Methods for sharing tacit nuclear knowledge and expertise

The ageing of workforce, the lack of training programs and recruits, and the decline in R and D activities have evoked discussion about the need to preserve nuclear knowledge by transferring it from retiring experts to new recruits. Studies conducted in the nuclear and power industries have found that challenges lie especially in transferring tacit knowledge, which the experts have accumulated through long careers and various experiences in professional settings. This paper examines methods with which tacit knowledge is transferred at the Finnish nuclear power plants. The aim of this paper is to provide empirical knowledge of the current state of practices for sharing tacit knowledge that could be utilized at NPPs more generally. (author)