Future skills secured

The skills of today's nuclear experts will be secured with today's opening of British Energy's £3.5m Nuclear Power Academy.

With around 2000 people working at its nuclear operations support centre in Barnwood, British Energy is a major employer in Gloucestershire. Supporting the operation of the company's fleet of nuclear power stations, Barnwood's people play a vital role in helping to provide the UK with a low carbon source of electricity.

British Energy's chairman Sir Adrian Montague will host the opening event and will welcome guest of honour Professor John Beddington, the government chief scientific adviser and head of the government office for science.

Visitors will be given the opportunity to tour the academy and see the training centre in action. This will include displays, talks and a chance to take charge of one of our nuclear power station control room simulators.

The Nuclear Power Academy team has developed a British Energy model for accreditation of training based on the systematic approach to training as applied by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and incorporating best practice in the nuclear industry. In the coming months British Energy is looking forward to taking a proactive part in its membership of the recently launched National Skills Academy Nuclear. The company believes it has a major role to play in establishing nuclear professionalism as a key aspect of existing and future nuclear operations in the UK.

David Barber, head of training at British Energy said: "The Nuclear Power Academy is at the centre of British Energy's investment in training. It is part of the company's commitment to creating world leading nuclear professionals and maintaining the technical capability of our workforce, while being an active part of the wider focus in the UK on the nuclear skills agenda and training for nuclear power. "