A key pre-requisite for any successful nuclear programme is first class education and training. Everyone in the industry, in whatever role, must have the relevant high quality skills. Specific requirements will differ significantly between activities, not least between different sectors and the nuclear and non-nuclear aspects of a project. However ,in all cases, any company seeking success in bidding for contracts in the UK nuclear programme will need to demonstrate that its workforce has the appropriate skills, training and education to carry out the work safely and effectively. The focus on safety is of paramount importance across the breadth of the nuclear industry.
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What skills are needed?
Cogent Sector Skills Council undertakes skills research programmes which provide essential intelligence to inform future skills needs. The most recent reports required extensive collaboration with employers and the research is supported by the Office for Nuclear Development.
Depending on the nature of the particular work you wish to become involved in, you will need to demonstrate that your business has the training and skills to meet the relevant standards laid down by the procuring party (utility, reactor vendor or main contractor). The Nuclear Skills Passport identifies the nationally agreed skills and training standards required across the breadth of the industry.
How can I identify the skills required for my project?
To find out what skills/training is available to meet your specific requirement you should as a first step contact the National Skills Academy for Nuclear. The Skills Academy will work with you to assess your organisastion’s needs and advise on how the skills of your workforce can be developed and improved to meet the national employer agreed skills and training standards required by the nuclear industry, or how individual skills can be strengthened. The Skills Academy can advise on what support is available, either directing you to one of its own programmes or, if appropriate, to one of the many skills bodies offering support in specific areas of activity.
The Skills Academy’s Nuclear Skills Passport system contains a benchmarking tool that supports and enables up-skilling and workforce mobility across the sector – enabling existing employee’s skills to be recognised and mapped against defined standard industry Job Context roles, highlighting gaps in skills and/or training. The system also provides a training signposting tool which supports up-skilling by signposting learners to Skills Academy Quality Assured training provision.
Job Contexts and the Nuclear Industry Training Standards have been completed by Cogent with industry input. They are families of nuclear related job profiles providing an important national framework for competences, training and qualifications in the nuclear industry. Companies in the nuclear supply chain refer to Cogent Job Contexts to provide a skills benchmark for job roles across their operations. They can identify and cross-check skill needs and related qualifications and training. The full list of nuclear industry related Job Contexts, Qualifications and Training Standards are shown in the Cogent on-line Prospectus.
What is the National Skills Academy for Nuclear?
The National Skills Academy for Nuclear was established in January 2008 by nuclear employers, and covers the whole nuclear industry from new build through to operational plant and decommissioning. It is a membership organisation that aims to ensure excellence in skills for the nuclear industry and the maintenance and development of a skilled, safe and competent workforce. The Skills Academy working in partnership with Cogent SSC has already made a major contribution to delivering the UK’s current and future nuclear programmes.
What Programmes does the National Skills Academy for Nuclear offer?
The Skills Academy offers a range of programmes to support the nuclear industry covering skills from apprentice to postgraduate level, full details are on www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk
Key programmes include the following:
The Triple Bar
Nuclear Industry leaders have requested the introduction of an ‘entry bar’ for individuals working in and with the Nuclear Industry. The aim of this standard is to have a minimum entry requirement for unescorted worker access. The courses also help to maintain and grow ‘UK nuclear industry culture’ for safe and continued operations. There are two versions of the Triple Bar. The Triple Bar Existing Sites which contextualises the training for people working on operational or decommissioining Sites. The Triple Bar New Build contextualises the training specifically for new build agenda. The three training standards within the Triple Bar are:
1. Basic Common Induction Standard: provides individuals with what is required for compliance for entry to a nuclear site.
2. Basic Nuclear Industry Context: provides individuals with an awareness of the nuclear industry and why they need to comply.
3. Basic Nuclear Industry Behaviours: provides individuals with an awareness of how they need to behave to promote and encourage a 'nuclear safety culture'
Community Apprenticeships
The NDA funded Community Apprenticeship Scheme enables supply chain companies working in the nuclear industry to access additional funding to enable them to recruit Apprenticeships for the first time or to increase the number of Apprentices in their business. It provides funding direct to employers to assist with wage costs over the period of the Apprenticeship and can be used for any apprenticeship frameworks that deliver the skills required for working in the nuclear sector.
Award for Nuclear Industry Awareness
This award enables entrants to the nuclear sector to develop their knowledge and understanding of working in a nuclear environment. It is designed to provide apprentices, graduates and all other non-nuclear personnel with a foundation level of understanding of the nuclear industry and its specific requirements, enabling them to acclimatise and to understand the new environment in which they are/will be working.
