NSAN Insight Session: Mentoring support for early careers and other new entrants to the nuclear sector

Attraction, recruitment and retention has been the hot topic of discussion within the NSAN Member Forum for the last eighteen months.  The nuclear sector is facing a skills challenge and a need to develop and retain new talent, whether by attracting mid-career professionals from other sectors or growing and accelerating early careers talent pipelines.  

The National Nuclear Strategic Plan for Skills (NN-SPS), published in May 2024, aims to double the number of STEM apprentices and graduates joining the sector by 2026.  

This ambitious plan poses not only the challenge of attracting and recruiting the best talent, but also of providing them with a high-quality developmental experience that will retain them in the sector and help them grow their careers. 

The challenges and opportunities for mentoring in the nuclear sector? 

One key element of this developmental experience is having access to industry-experienced mentors who can guide and support the new entrants in their learning journey. However, mentoring requires a certain level of commitment, preparation, and training from both parties, as well as organisational support and resources.  

With the rapid growth of early careers programmes and the increased demand for mentors, the sector needs to ensure that it has the capacity and capability to deliver effective mentoring schemes that meet the needs and expectations of the new talent. 

The nuclear sector faces some specific challenges, such as: 

• Limited capacity and availability of experienced mentors,  

• Lack of skills and confidence among potential mentors within the established workforce, who may not feel adequately prepared to take on the role 

• Lack of knowledge in some organisations about how to prepare for introducing mentoring, and the factors to consider for success 

NSAN Insight Session: mentoring support for early careers and other new entrants to the nuclear sector 

NSAN Insight Sessions provide opportunities for our members to exchange information and good practice, and to explore collaborative solutions to common challenges. 

A recent session highlighted a need for more information about the training and support available to employers to help them establish effective mentoring programmes. 

NSAN is running an Insight Session exploring the mentoring training and support available via the NSAN Nuclear Training Network, an established network of training providers, ranging from universities to small specialist consultancies, with extensive experience supporting the nuclear sector. The session will feature five presentations, each covering a different aspect of establishing and running effective mentoring programmes.  

The presenters will share their expertise and experience of delivering mentoring, both within nuclear and in other sectors. The session will also include the opportunity for questions and answers, including a panel discussion. 

How to register and join the session 

NSAN Insight Session: mentoring support for early careers and other new entrants to the nuclear sector takes place on 11th September 2024, from 10:00 to 12:00, via Microsoft Teams.   

The Insight Session is open to all NSAN members and stakeholders who are interested in learning more about mentoring training and support, and who want to improve their mentoring practices and outcomes.  

The session is free of charge, but registration is required.  

To register, please visit the NSAN website and fill in the online form. You will receive a confirmation email with the link to join the session via Microsoft Teams. 

If you have any questions or queries, please contact NSAN at info@nsan.co.uk . We look forward to seeing you at the session and sharing views and experiences of mentoring in the nuclear sector. 

Article written by Andy McIvor , NSAN's Head of Policy & Strategy.