The South West Nuclear Hub was pleased to see the National Nuclear Strategic Plan for and UK Nuclear Skills Charter published this month!
Developed by the (now stepped-down) Nuclear Skills Taskforce, this plan will be delivered by the Nuclear Skills Delivery Group (NSDG), but ultimately requires a cross-industry, nationwide effort to achieve the ambitions laid out. These efforts are already being demonstrated by key industrial players through an investment (announced in March 2024) of £763 million by 2030 to contribute to skills, jobs and education in the sector, as well as the launch of the Nuclear Skills Charter – coinciding with the plan.
The plan supports previously published reports, such as the “Civil Nuclear: Roadmap to 2050” and “Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent as a National Endeavour” documents, re-committing to doubling the number of apprentices and graduates in the sector, as well as quadrupling the number of specialised scientific and nuclear related PhD students.
Highlighting four areas of strategic importance (national security, energy security, Net Zero and economic prosperity), the plan outlines a further four key themes which will underpin the projects supporting the recruitment ambitions. This ambition sees 40,000 new recruits into the industry by 2030.
We are particularly pleased to see confirmation of sponsorship and bursary schemes for graduates in STEM subjects in the plan, and we are looking forward to realising the positive effects of this commitment across our academic network. Plus, a commitment to high level skills notes the opportunity to explore expanding the number of Centres for Doctoral Training which we also welcome.
The South West Nuclear Hub has been keenly contributing to discussions initiated by the Nuclear Skills Taskforce, and will continue to engage with the new Nuclear Skills Delivery Group in order to support these exciting endeavours.