Certificate of Nuclear Professionalism
The Certificate of Nuclear Professionalism is being developed in partnership with employers and the Open University and will be available in 2011. This post graduate qualification will focus on nuclear principles, safety, behavioural, commercial and project management skills delivered through employer accredited training/learning, distance learning and traditional taught lessons. Tailored to meet the needs of the employer or individual it will support the continuing professional development of the existing workforce and of new entrants to the industry, helping to ensure individuals remain competitive in a changing labour market.
High Quality Provider network
The Skills Academy assures the quality of training delivered by the development of a High Quality Provider Network, details of this network can be found via the following link: www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk/providers/high-quality-provider-network-brochure
Further information on University provision and courses can be found via: www.nuclearliaison.com
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What are the other key Skills Organisations?
There are a wide range of bodies providing skills and training relevant to work in specific elements of the nuclear industry. Below are web links to some of the key organisations:
Cogent SSC: www.cogent-ssc.com
Manufacturing
Nuclear AMRC - The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre www.namrc.co.uk
SEMTA - The Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies www.semta.org.uk
Construction
Construction Skills - The Construction Industry Training Board (including the Construction Sector Skills Council) www.cskills.org
National Skills Academy for Construction www.construction.nsacademy.co.uk
JIB - Joint Industry Board for Electrical Contractors Industry www.jib.org.uk
Nuclear Decommissioning
ECITB - The Engineering Construction Industry Training Board www.ecitb.org.uk
Cogent is the sector skills council for the nuclear industry. It is the voice of employers and is working with industry to help create an effective skills-development environment.
Cogent Careers
Developed with industry this tool helps to identify the right path to the careers whether you are an employer, employee, student, teacher or parent. Visit the nuclear career pathway www.cogent-careers.com/careerpathways/flash?industry=nuclear
To view role profiles, case studies or choose an industry pathway, visit www.cogent-careers.com
Cogent has launched a new online Standards and Qualifications Prospectus www.cogent-prospectus.com
It’s designed to be a helpful web-based guide to highlight what’s available to employers in the nuclear industry to support their training and development.
This new site allows the user to find out about all the excellent qualifications, Apprenticeships and training standards available across the Cogent science-using Sector. It feeds from the “Cogent Library” a database which contains approximately:
30 Standard job roles
18 Training standards
132 Qualifications
The National Skills Academy for Nuclear is an employer led organisation established to ensure that the UK Nuclear Industry and its Supply Chain has the skilled, competent and safe workforce it needs to deal with the current and future UK nuclear programme, including all sub sectors: Defence, Decommissioning, Power Generation, Uranium Enrichment, Fuel Production, Waste Management & Disposal and New Nuclear Build.
Click here to view the NSAN newsletter, including the latest developments and news on the Nuclear Skills Passport.
The
http://www.nuclear.nsacademy.co.uk/
CITB ConstructionSkills are the Sector Skills Council and Industry Training Board for the construction industry, working with industry, for industry to deliver a safe, professional and fully qualified
Find out more at www.cskills.org
ECITB is the statutory organisation, national training provider and awarding body with responsibility for the training and development of the
Managing a national skills training fund, the ECITB invests £20 million each year in providing the advice, information and support engineering construction employers need to attract, develop and qualify the people they need to create a sustainable and competitive workforce. This includes financial grants to cover the cost of training. The ECITB also sets industry standards for competence and health & safety, and works with all stakeholders to build a sustainable and competitive workforce for the future.
Find out more at www.ecitb.org.uk
The World Nuclear University is a global partnership committed to enhancing international education and leadership in the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. The central elements of the WNU partnership are:
- The global organizations of the nuclear industry: World Nuclear Association (WNA) and World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO)
- The inter-governmental nuclear agencies:
- Leading institutions of nuclear learning in some thirty countries.
A non-profit corporation, the WNU pursues its educational and leadership-building mission through programmes organized by the WNU Coordinating Centre (WNUCC) in London. These cooperative activities are designed to harness the strengths of partnership members in pursuit of shared purposes.Operationally, the WNU is a public-private partnership. On the public side, the WNUCC’s multinational secretariat is composed mainly of nuclear professionals supplied by governments; the IAEA further assists with financial support for certain WNU activities.
Find out more at www.world-nuclear-university.org
For a directory of Higher Education courses available across the UK please click here
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The Energy Institute (EI) is the leading professional membership body for anyone working in energy. With almost 15,000 individuals and 250 companies in membership across 100 countries, it covers the depth and breadth of the international energy industry, offering learning and networking opportunities to support career development.
The EI's education and career website EnergyZone is dedicated to energy of all types – from oil and gas exploration to innovation in the development of renewable/alternative energy sources. There are resources and fun things to do for students and teachers as well as information on getting started or developing you energy career. The EI can also provide a range of professional development opportunities and help you work towards professional membership including Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Scientist (CSci) and Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) as well as our unique titles of Chartered Energy Engineer, Chartered Petroleum Engineer and Chartered Energy Manager.
Click here to download an overview of careers in nuclear energy.
