Is the French nuclear industry facing a skills shortage?

As France’s third largest industrial sector, the nuclear industry is a major economic activity in the country, bringing together no fewer than 3,000 companies and 220,000 employees. Although long perceived as a sector of excellence, the industry is currently suffering from a decline in attractiveness, which has led to a significant shortage in qualified personnel over the past few years.  

The skills shortage in the nuclear industry: a long-standing observation

On February 10, 2022, Emmanuel Macron unveiled his plan to revive civil nuclear power with the construction of a new fleet of six EPR reactors. The head of state announced that construction would begin in 2023 and that the reactors would be commissioned by 2035. GIFEN (the French nuclear energy industry association) estimated that 30,000 people would need to be hired to complete the project, including 20,000 for construction and 10,000 for operations and maintenance. As part of this large-scale project, EDF will create 3,000 positions in 2022. However, there is still some doubt as to whether this target will be met, given the absence of know-how in the nuclear sector. In fact, the nuclear industry has been suffering from a progressive decline in the number of qualified professionals for almost a decade now. According to Public Sénat, 70% of the needs for welders, pipefitters and boilermakers are not currently covered in France. In 2020, the number of jobs needed per year in the nuclear industry was estimated at 8,000, according to SFEN (the French Nuclear Energy Society). Engineers, industrial electricians, boilermakers, welders, valve technicians, technicians, automation engineers, instrument technicians, rotating equipment mechanics, civil engineering experts, researchers, etc., are all in short supply.  

How can the nuclear skills shortage be explained?

The nuclear skills shortage can be explained in a number of ways. While recruitment in the sector was on the rise a decade ago, the nuclear industry is much less attractive to young people today, and the sector is finding it difficult to replace workers who have retired. Further, with regard to recruitment, the nuclear industry is in strong competition with other industries that are more attractive to candidates. This is particularly true of aeronautics, new technologies and the automotive industry.  

Solutions to the lack of know-how in the nuclear industry

Faced with this skills shortage, many nuclear industry players, supported by the government, have implemented large-scale actions to generate more jobs in the sector. In particular, companies are investing in training young people, and are developing numerous programmes to help people retrain for nuclear jobs. In 2021, the University of Nuclear Professions was created to boost and enhance training opportunities in the sector, within the framework of the Excell plan supported by EDF and other industrialists.