The University of Nuclear Professions: a response to the labour shortage

The University of Nuclear Professions (UMN) is a project deployed by several major players in the nuclear industry. The objective is to promote the development of skills in the nuclear industry. This initiative is also a major response to the labour shortage that the nuclear sector has been facing for many years.  

How was the University of Nuclear Professions created?

The UMN is an initiative supported by several players in the French nuclear industry:

• UIMM (Union of Metal Industries and Professions)
• UFE (Union Française de l'Electricité)
• CSFN (Strategic Committee for the Nuclear Industry
• CEA (France's Atomic Energy Commission)
• The electricity generation group, EDF
• Orano
• Andra
• GIFEN (French Nuclear Energy Industry association)
• Nuclear Valley
• Framatome
• France Industrie
• Pôle Emploi (the French employment agency).

The project was born out of the desire to boost nuclear programmes at the regional, interregional and national levels, and to meet the recruitment needs of certain professions essential to the long-term survival of the industry. The creation of the UMN also follows EDF's announcement and the implementation of the Excell Plan, which aims to reinforce the level of rigour, quality and excellence in the nuclear industry, notably through the deployment of skills. The project to create the UMN was announced in 2019. The university was created on April 27, 2021, in the form of an association under the French law of 1901.  

 The objectives of the University of Nuclear Professions

The creation of the University of Nuclear Professions is accompanied by a number of actions aimed at attracting more young people to the nuclear sector, such as:

• The creation of the web portal Mon avenir dans le nucléaire (My future in nuclear energy), which presents jobs, training and opportunities in the nuclear industry, aimed at all types of profiles, to make the sector more appealing.
• The implementation of scholarships for students in initial vocational training (Bac Pro, BTS, CAP), to increase the attractiveness of jobs in the nuclear industry (industrial electrician, pipefitter, welder, boilermaker, rotating equipment mechanic, etc.), to young people throughout France. Around 50 scholarships, each worth 600 euros per month, will be awarded. Beneficiaries will be selected on the basis of merit and motivation.
• Support for local projects through regional campuses designed to strengthen the training offer for nuclear professions.
• Support for the creation of new training sites or courses, and the implementation of innovative teaching methods for sensitive professions such as machining or welding.

 

How can the University of Nuclear Professions respond to the skills shortage in the nuclear industry?

For almost a decade, the nuclear sector has suffered from a lack of attractiveness that has frequently led to a real skills shortage. Today, it is estimated that only 30% of manpower needs are covered in those occupations suffering the most shortages (welders, pipefitters, boilermakers, engineers, etc.). According to SFEN (the French Nuclear Energy Society), 8,000 jobs would be needed annually to cover all the needs of the sector. However, young candidates seem to be less and less attracted to the nuclear industry, and appear to be turning instead to industrial sectors such as aeronautics, the automobile industry, renewable energies, etc. The creation of the University of Nuclear Professions is intended as a response to the lack of interest in nuclear energy in the professional world, and to encourage students, young graduates and professionals to take an interest in the sector. To find out more about the subject, read the EDF press release on the University of Nuclear Professions.  

 How can I train for a job in the nuclear sector?

Numerous training programmes are offered in the nuclear industry, including engineering school degrees, BTEC national diploma, technical diplomas, university degrees, etc. Here are a few examples of organisations offering training in the nuclear industry in France:

• INSTN (National Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology)
• Institut Polytechnique de Paris (Master 1 in Nuclear Engineering)
• ISTP (Nuclear Engineering curriculum)
• School of Nuclear Energy Management (IAEA)
• University of Lyon 1 for dedicated courses in nuclear engineering in Lyon
• Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble

In addition to academic training, specific training is required to work on a nuclear site in order to learn about nuclear safety, nuclear waste management, radiation protection, etc. Find out, for example, about EDF's nuclear-related training and qualifications. To find out about nuclear professions and related training, you can visit the UMN website, which already lists some twenty nuclear professions and training courses.