A perfect amalgam - the combination of company in-house training with an academic online certificate program

A well-trained and qualified workforce is an essential element in the modern day work place of the nuclear industry. For generations, from the guilds of the Middle Age through to the early Industrial Age, people learned their crafts through hands-on training provided at the hands of masters. Today, though there is an ever-pressing need for mentoring in the workplace, the fast-paced environment and lack of time to develop specific in-house training programs can create hindrances to both formal and informal learning in the work place. One way to overcome this gap is through private company and academic collaboration. In 2012, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) developed a Nuclear Regulatory Commission sponsored Nuclear Criticality Safety Certificate Program. In collaboration with URENCO USA, an online version of the program was also developed to assist the URENCO criticality workforce in the nuclear criticality safety (NCS) qualification process to further their education. This paper looks into the differences between formal and informal learning and how factors, which shape informal learning, are used to compliment formal learning in the work environment. It further discusses how a collaborative relationship between private and academic partners can assist a company in maintaining a high level of expertise, while assisting with a company's goals of fostering, sustaining and strengthening the nuclear safety culture. (authors)