Nuclear Revival: Maintaining Key Competencies Attracting, Retaining, and Training the Nuclear Workforce: A U.S. Perspective

The existing nuclear power workforce is growing older. Is there a reason for the nuclear industry to be concerned? The nuclear power industry in the United States began to ask this question many years ago. Today with the reality an operating life greater than sixty years life, new build, and the possibility of an operating life greater than sixty years the answer is a definite yes. Tomorrow's technical leaders and engineers will come from Young People, New University Graduates, and experienced New Hires moving between companies or technologies. How do you retain the existing experience, transfer knowledge from one generation to the next, retain and gain new technical workers, educate young people to create an awareness and positive view about nuclear, and in general plan for the future? The U.S. has tackled these questions by focusing effort in key areas including 1- critical area staffing, 2- partnering with universities, skilled trades, and other educational groups, 3- increasing the positive visibility of nuclear technologies, and 4- lobbying to increase support for education and research efforts. This paper will review the path the United States nuclear power industry has taken to answer these questions, focus on critical objectives, evaluate success and look to the future as we move into the Nuclear Revival. (author)