Speaker
Mr
James Larkin
(Radiation and Health Physisc Unit, University of the Witwatersrand)
Description
The South African Government has identified the need to install new power generation capacity if it is to maintain the growth of the country. As part of this increase capacity, it has been proposed that 9.6 GW will come from new nuclear power stations to be built at various locations within the country.
Like many countries around the world and because there has been no new nuclear power stations constructed, South Africa has seen the decline in the numbers of people who have the necessary nuclear skills to build, commission, operate and finally decommission a nuclear power station. To this end a number of academic institutes have put forward plans to enlarge or even develop from new, various courses and training programmes.
To meet this need for such qualified individuals this paper will consider a number of different solutions that have been developed to train and educate students for entry into the nuclear new build programme. Amongst the concepts considered will be Professional Development Courses (PDCs) that have been created under the auspices of a Mentor/Protege programme, jointly created by King's College London and Wits University Johannesburg South Africa, a programme in nuclear technology leadership at a Masters level (Wits University) and an undergraduate programme in nuclear science and engineering also running at Wits. Where appropriate mention will also be made of what other academic and training institutions are doing in South Africa to uplift and develop the nuclear workforce
Primary author
Mr
James Larkin
(Radiation and Health Physisc Unit, University of the Witwatersrand)
