Partnership for Nuclear Energy
ORAU has launched a new initiative to address a critical national need toward accelerating and increasing STEM credentials in the nuclear energy industry. The Partnership for Nuclear Energy brings together leading nuclear energy experts to form a comprehensive think tank consisting of leading universities, community colleges and technical skill training organizations, industries producing nuclear reactors large and small, professional industry organizations, national research laboratories, and government agencies.
The primary goal is to develop a set of comprehensive solutions that address and correct STEM shortfalls, whether they exist at the national policy and programmatic levels, within education and training initiatives, and/or federal and private industry investments. This collaborative approach is essential to bridge the gaps and drive collective action and ensure a more comprehensive and sustainable clean energy strategy.
As our nation's leadership and global standing in STEM fields and industries face erosion, it is imperative to acknowledge that foreign countries, whether allies or competitors, have not only closed the STEM gap but have also surpassed us in certain areas. These concerning trends demand a concerted effort to reverse and restore America's prominence in STEM. Furthermore, with the nation's future moving towards clean energy, the need for reliable, cost-effective, and clean energy sources is paramount. Nuclear energy, as a constant and reliable power source, plays a crucial role in this transition, providing clean, reliable, and secure energy that is essential for our future.
However, the U.S. nuclear energy industry faces significant challenges in attracting and retaining a qualified workforce due to retirements, retention issues, inflation, shifting demographics, and other factors. This underscores the urgent need to address these workforce challenges and strengthen nuclear science and technology. By bringing together public-private partners, the Partnership for Nuclear Energy seeks to holistically address career awareness, training, recruitment, and retention issues across all organizations involved in the nuclear energy sector to advance the goals of the nuclear energy industry.
The primary purpose of the Partnership for Nuclear Energy is to develop comprehensive solutions that address critical challenges in the nuclear sector. Specific initiatives include:
- Move from individual efforts to advance STEM and the industry, to a comprehensive set of actions and recommendations to accelerate positive change.
- Unite and mobilize leaders and thinkers from diverse sectors across the nuclear energy field.
- Create a collaborative environment that fosters knowledge sharing and collective action.
- Develop a comprehensive solution set to address critical challenges and opportunities in the nuclear sector, particularly in education, training, and workforce capacity.
The goals of the Partnership for Nuclear Energy are designed to address critical challenges in the nuclear energy sector and promote collaboration among various stakeholders. Strategic goals include:
- Strengthening America’s global leadership in nuclear to address critical challenges in education, training and workforce capacity.
- Addressing workforce challenges in the nuclear energy industry by developing comprehensive solution sets and implementation plans.
- Promoting clean and reliable energy by addressing workforce challenges in the nuclear energy sector.
- Fostering public-private partnerships in the nuclear sector by bridging the gaps between organizations and encouraging knowledge sharing and collective action.
- Demonstrating impactful solutions that improve the effectiveness of government.
The ultimate outcome is to deliver a comprehensive solution set that addresses U.S. national requirements, policy, proposed programs, training, education, research, and funding to advance the capacity and workforce of the nuclear energy industry. This comprehensive solution set will provide recommendations in five distinct areas (potentially more as necessary):
- Solution 1: National Strategies
- Solution 2: Local/Regional Strategies and Action-Oriented Pilots
- Solution 3: Education/Training/Certification Programs and Standardization
- Solution 4: Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing Initiatives
- Solution 5: Advocacy and Policy Recommendations
Measures of impact
The effectiveness and significance of the Partnership for Nuclear Energy will be evaluated by using key performance indicators that align with the goals and purpose of the collaboration. The Partnership for Nuclear Energy will determine annual performance metrics, which will demonstrate the value to the participating stakeholders.
Get involved!
The target for completing this first effort is 12 months, with a goal of outcomes and deliverables completed by February 2025.
Participation in the Partnership for Nuclear Energy will be instrumental in shaping the future of STEM and nuclear energy in the United States. We eagerly look forward to organizing and leading this collaborative initiative building and strengthening our STEM capabilities.
If you have any questions about the Partnership for Nuclear Energy, please contact Olivia M. Blackmon, Ph.D., at Olivia.Blackmon@orau.org or Ken Tobin, Ph.D., at Ken.Tobin@orau.org.
