Mike Tynan, Managing Director of Springfields Fuel Limited, talks to Cogent about the importance of the new Train to Gain Sector Compact to the nuclear industry.
Springfields provides nuclear fuel for the UK nuclear power programme, as well as for customers worldwide. It is operated by Springfields Fuels Limited, under the management of Westinghouse Electric UK Limited. Springfields has been named as an assured engineering training facility for the National Skills Academy for Nuclear.
Mike Tynan pulls no punches when it comes to the size of the skills challenge this vital industry is facing: “We’ve had a situation where the industry has been in run down for at least a decade. This fact, combined with an ageing workforce – a large number of staff with 25 years plus service – provides us with an extremely challenging skills environment.”
Indeed at Springfields, which has a 1500 strong workforce, fewer than 300 people are under 30 years of age. Mike reiterates the fact that the industry, until recently, has been in “close down mode”, with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) having this as its core remit. Says Mike, “clearly the need to deal with ageing facilities is critically important, and there must be a focus on doing this safely, quickly and efficiently.
“But we’re actually seeing a real renaissance in nuclear power at the same time as a mass exodus of highly skilled and experienced staff at all levels. We’re also suffering from industry unattractiveness to the graduate population from the mid 90’s until quite recently.”
All of this adds up to a lack of high quality skills coming into our industry, particularly in the areas of science and engineering.
Good news story
Mike is quick to turn what might be starting to sound like a negative story, into one that is excellent news for the sector, “here at Springfields we bring a different perspective. We manufacture nuclear fuel and associated products and our order books are full. We service the existing fleet of Magnox and Advanced Gas Cooled Reactors (AGR’s) in the UK as well as exporting products to Spain and Japan.”
Mike is clear that Springfields needs a skilled workforce that not only operates safely and effectively, but also meets the manufacturing demands resulting from a new nuclear build programme.
He sees the ring-fenced funding within the Cogent Sector Compact as providing real and much-needed support to the Industry, “ The partnership with Government, Cogent and the National Skills Academy for Nuclear is fundamental in ensuring that this industry is gearing up to meet the challenges of the future. As part of this Springfields will be making the Skills Pledge as a public commitment to people development.”
“We’re certainly focusing our efforts on developing people to take Springfields forward and on closing the skill gaps in technical, business support and operator capabilities.”
The accredited Skills Development Centre at Springfields has ambitious plans to introduce new initiatives in the coming months, including the development of a Nuclear Skills Passport with the Skills Academy and the introduction of Nuclear Foundation Degree Courses.
Mike is confident about the future, “Our partnership with Cogent, the Skills Academy, local colleges and the University of Central Lancashire will support not only Springfields, but also the nuclear industry as a whole to ensure that this vital sector has the right skills both now and for the future, to enable it to fulfil the enormous expectations around new and sustainable energy solutions.”
