The government has announced that £8 million of investment to train the next generation of nuclear engineers and technicians.
The Business Secretary has pledged the funds as part of the government’s Nuclear Industrial Strategy, which aims to make sure Britain benefits from the £930 billion being invested into the sector over the next two decades.
The funding will be used to create 320 apprenticeships, with 270 created for nuclear supply chain companies and a further 50 for a new Electrical, Control and Instrumentation programme.
Also included in the scheme will be 100 traineeships for 16 to 19 year olds, summer school placements for engineering undergraduates and workshops to encourage 15 to 16 year olds into the industry through insights into the sector.
The Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“Industry has told us they need more skilled workers for the nuclear sector, so this £8 million will help guarantee the next generation of workers. This is part of our work to rebalance the economy, creating jobs across the UK.”
As part of the project an analysis of the skills that the UK nuclear sector needs, including national and regional skill shortages, will be produced.