2009 Report to Government on National Research and

which is longer than the competition-based contract arrangements that tend <strong>to</strong> be
used for many projects.
Nuclear Skills – Higher Level Skills for R&D
4.21 Figure 5 illustrates the decline in numbers employed in UK nuclear fission-related
R&D from nearly 9,000 in 1980 <strong>to</strong> around 1,000 in 2004. Over the last 5 years,
the number has remained at about this level, of which, around 750 are employed
by the NNL. The closure of many R&D facilities and the associated decline in
personnel has left the UK’s capability for nuclear R&D significantly depleted.
4.22 The principal organisations providing training in the nuclear-related research
skills needed for the R&D <strong>to</strong> underpin the MRWS programme are the universities,
NDA (and some of its SLCs) and NNL. Other nuclear industry organisations and
the industry’s supply chain also provide training, but the latter often have
difficulties planning and supporting high-level training over 3 years or more owing
<strong>to</strong> the short-term nature of their contracts. Although not providers of training,
Cogent and NSAN are working <strong>to</strong> develop “products” <strong>to</strong> help <strong>to</strong> sustain this
important resource and NSAN has recently announced a round of bursaries <strong>to</strong>
support training all the way up the pyramid. There is clear evidence that the
situation is improving gradually but there is still some way <strong>to</strong> go.
Figure 5. Illustrative decline in manpower employed in nuclear fission related
R&D
Source: NNL
Universities
4.23 Research skills appropriate <strong>to</strong> nuclear R&D activities are provided in the higher
education sec<strong>to</strong>r over a range of levels and disciplines. Starting with taught
Master degrees, most of which involve research projects, these opportunities
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