Speaker
Ms
Lynne matthews
(EDF Energy)
Description
To construct and operate Hinkley Point C, a new nuclear power station in the South West of England, a sizeable workforce will be needed with skills that either do not currently
exist or do not exist in the quantities required. Due to the time scales of the build many of that potential workforce are currently in education at schools,colleges,further and higher education.
EdF Energy and their construction partners are also committed to recruiting a large percentage of those skills in the communities local to the station where the additional challenges include aspiration, education performance and rural location
The growth of UK infrastructure, including future nuclear plant, means a heightened demand for such skills not just locally but nationally. Consequently, a very competitive marketplace could evolve that could be detrimental to progress if not forecast and managed effectively.
Inspiring and developing the next generation to support such ambition is critical and it is a real skills challenge to create a large enough pool from which to recruit. To meet these needs the skill base is being developed and the pipelines from education into employment are being strengthened.
This paper addresses the challenges and opportunities Edf Energy face with building and operating the first EPR in the UK. These include the skills and education framework that has been put in place to encourage and facilitate a clearer pathway from education to employment, the lessons already learnt and what lies ahead. The paper will include the issues and importance surrounding the take up and performance in STEM subjects (science,technology,engineering and maths) This is fundamental to the future of the industry and how, collaboratively, a start is being made to address the recognised gap in the levels required to the levels needed to deliver the future nuclear power generation programme.
Author
Ms
Lynne matthews
(EDF Energy)
Co-author
Mrs
Jennie Chapman
(EDF Energy)
