Duddo said we have trained and experienced workers.
* don't miss this A large STEMS (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and skilled trades) workforce is necessary to build a large-scale nuclear fleet.
Dudds seems to have missed this
There appears to be a significant brain drain of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) professionals from Australia to other countries. Here are the key points:
## STEM Brain Drain in Australia
- Despite government efforts to boost STEM graduates, many end up leaving STEM fields for better-paid careers or opportunities elsewhere[4]. - Between 2012-2013, 55% of scientific and technical services professionals in Australia switched to non-STEM industries[4].
- Only 40-60% of STEM graduates in Australia ultimately pursue STEM-focused careers[4]. - Around 9% of clicks by STEM job seekers in New South Wales are for jobs in other states, compared to only 6% inbound clicks, suggesting an outflow of STEM talent from Sydney[2].
- Australia ranks just 17th in the Global Innovation Index, behind countries like New Zealand, UK, US, Canada, and Singapore, indicating an innovation problem tied to the STEM brain drain[4].
## Causes of STEM Brain Drain
- Lack of well-paid job opportunities and career advancement in STEM fields in Australia compared to other countries[4].
- Declining funding and support for research, innovation, and commercialization of ideas, e.g. cuts to CSIRO funding[3].
- Difficulty translating academic research into business opportunities and lack of industry-academia collaboration[3].
## Proposed Solutions
- Provide better salary, career growth, and job embeddedness (fit, connections, perks) for STEM professionals to retain them[4].
- Invest in targeted programs to train early/mid-career researchers in commercializing their work[5].
- Improve frameworks and incentives for academia-industry collaboration to create business opportunities from research[3].
- Increase government funding and support for research, innovation, and translating ideas into profitable businesses[3][5].
So in summary, while Australia produces STEM graduates, retaining this talent domestically for driving innovation and economic prosperity remains a significant challenge[4][3][1].
A large STEMS (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and skilled trades) workforce is necessary to build a large-scale nuclear fleet. Here are the key points:
## Workforce Requirements
- Building a 1 GW nuclear reactor typically requires around 1,500 workers over an 8-year construction period.[5] - To build a 100 GW nuclear fleet would require around 50,000 onsite or nearby workers for operations and maintenance alone.[5] - In addition to operations staff, a significant workforce is needed for activities like design, manufacturing, construction, regulation, and supporting infrastructure.[3] - Countries developing new nuclear power programs need to acquire a wide range of competencies nationally or through international support and contracts.[3]
## Developing Nuclear Skills
- There is currently a global shortage of skilled nuclear workers due to decades of limited nuclear construction.[1] - Countries need to remove barriers to training and qualifications, and commit to new infrastructure projects to ensure nuclear jobs are available to develop skills.[1] - Workforce planning from an early stage is crucial to identify resource needs and build national competencies over time through education, training, and knowledge transfer.[3][4]
## Supply Chain and Support Services
- Potential bottlenecks could emerge in the supply of specialized nuclear components like reactor pressure vessels, instrumentation, and control systems if the industry scales up rapidly.[2] - Significant non-nuclear resources are also needed, particularly during early construction stages for supporting infrastructure like grid enhancements, roads, and housing.[3] - Governments and industry may need to invest in developing manufacturing capabilities, qualifying more suppliers, and establishing centers of excellence.[2]
In summary, building a large nuclear fleet requires a substantial, highly-skilled STEMS workforce not just for reactor construction and operations, but across the entire nuclear supply chain and supporting activities. Developing this workforce is a long-term endeavor that requires early planning, education, training, and industrial policies.[1][2][3][4][5]
Citations: [1] https://zionlights.substack.com/p/five-ways-we-can-build-nuclear-reactors-quickly [2] https://www.mckinsey.com/industries...r-nuclear-power-to-meet-the-climate-challenge [3] https://www-pub.iaea.org/mtcd/publications/pdf/pub1477_web.pdf [4] https://www-pub.iaea.org/mtcd/publications/pdf/te_1193_prn.pdf [5] https://www.world-nuclear.org/getme...c/Employment-in-Nuclear-Report-Final.pdf.aspx
