Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne's primary mission is to perform outstanding science. To do that, we need to ensure that our employees excel. That means we must provide opportunities for employee education and development. Argonne's growth as a laboratory is linked to our employees' growth."
- Hermann Grunder, Ph.D., Director, Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne National Laboratory is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest research centers. Managed and operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of Chicago, Argonne conducts nearly 200 research projects per year, ranging from studies of the atomic nucleus to global climate change research. To achieve their goal of becoming a world-renowned lab in advancing science and engineering, management has made a long-term commitment to building a skilled and educated workforce. The lab's workforce is highly diverse at all levels: age, ethnicity, gender and levels of education.

The organization's three-pronged strategy to sustain a skilled workforce is to: 1) offer a generous pre-paid tuition program, 2) deliver a wide array of on-site, customized training opportunities, and most importantly, 3) build the capacity of supervisors to guide the development of staff.

Success stories of employees working their way through the ranks are prevalent at Argonne, from the custodian who earned his bachelor's degree and MBA through Argonne educational programs, eventually becoming the laboratory's Chief Operating Officer, to the dozens of Argonne scientists who began their research careers as undergraduate research interns.

"We are very proud of our education and training programs, some of which have been here for over 12 years. They are the most robust of any national laboratory in the country," says Harold Myron, Division of Educational Programs Director

Click here to view full case study. The information presented here was assembled in 2003. This does not necessarily represent the current status of Argonne.