Nuclear sector ‘lacks appeal to new entrants’ states report

(Image supplied by: Engineering Construction Industry Training Board)

The nuclear sector is at risk of failing to deliver the 13,000 extra skilled engineering construction workers needed by 2028 unless it better understands what motivates new entrants.

This is according to a report by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).

The ECITB career motivations study Inspiring Directions shows the sector is struggling to appeal to the general population, and in particular women, to help plug looming workforce and skills shortages.

The report provides a snapshot of what motivates career choices and on perceptions of the engineering construction industry’s (ECI) different sectors, including nuclear.

Findings of the survey show workers and learners that are already in the ECI view the nuclear sector much more positively than the general population, making recruiting new entrants from outside industry a challenge.

MORE: POWERGEN workshop moves the needle on addressing nuclear workforce challenges

When asked whether they would consider a career in the nuclear sector, 48% of ECI workers or learners said yes, but this figure was down to 17% for the wider population, with 54% saying no – ranking it bottom of the seven ECI sectors asked about.

These figures were worse when broken down by gender, which could hinder efforts to diversify the nuclear workforce. Only 12% of women outside the ECI said they would consider a career in nuclear, with 66% saying they would not join the sector.

ECITB chief executive Andrew Hockey said: “Our Labour Forecasting Tool forecasts a 30% increase in demand for workers in the nuclear sector over the next five years.

“Given the low ratio of new entrants to retirees in engineering construction, understanding the career motivations of this group is paramount to ensuring these workforce needs are met.

“This vital study suggests the image of the nuclear sector is not attractive to new entrants, especially women, and that more needs to be done to address recruitment and retention challenges.

“Our report makes recommendations on how the sector can better represent itself to disconnected new entrants and help retain its current workforce.

“As the employer-led skills body for the industry in Great Britain, training and developing new entrants is a key priority of our Leading Industry Learning Strategy, which is why half of our training grant budget is dedicated to this area.

“But solving this problem will require a collaborative, multi-agency approach that includes employers, governments, training providers and the ECITB working together to ensure careers in the nuclear sector are more visible and more attractive.”

Tackling perception of the nuclear sector

The study concludes that while the recent classification of nuclear by the Government as a ‘green’ industry may cause some shift in perception, the current view of the sector could pose recruitment challenges amid an increase in activity.

With the decommissioning of 1970s and 1980s reactors accelerating in the coming years, Sizewell C and Hinkley Point C under construction, and development of small modular reactors in the pipeline, the report says the sector is likely to face a high and growing labor demand.

The research recommends the sector “considers its image and representation outside of the ECI” when developing recruitment strategies and the new Destination Nuclear campaign is a timely opportunity to do this.

It also suggests the sector might be more successful concentrating recruitment efforts from within the ECI community where it enjoys relative popularity, rather than attempting to win over a more skeptical wider public. 

The report’s other recommendations include better communicating the high rates of pay in nuclear and using ambassadors and alumni to raise awareness, such as at schools, colleges and job fairs, to change the perception of the sector.

ECITB research showcases career motivations

The ECITB undertook research into the career motivations of workers employed in the engineering construction industry, learners working towards qualifications relevant to the industry and the general public. 

A sample of 1,626 individuals from the wider UK population were asked for their views on the different ECI sectors, such as nuclear, to assess possible barriers each may face when developing policies to expand their talent pool.

In comparison, 154 people from within the industry – made up of 89 learners and 65 workers – were also asked for their perceptions, as well as to rank a series of factors to better understand what motivates them in their careers.

When asked to rate eight factors that motivate their career choices out of ten, respondents ranked ‘opportunities to progress’ (8.30) and ‘financial considerations’ (8.14) as the top two.

‘Opportunities to evolve in a welcoming and inclusive environment’ was third, although women place even more importance than men on this factor, scoring this 8.18 and 7.59 respectively, while ‘opportunities to work on the energy transition’ ranked bottom (6.61).

The ECI cohort was also asked for views on ‘career anchors’ that can be used by employers to reflect how their organization aligns with employee motivations, with ‘security and stability’ deemed most important, followed by ‘lifestyle’.

Originally published on Power Engineering International.

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