Two sessions during the workshop focused on challenges to the development of a nuclear workforce in potential end user countries, as well as establishing a reliable supply chain. In both cases, participants noted that it would be important for African countries to take ownership of the just energy transition, ensuring that approaches to workforce and supply chain development are localised, resulting in long-term employment for local citizens and profit for local industry.
Planting the seeds for a nuclear workforce
Participants noted the importance of developing homegrown expertise in nuclear subject matter starting as early as possible so that the workforce is in place when the decision is made to pursue nuclear power and non-power applications. Several participants emphasised that this should begin before countries sign memoranda of understanding (MOU) that would entail importing foreign human capital. The reason for this is that foreign labour is generally paid for in foreign currency which drives up prices. Public confidence in a major project is reduced when the local workforce is not involved, and there is a risk that the project can become entangled with the broader geopolitical relationship between the parties to the MOU. All these factors can cause resentment among the broader public towards the project, especially if foreign workers receive prestigious jobs while local workers receive low-paying jobs.
One participant observed that 42% of the global workforce will be from Africa by 2030, but that there is little encouragement for young people to study nuclear science and technology. There is also little opportunity to do so, as few African universities have nuclear engineering programmes. In this respect, participants noted that Africa is not a monolith in terms of capacity, that different countries have different levels of capacity. They recommended that universities should share experiences with one another to attract more students, establish more nuclear engineering programmes and devise harmonised curricula. Part of this effort will require awareness raising not just of the benefits of nuclear itself, but also of the national and international job opportunities in the nuclear field. Participants also observed that, in order for workforce development to be sustainable, policymakers need to send a clear signal that the country is pursuing an expansion of nuclear technology so that students know that jobs will be there for them once they complete their training.
Participants also discussed the role of communication in workforce development. The view was expressed that strategies for communicating the benefits of nuclear technology and developing a nuclear workforce should be devised with the country’s individual needs in mind, rather than a template approach. These strategies would also include communicating with policymakers and the public more clearly about nuclear science and technology, making the information accessible to them.
Laying the groundwork for a sustainable nuclear supply chain
Many of the challenges associated with workforce development were also discussed in the context of nuclear supply chain development, including the need to start preparations for an expansion of nuclear technology early and a lack of awareness among key stakeholders as to the need to do so. One key takeaway from this discussion was that it is incumbent on all stakeholders—especially the designers themselves—to demonstrate the efficacy of A/SMRs in order to create the demand for supply chain development domestically. In this respect, one strategy would be to raise awareness among policymakers and the public of how large-scale A/ SMR deployment could take the burden off industries, including those that are energy intensive utilising fossil-fuel energy sources and consequently are associated with high levels of carbon emissions.
As many A/SMR designs will be built in factories and assembled in site, challenges around the shipping of nuclear materials were raised and it was suggested that the World Nuclear Transport Institute should take early action to attract more ships to transport the A/SMR components. As with workforce development, participants discussed the benefits of localising the supply chain to ensure buy-in from civil society and to ensure that the supply chain is sustainable in the long-term. One participant reflected that Africa already has regional electrical grids (e.g. Southern African Power Pool[22], West African Power Pool[23]) and economic development communities (e.g. Southern African Development Community[24], Economic Community of West African States[25]). Participants said that these could provide a model for regional approaches to supply chain development, as this would be more feasible in the near term and sustainable in the long term. Participants also discussed that supply chain issues should be viewed as part and parcel of domestic and regional nuclear policies, including issues related to radioactive waste management and disposal.
[22] Southern African Power Pool www.sapp.co.zw/
[23] West African Power Pool www.ecowapp.org/
[24] Southern African Development Community www.sadc.int/
[25] Economic Community of West African States www.ecowas.int