Schools increase nuclear-education offerings

Universities and colleges are developing or restarting nuclear-education programs, often working with energy companies to replenish the industry’s aging work force in anticipation of new plants going online to meet increasing electricity demand.

Virginia Commonwealth University started a nuclear track to its master’s of engineering program in 2007, after officials with Richmond-based energy provider Dominion approached the school with concerns about an anticipated shortage of engineers, said Russ Jamison, VCU’s engineering dean.


The bulk of the program’s 20 students are Dominion employees who are taking courses taught by mechanical- and electrical-engineering professors and Dominion engineers and scientists who are “more than qualified to teach the nuclear engineering power-generation courses for us,” Jamison said.

…Dominion has worked with other universities, including Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Purdue and Penn State. It has collaborated with Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg to help students enter nuclear apprenticeship programs, Christian said.

“Nuclear is one of those areas where demand (for workers) is going to far exceed supply,” Bried said. “Different utilities are offering top dollar for knowledge and experience in a number of nuclear-related fields.”

AP