Volume 9 issue 1 Nuclear Future
scope for industry, NNL and academia to work closely together as a ‘seamless team’ on this strand of activity, since many of the prime candidates who take on new learning rapidly and expand it with their own insights will be found in the academic sector. Having a background that bridges academia, national laboratories and industry is an excellent basis for becoming an SME. More generally, strategic planning of career pathways for talented
individuals to allow them to develop the range of technical and other skills needed to excel in their specialist field is likely to be a key strand of a future skills strategy.
Another important aspect is likely to be the identification of
creative ways to keep SMEs involved in the nuclear sector beyond their scheduled departure dates, through part-time working, consultancy, participation in corporate social responsibility activities linked to learning, a return to the academic environment, or many other similar options. By keeping such critical knowledge accessible to younger scientists as they seek to attain SME status themselves, the knowledge management process to share experience can be strengthened. Given the nuclear skills challenge, it’s clear that the UK needs to
start now in establishing a strategic approach for developing the next generation of SMEs that includes targeting R&D into key technology areas; establishing effective ways to transfer knowledge from existing staff to new recruits; and building effective partnerships between academia, national laboratories and industry.
Graham Fairhall Professor Graham Fairhall is Chief Science and Technology Officer for the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). With over 30 years experience of working on, managing or leading R&D in the nuclear industry, he is currently responsible for the technical
approach and strategy for programmes covering the full breadth of the nuclear fuel cycle at NNL. He also oversees NNL’s links with universities, research councils and other external collaborations.
Andrew Sherry Professor Andrew Sherry is Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute and Professor of Materials Performance at the University of Manchester. Previously he was Director of the University’s Materials Performance Centre, held a Royal Society Industry
Fellowship, and was a Senior Consultant at Serco, having worked 17 years in the nuclear industry in the field of materials and structural integrity.
Skills 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56