The extent to which nuclear energy can achieve its potential for contributing to energy security and sustainable development of countries ultimately depends on the availability of suitable human resources. Continuing its assistance to Member States that are considering introducing nuclear power or expanding an existing programme, a recent IAEA training course focused on human resource challenges.
The IAEA training course on Human Resource Development and Workforce Planning for New Nuclear Power Programmes, held on 6-10 November, in Vienna, attracted 16 participants from 16 Member States.
During the week-long training course, case studies and practical exercises related to the establishment of a human resource development (HRD) were presented via Rosatom's OCTOPUS HR Planning Information System. This tool helps provide individual country HRD plans, by coupling educational training requirements with the milestones laid out in IAEA guidance document, Milestones in the Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear Power, NG-G-3.1.
“This training course, delivered through the IAEA’s technical cooperation project INT20181 was a great opportunity to present the tools and specific training services and mechanisms for human resource development targeted at new and expanding nuclear power programmes,” said Oscar Acuña, Section Head at the IAEA Division for Asia and the Pacific. “We are very much looking forward to the next training session.”
The IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section, through the technical cooperation programme, provides targeted support to Member States embarking on new nuclear power programmes or expanding existing ones. About 30 countries are currently considering, planning or starting such a programme.
Effective recruitment and selection processes are particularly important for nuclear facilities and nuclear related activities due to the long period of time that is needed to train and qualify personnel. The IAEA puts constant effort to help countries to work in a systematic way towards safe, secure and sustainable nuclear power programmes. The development of human resources, therefore, is an essential topic as it impacts all other nuclear infrastructure issues.
1 INT2018: ‘Supporting Knowledgeable Decision-making and Building Capacities to Start and Implement Nuclear Power Programmes’
