Bangor University welcomes opportunity to work with nuclear training providers

Bangor University has welcomed Horizon Nuclear Power’s recent announcement of a partnership with Tecnatom, a global nuclear training services provider, as it looks to grow the future operational workforce for its Wylfa Newydd nuclear new-build project on Anglesey, North Wales.

Tecnatom will lead a training support team comprising of GEN II Engineering and Technology Training Ltd and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy which, collectively, bring a vast amount of global experience in both nuclear operations training generally - and in Advanced Boiling Water Reactor operations training specifically - to North Wales. 

Dr Ian Rees, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai; Francisco Sánchez, Tecnatom; Francisco Javier Guerra, CEO,Tecnatom; Duncan Hawthorne, CE Horizon; Professor Paul Spencer, Greg Evans, Horizon,: behind a scale model of the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR)The partnership will also see Horizon strengthening its links with Bangor University in order to develop and introduce new nuclear elements into the University’s existing physical and applied science degree courses.  Furthermore, it will work with both the University and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai to look at the feasibility of, for example, introducing degree apprenticeships and other elements of work-based learning relevant to the future education and training needs of the nuclear sector into their curricula.

Prof Paul Spencer, Dean of the College of Physical & Applied Sciences at Bangor University commented that “this recent development, alongside the partnerships created last year between Bangor University, GE Nuclear Energy Ltd and the Centre for Nuclear Engineering, Imperial College London to develop an ABWR Research Hub and Network, herald exciting times for nuclear teaching and research at Bangor University”. 

“We very much look forward to working with Horizon, its Training Service Providers and other local partners to develop the higher level skills and education infrastructure needed to not only help provide high-quality local talent to drive forward the Wylfa Newydd project but also the wider nuclear agenda in Wales and the UK as a whole.”

Prof Jo Rycroft-Malone, Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Impact, who is leading on the University's engagements with the nuclear sector said, “I see our involvement in these activities as being just the start of a longer-term process of putting Bangor University on the map as a recognised centre for nuclear teaching and research excellence in the coming years”

Publication date: 21 July 2017