Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 170
Broadening nuclear sector employment to other industries prevents insularity and groupthink.
Conclusion
It is highly desirable that, in expanding employment in the sector, opportunities should continue to be broadened to people from sectors other than nuclear. Apart from the wider pool of talent available, it is important there should be flows into and out of the nuclear industry from other industries. The risk for any industry that is too insulated from others is that it can be insular and impervious to different ways of thinking that are practiced in other industries. At a time of such rapid technological change and innovation, it is important that the nuclear industry participates in this movement, and avoids the degrees of groupthink in which a relatively small number of people move between a relatively small number of organisations within the same sector.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges its commitment to ensuring the nuclear industry has the required skills and works with the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group and the Nuclear Skills Taskforce to address skills gaps, but does not specifically detail how it will broaden opportunities for people from other sectors.
Paragraph Reference:
170
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
[Response to 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36] • The Government is committed to ensuring the UK nuclear industry has the required skills to deliver on its existing decommissioning requirements together with supporting the proposed programme of new nuclear. • The Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG) an employer-led Nuclear Industry Skills lead and provides ‘one voice’ to government. The Government works closely with the NSSG on targeted actions that reflect the ambitions for the UK’s civil nuclear programme to help identify skills gaps, required training programs and qualifications. • The Nuclear Skills Taskforce, jointly launched by the Minister for Nuclear and Networks, Andrew Bowie MP, and the Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge, has a remit to turbocharge the work already undertaken with industry and across government, including by the NSSG. The Taskforce will ensure we have the right people, with the right skills to deliver on our nuclear ambitions.