The Academy’s Mission: Setting Standards. The National Academy for Nuclear Training sets industry training standards, focusing and unifying the training activities of the nation’s nuclear energy industry, and serving as a vehicle for excellence in training. Its mission is to strengthen training and to enhance the pride and professionalism of nuclear plant personnel. The academy integrates the training efforts of all U.S. nuclear plant operating companies, the activities of the independent National Nuclear Accrediting Board and the training-related programs of INPO.

The academy’s executive director meets regularly with the council of the National Academy for Nuclear Training. The council, composed of utility executives and senior managers, examines industry training issues and offers advice on the operation of the academy. It also plays an advisory role in all INPO training programs and activities.

The academy’s activities range from conducting workshops for training managers to seminars for chief executive officers. It also publishes a quarterly journal, The Nuclear Professional, as well as training-related reports and other documents.

The academy and INPO jointly manage and operate the National Academy for Nuclear Training e-Learning (NANTeL) system. Established in 2006, NANTeL is a national Web-based instruction and portable qualifications system that provides standardized training for the supplemental nuclear work force—contract employees who support the plant on a short- or long-term basis. NANTeL enables supplemental personnel to complete generic training in areas such as industrial safety and radiological protection  prior to their work at a plant site.

Accrediting Board: Ensuring Standards Are Met. Once a company has set up its training programs, the independent National Nuclear Accrediting Board determines whether they meet accreditation standards. The board is composed of eminent American scholars and executives from four groups:

• industrial training experts from fields outside the nuclear industry
• members of the post-secondary education community
• individuals nominated by the NRC
• senior company executives.

A company must maintain its accreditation on an ongoing basis and formally renew it for each training program every four years.