Next Steps for the Nuclear Workforce

A Pathway to Trades Series

Join us on October 20, 2026

Building on the strong foundation established at the inaugural Pathway to Trades Summit in May 2026, ORAU is hosting Next Steps for the Nuclear Workforce. This focused mid-cycle gathering will bring together regional and national partners committed to growing the skilled trades and nuclear workforce Tennessee needs.

We are honored to welcome James Danly, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, as our special guest and keynote speaker. 

The event will also feature candid, interactive roundtable discussions designed to help participants:

• Celebrate early progress and shared wins
• Assess ongoing initiatives and emerging opportunities
• Identify and close critical workforce gaps
• Strengthen the partnerships and strategies needed to sustain momentum through 2027 and beyond 

This is an opportunity to reconnect with fellow leaders, educators, employers, labor partners, and workforce champions - and to keep moving quickly and collaboratively toward a stronger nuclear workforce ecosystem.

Register now!

Featuring: Congressman Chuck Fleischmann and Deputy Secretary of Energy James P. Danly

Who should attend?

To sustain momentum in skilled trades readiness and support nuclear sector expansion, this event convenes leaders across the ecosystem:

• Industry & Employer Leaders: Prime contractors, nuclear facility operators, engineering leads, and regional business executives scaling operations and requiring job-ready technical talent.
• Skilled Trade Unions & Labor Organizations: Business managers, apprenticeship directors, and labor representatives aligning training pipelines with regional project demands.
• K–12 & Post-Secondary Educators: Community college leaders, CTE directors, vocational instructors, and high school career counselors expanding pre-apprenticeships and technical pathways.
• Federal, State & Local Officials: DOE representatives, government leaders, economic development agencies, and workforce board directors committed to policy alignment and resource investment.
• Community & Support Partners: Leaders in housing, child care, transportation, and wraparound services working to eliminate systemic barriers for new trades professionals.

Why you should attend:

• Direct Federal Insight: Gain firsthand perspective from Deputy Secretary Danly on federal priorities, energy security investments, and national workforce strategies essential to sustaining the skilled trades pipeline.
• Action-Oriented Progress Tracking: Review tangible milestones achieved since the spring summit and evaluate the status of ongoing regional initiatives.
• Interactive Roundtable Analysis: Engage in targeted discussions to identify persisting supply-chain and training gaps, refine wraparound services, and resolve friction points ahead of spring 2027.
• Cross-Sector Alignment: Reconnect with labor, industry, educators, and government stakeholders to keep public and private resources strategically aligned.
• Shape the 2027 Agenda: Contribute to defining key priorities, case studies, and measurable outcomes for the Pathway to Trades 2027 Summit.