STEM Engagement across the NDA Group
This paper outlines Credible Options for a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) engagement strategy across the NDA Group, considering the current environment around skills and wider issues.
Our objective is to inspire young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects so they are better informed about nuclear decommissioning, and encouraged to consider the NDA mission as a future career.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills are vital in enabling the NDA’s workforce to continue decommissioning its 17 historical nuclear sites, which pose unique and complex challenges.
It is believed that an NDA strategy in this area could ensure a healthy supply of workers for the future, facilitate healthy relationships in the communities around NDA sites, and help to meet other objectives, such as equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I).
The NDA is considering whether the many STEM engagement activities currently carried out independently across the NDA estate (including Site Licence Companies and subsidiaries) could be integrated more effectively into a more co-ordinated approach.
STEM engagement is important to three strategic areas within NDA: People (as part of the wider Skills and Capability area), Research and Development (R&D) (for the development of subject matter experts) and Socio-economics (in supporting communities local to our sites). STEM engagement activities can be effective in encouraging people into STEM subjects and careers such as nuclear decommissioning. While STEM is a national issue, the NDA believes that they have a role to play in contributing to take-up of these key subjects and that it is both important and timely that NDA set out what that role should be.
Comments from all stakeholders with an interest in STEM engagement are invited, on all aspects of the paper, including the options outlined and the process to select them.
We would also welcome comments and views on the following:
- Should the NDA have a role in this area?
- If so, what should the NDA’s role be? What should our strategic objective be?
After considering views from stakeholders, the next stage would be to determine the preferred option for a STEM engagement strategy, or take the informed decision to pause strategy development and retain the current approach.