Key Issues
Nuclear Industry's Comprehensive Approach Develops Skilled Work Force for the Future
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Tight Labor Market Presents Challenges
A tightening labor market caused by an aging work force and increased competition for qualified and experienced workers and craftspeople challenges the nuclear utility industry, as it does American industry at large. The nuclear energy industry is responding to this challenge by forging partnerships with organized labor, government and professional groups; enhancing recruitment efforts; and fostering supportive public policy to train the next-generation work force.
The industry’s efforts are paying off. The Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) 2007 Work Force Survey indicates an increasing number of young employees at nuclear vendors and within electric utilities in the engineering and operations fields. Further, the industry is increasing its focus on developing maintenance staff, radiation protection technicians and other specialized personnel through the creation of new educational programs and partnerships.
With expanded staffing requirements to support new nuclear plants, growing competition from other sectors and increasing attrition rates of current employees because of retirement and other factors, the nuclear industry is working to expand its aggressive efforts to maintain a highly qualified staff today and develop the work force of tomorrow.
With the peak in U.S. birth rates between 1946 and 1964, the post-war baby boom has created a rising median age. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2012 the median age will reach 41.4 years. However, in the nuclear utility industry, where the median age is over 48 today, the trend is more acute. As much as 35 percent of the incumbent work force may be eligible to retire within five years. Another 11 percent of the work force may be lost through other attrition over the same period.
Tight Labor Market Presents Challenges
A tightening labor market caused by an aging work force and increased competition for qualified and experienced workers and craftspeople challenges the nuclear utility industry, as it does American industry at large. The nuclear energy industry is responding to this challenge by forging partnerships with organized labor, government and professional groups; enhancing recruitment efforts; and fostering supportive public policy to train the next-generation work force.
The industry’s efforts are paying off. The Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) 2007 Work Force Survey indicates an increasing number of young employees at nuclear vendors and within electric utilities in the engineering and operations fields. Further, the industry is increasing its focus on developing maintenance staff, radiation protection technicians and other specialized personnel through the creation of new educational programs and partnerships.
With expanded staffing requirements to support new nuclear plants, growing competition from other sectors and increasing attrition rates of current employees because of retirement and other factors, the nuclear industry is working to expand its aggressive efforts to maintain a highly qualified staff today and develop the work force of tomorrow.
With the peak in U.S. birth rates between 1946 and 1964, the post-war baby boom has created a rising median age. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2012 the median age will reach 41.4 years. However, in the nuclear utility industry, where the median age is over 48 today, the trend is more acute. As much as 35 percent of the incumbent work force may be eligible to retire within five years. Another 11 percent of the work force may be lost through other attrition over the same period.