The UK Government has announced it will create the ‘Nuclear Skills Taskforce’ to address the skills shortage in the country’s nuclear sector.
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce will be chaired by Sir Simon Bollom, the former Chief Executive Officer of Defence Equipment and Support. The initiative aims to advance nuclear expertise across the UK’s civil and defence workforce.
The UK nuclear sector currently supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, such as scientific and engineering roles, logistics, and project management. Also, it offers a range of apprentice and graduate opportunities.
However, with nuclear set to become an essential aspect of national security due to its energy and defence applications, upskilling the country’s workforce will be essential, which is the goal of the Nuclear Skills Taskforce.
Sir Simon Bollom commented: “I am absolutely delighted to have secured this extremely important role. The Nuclear Sector is vital to our nation, and I am proud to have been given the opportunity to lead such an important Taskforce to ensure that we have the people and skills we need to deliver our Programmes.”
What will the Nuclear Skills Taskforce do?
The Nuclear Skills Taskforce will devise a strategy that will help fill the considerable skills gap expected in various civil and defence nuclear roles.
The government understands that the UK faces strong international competition in these jobs, so it will support the UK’s nuclear industry by developing a long-term, reliable pipeline of skilled nuclear professionals to ensure the sector’s future success.
James Cartlidge, the UK Minster for Defence Procurement, explained: “By developing nuclear skills, we are not just investing in the UK economy but our national security.
“The creation of this new Taskforce will challenge the whole of the UK’s nuclear sector to be ambitious in addressing the nuclear skills gap.”
Building on Great British Nuclear
The announcement of the Nuclear Skills Taskforce arrives after the recently launched Great British Nuclear (GBN), which aims to expand the UK’s nuclear capabilities rapidly.
GBN aims to position the UK at the forefront of the global nuclear landscape, developing cutting-edge technologies to deliver clean and cheap energy to consumers.
The government aims to deliver up to 24GW of nuclear power in the UK by 2050, with GBN estimated to add £6bn to the UK economy.
The Taskforce and projects such as the Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C nuclear power plants will be crucial to unlocking this potential.
Minister for Nuclear Andrew Bowie concluded: “The UK’s nuclear revival, with the launch of Great British Nuclear, will put us centre-stage in the global race to unleash a new generation of nuclear technology.
“The Taskforce will support this expansion by securing the skills and workforce we need to deliver this, opening up exciting opportunities and careers to help bolster our energy security.”
