Magnox Electric Ltd

National Skills Academy for Nuclear launch welcomed

29 February 2008

Magnox South joined forces with over 175 nuclear employers to support Skills Minister David Lammy and Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks in January as they marked the official launch of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN).

The Academy is the culmination of over four years work and will assist nuclear employers to tackle current and future skills requirements. Its network of regional centres, supported by a main base in Cumbria, will develop and accredit ‘centres of excellence’. Such centres will deliver training and respond to specific skills gaps identified by employers.

Magnox South is an Associate Member of the NSAN, taking an active role in the creation, development and promotion of world class skills and career pathways within the industry. Ken Powers, Magnox South Managing Director, is chair of the Southwest Regional Employer Steering Group, supporting the regional hub based at Bridgwater College.

The company has a close relationship with the college and last year opened a Decommissioning Skills Centre, based at their Cannington facility. The centre is used to reskill staff who have previously been employed in operations roles, in preparation for decommissioning activities. Workers from Hinkley Point A, Bradwell and Dungeness A have already completed their NVQ Level 2 Nuclear Decommissioning programmes at the college and will soon receive City and Guilds certificates.

Philip Parker, Magnox South Human Resources Director welcomed the launch: “We have been involved with NSAN from the very start. Our sites are now firmly focused on decommissioning and we have a lot to benefit from our involvement with the Academy. We are committed to giving our workers the opportunity to retrain and develop new skills, achieving nationally recognised qualifications and standards, so that they can help deliver our decommissioning programme.”