The nuclear power industry's ageing workforce: Transfer of knowledge to the next generation

This report is intended primarily for senior and middle level managers in nuclear power plant operating organizations. It is intended to provide them practical information they can use to improve the transfer of knowledge from the current generation of NPP operating organization personnel to the next generation in an effective manner. The information provided in this report is based upon the experience of Member State operating organizations as well as other related industries. In September 2000, the IAEA held a technical meeting on the topic of an ageing workforce and declining educational infrastructures. The proceedings of this meeting were distributed on CD-ROM as Working Material. Several recent IAEA meetings including a senior level meeting held in June 2002 in Vienna and a technical session of the IAEA General Conference in September 2002 addressed methods of knowledge transfer. This is the first IAEA report published on this specific topic. In 2000, the IAEA Technical Working Group on the Training and Qualification of NPP Personnel (TWG-T and Q) suggested that the IAEA should develop a publication on the definition of core competencies to be maintained by an NPP operating organization. The TWG-T and Q suggested that this TECDOC should provide additional detail beyond that specified in the recently revised Safety Guide NS-G-2.8, Recruitment, Qualification and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants. This task was included in the approved programme for 2002-2003. In March 2001, IAEA-TECDOC-1204, A Systematic Approach to Human Performance Improvement: Training Solutions was published. This TECDOC provides a comprehensive list of core competencies. These competencies provide the additional detail beyond that specified in Safety Guide NS-G-2.8 that the TWG-T and Q had suggested. The aspect of core competencies that is not addressed in IAEA-TECDOC-1204 is how to effectively transfer these competencies to the generation that replaces the workforce that gained its competency through the commissioning and initial operation of the plant. Methods for such knowledge/competencies transfer are provided in this report. This report was produced through distribution of a survey to NPP operating organizations in Member States and through a series of meetings, where meeting participants shared information regarding effective practices in their organizations with respect to transferring knowledge to the next generation of NPP operating organization personnel