IA “FACT” already wrote about prospects development of atomic energy, as well as about necessity large-scale investments in decarbonization
Currently, the relevance of the decarbonization trend has become even more apparent, as it contributes to the creation of an economy with a low level of emissions and climate neutrality.
Nuclear energy is positioned as one of the key ways of producing carbon-free energy. The demand for nuclear energy in the world is growing rapidly. In particular, the USA and China are actively developing their nuclear energy programs. India and France also have ambitious plans to expand nuclear power.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen noted, that the share of nuclear energy is currently 9% of the world electricity balance and that it has halved compared to 1988 (18%).
According to forecasts of the Breakthrough Institute, a California-based environmental policy research center, by 2050 nuclear energy will account for 10-15% of the world’s energy balance. But the urgent question is whether there will be enough new personnel for the industry to work at full capacity.
Will there be enough new personnel to actively develop nuclear energy?
The number of students receiving a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering varies from state to state. Yes, the number of students in the field is growing in the Celestial Empire. The country has several leading universities such as Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University that offer specialized programs. There are 965 undergraduate students studying nuclear engineering at the Harbin University of Engineering.
In France, specialized courses increased and the number of graduates tripled in 4 years. For example, École Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec, and the Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires offer specialized programs in nuclear energy.
India also has several leading institutions – including the Indian Institute of Technology and the Bhabha Atomic Research Center – that train nuclear engineers.
Paradox: shortage of future nuclear power engineers in a country leading the industry
But in the US, which remains one of the world’s largest producers of nuclear energy, the number of students receiving bachelor’s degrees in nuclear engineering has declined. By data Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education, from 2012 to 2022, the number of students receiving a relevant education has decreased by a quarter.
At the same time, the nuclear industry faces an aging workforce, with 17% of the industry’s workforce over 55 and 60% between the ages of 30 and 54, according to the 2024 US Energy and Employment Report. The report highlights that 23% of workers are under the age of 30, compared to 29% for other energy workers.
As the demand for nuclear power increases, this is a problem. “We need nuclear expertise to fight climate change, – believes the professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences at the University of Michigan. “We are at a critical juncture where we need to train a new generation of nuclear experts to work with and learn from the older generation.”.
To meet demand, the global nuclear workforce needs to grow to 4 million people. In the US, it should increase from 68,000 to more than 200,000, according to a forecast by the Department of Energy, which calls for a tripling of nuclear power by 2050.
How the attitude towards nuclear energy has changed
In the past, many nuclear plants were slated to close, but companies are now renewing licenses and building new plants due to the demand for clean energy. According to Fisher, a graduate student at MIT, the nuclear industry has an image problem because of disasters such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, which have reduced interest in careers in the field. Older people often associate nuclear power with weapons, which causes distrust.
The graduate student notes that young people increasingly support nuclear power as a way to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. The survey found that 80% of Gen Z support new nuclear technologies along with renewable energy sources.
Fisher chose a career in the nuclear industry because of the opportunity to directly impact climate change. It is easier for young specialists to find a job due to the high demand caused by the shortage of personnel. In general, advances in nuclear science attract technically minded people. Small modular reactors and nuclear fusion start-ups are attracting young talent, particularly in IT and computer science.
The director of the innovation program in nuclear energy at the “Breakthrough” Institute notes that every graduate of nuclear engineering has a job, if he does not change the field of employment. Salaries in the nuclear industry are high, second only to petroleum engineering, and average $125,460 per year.
The CEO and co-founder of Proxima Fusion, a fusion energy startup based in Munich, notes that with funding and the ability to create new technologies, attracting the best talent is not a problem.
Some believe that nuclear fusion could be achieved within a decade. Meanwhile, companies like Commonwealth Fusion Systems are getting billions in investment, and industry players like Nucor are investing in low-carbon steel startups.
Many nuclear engineers leave the industry, but some come back because it makes sense now. Data center energy demand from companies such as Microsoft and Amazon is increasing. The Nuclear Energy Institute works with unions to promote the stability and long-term prospects of nuclear careers. The “From helmets to helmets” program helps to attract former military specialists.
Importance of talent diversification in the nuclear power industry
However, talent diversification is a key issue. The industry is still dominated by men, and women make up only one-third of nuclear power workers in the United States. Fisher said that at a conference where she was speaking, people mistook her for a waitress and handed her glasses when she was about to go on stage. According to her, it was a “cruel awakening”.
“As in any engineering discipline, it is dominated by men,” – says Pozzi from the University of Michigan. However, her department works with elementary, middle, and high school students to introduce them to nuclear science, promoting the discipline to students. “We want to reach a gender-diverse group of students and not exclude students with particular identities from such courses.”
Tatyana Morarash
