UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The nuclear energy sector’s workforce is trending older than for other energy sources and growing quickly, with the nation’s nuclear reactor fleet employees projected to increase from the current approximately 100,000 workers to 375,000 by 2050. These dual workforce trends underscore the need to ensure that the essential knowledge areas of quality assurance principles and safety culture are successfully taught to the next generation of the nuclear workforce.
To address this need, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $49 million to 10 university-led projects for nuclear safety training and workforce development. Elia Merzari, Penn State professor of nuclear engineering and of mechanical engineering — in conjunction with partners Constellation Energy, York County School of Technology and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) — has received $2 million from this DOE initiative to develop a certificate program with microcredentials and a separate independent certification program at ASME. The group will also develop an outreach program for community buy-in and to increase nuclear workforce participation.
“By combining education, industry-informed training and independent certification, this initiative strengthens workforce readiness and creates accessible pathways for college students, professionals in other industries seeking to enter the nuclear sector and skilled trades professionals,” Merzari said. “Penn State is uniquely suited to lead this effort because of its nationally recognized nuclear engineering program, strong partnerships with industry and professional societies and extensive experience in workforce development and micro-credentialing. Its Commonwealth Campuses and immersive learning capabilities further position the University to engage regional communities and expand participation in the nuclear workforce.”
While Penn State faculty will develop and implement the educational components of the safety and quality assurance training through certificates and microcredentals with curriculum input from industry partner Constellation Energy, ASME will design and oversee an independent certification process to align with industry best practices.
“The nuclear industry’s future depends on a workforce that is not only technically skilled, but also deeply grounded in quality assurance and safety culture,” said ASME executive director and CEO Tom Costabile. “ASME is proud to partner with Penn State and our industry collaborators to develop an independent certification program that helps ensure these critical competencies are recognized and valued in their field. Together, we are creating pathways that will strengthen workforce readiness and support the safe, reliable growth of nuclear energy.”
In addition to the educational and certification components, which will be offered online by the Penn State College of Engineering through Penn State World Campus, faculty will implement an outreach program. It will be led by the Penn State Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS) at Penn State University Park with support from the Harrisburg and Berks campuses. The outreach will aim to raise awareness about opportunities in the nuclear sector, in part through augmented reality experiences via Penn State’s Center for Immersive Experiences that encourage enhanced public understanding and enthusiasm with interactive and engaging demonstrations.
Anyone interested in learning more about the nuclear certification program can sign up here.
“This program addresses a critical need in the nuclear industry by preparing the next generation of workers and engineers with foundational competencies in safety culture and quality assurance, skills that are essential for safe and reliable nuclear operations,” Merzari said.