifications have been challenging and rewarding, giving me recognised qualifications and practical experience. I hope it encourages others to consider an engineering apprenticeship and see what they can do.