The Nuclear Institute today (29 January 2025) unveils new plans to support its 5,000 members, and drive growth and professionalism in the industry.
The Institute is aiming to double its membership by 2030, keeping pace with the number of jobs needed within the nuclear sector. Its organisational membership has increased by more than 70% since 2022, and there has been a 20% growth in individual membership in 2024 alone.
Under the new strategy, there is a key focus on professionalism, with further measures due later this year which will support members in adapting to the needs of the industry and completing continuous professional development (CPD). It will also support more members in gaining independently-verified professional recognition through the new Nuclear Professional Standard.
Robert Gofton, CEO of the Nuclear Institute, said:
“As an industry, we need 40,000 net new entrants by 2030 to keep pace with the growth of the sector – currently there is a 2:1 ratio of jobs to nuclear workers in the UK.
“As the professional membership body dedicated to nuclear, we are here to boost career progression, provide enhanced development opportunities, and support both the acquisition and retention of talent within the industry.
“This strategy shows how we’re adapting to meet the needs of both our members and the wider nuclear industry.”
Baggy Shanker MP, SMR APPG Chair and Labour (Co-op) MP for Derby South, commented:
“It was fantastic to invite parliamentarians and industry professionals to the Nuclear Institute’s joint event with the SMR APPG for the launch of their strategy. New nuclear technology represents a huge opportunity for the UK and will be crucial to delivering net-zero. It will also be vital in delivering the Government’s mission to grow the economy and provide thousands of secure well-paid jobs.
“Nuclear skills are not only central to the advancement of the new generation of UK nuclear reactors but are also for integral to defence projects such as AUKUS. I welcome the Nuclear Institute’s ambitious initiative in driving professionalism in the nuclear sector.”
Supporting industry professionalism and growth
Presented to parliamentarians and industry leaders at Nuclear Week in Parliament today, the approach aims to place the Nuclear Institute at the centre of a growing nuclear community while creating a sustainable future. It details four strategic ambitions:
- Developing (membership) – Expanding and diversifying the Nuclear Institute membership base to be more inclusive of the entire nuclear sector.
- Amplifying (voice) – Increasing the profile of the Nuclear Institute and more effectively communicating with key stakeholders.
- Excelling (through professionalism) – Evolving our professional accreditations, governance, and operations to deliver core business functions and enhanced value.
- Connecting (members) – Providing opportunities for networking, sharing best practices, and celebrating member achievements.
To achieve this, the Nuclear Institute will offer improved learning opportunities, CPD certified technical events, awards, and an enhanced volunteering network, as well as the continuation of its mentoring scheme. More than 220 members participated in the mentoring scheme since its launch in summer 2024.
At the strategy launch event, the team issued bags of gummy bears to attendees to illustrate the power of uranium. A single gummy bear-sized uranium fuel pellet produces as much energy as burning one tonne of coal, 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, or 149 gallons of oil – all without emitting any carbon.
One small bag of these gummy bears represents the equivalent in fuel size to replacing over 30,000 tonnes of coal each year if all UK households used nuclear power. This is equal to taking 10,000 cars off the road.
Just one gummy bear-sized uranium fuel pellet could power a home for over six months, while a single bag could light up 20,000 homes for a day or keep the Palace of Westminster running carbon-free for an entire month.
“Our industry makes a huge contribution to the country’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing,” said Mr Gofton. “We look forward to working with new and existing members to support their success.”
To find out more and read the full strategy, visit https://nuclearinst.com/.
ENDS
For more information and interview opportunities, please contact Arianne Smart on 07435 763384 or arianne.smart@distinctivecomms.co.uk.
Notes to editors
For photographs of the launch event, contact James Barker at the Nuclear Institute: j.barker@nuclearinst.com.
Baggy Shanker MP represents the Derby South constituency which has 673 nuclear jobs (Source: NIA Jobs Map 2024).
About the Nuclear Institute
The Nuclear Institute was established on 1 January 2009, through the unification of two different nuclear institutions, the Institute of Nuclear Engineers (INucE) and the British Nuclear Energy Society (BNES) – but its origins actually pre-date that by over 60 years when the UK was one of the first countries with homegrown nuclear energy.
After the two organisations were amalgamated, the Nuclear Institute became a member of the UK Science Council, Engineering Council and the Society for the Environment and, as such, is licensed to provide charterships, member, and fellowships.
Our Young Generation Network (YGN) is a vibrant and active group who are shaping the future of our sector, facilitating knowledge transfer between generations, promoting STEM careers and engaging with society on the role of nuclear energy.
With over 5000 members, the Nuclear Institute has a strong number of Special Interest Groups (SIGs), encouraging knowledge dissemination within areas such as technology, Artificial Intelligence, and underpinning policy development. Every UK region also has its own Branch, connecting members in the area through networking events, site visits, dinners and mini seminars.
Career support is also core to our offering and we encourage members to participate in CPD through our online mycareerpath tool, available to anyone who holds a membership and accessible through MyNI.