How can I Access this Support?
If you’re a member looking to collaborate with NSAN, please contact your Relationship Manager for more information.
If you are not a member, please click here to contact us.
Opening Doors Through NSAN
About the company
Minerva Health Physics is a specialist consultancy working across three strands: training delivery, resource supply, and waste consultancy. Founded with the ambition to become one of the UK’s primary providers of health physics services, Minerva operates at the heart of a skills-critical profession that is often little understood by the wider public.
Ross, one of the company’s founders, explains:
“Our aim and our vision is to develop into one of the primary suppliers of health physics services in the UK. That covers three strands: training, supplying skilled resource, and consultancy in radiation protection and radioactive waste. It’s a very specialist field. I fell into it 25-30 years ago and many others do too, because it’s not a well-publicised profession.”
What NSAN products / services have you used?
For a small consultancy in its first year of trading, joining NSAN was a significant investment. But Minerva immediately recognised the value of warm introductions and industry credibility.
“If I’m honest with you, it was almost entirely down to our NSAN membership that led us to being in the position we’re in now, supporting Lakes College and the Sellafield apprentices. If it wasn’t for that initial introduction, it probably would never have happened as they wouldn’t have known how to get in touch with us.”
NSAN’s team (Zoe and Esther) connected Minerva with Lakes College, who needed delivery support for apprentice training. This was a turning point.
“Zoe, who knew our capability, got in contact directly with Lakes. That warm referral opened the door. Compared to cold calling, which has a pretty poor success rate, this was transformative.”
Key achievements
The Lakes College contract quickly became a success:
- Delivered training to 20 Sellafield apprentices.
- Achieved outstanding results: 18 passed with merits and distinctions.
- Successfully launched a second cohort, with exams scheduled for 2025.
Ross reflects on the outcomes:
“We couldn’t really have asked for a better outcome. That’s testament to the trainers who stood in front of the apprentices for those weeks. Collectively, we’re over the moon.”
Feedback has been powerful: “We’ve had verbal feedback from the students post-exam. They all felt the training was hugely influential. The results are a testament to what they’ve done, they put in the hard work, but we enabled them with the right support and materials.”
Beyond student success, the contract established Minerva’s credibility in the market.
“Because now we’ve had this work, we can say we are delivering this. We’re not just saying we can do it. We’ve got demonstrable evidence. That gives us a stronger market hold, and our presence is becoming more widely known.”
In what ways does NSAN add value to your business?
For Minerva, NSAN membership has fast tracked their nuclear work.
“Without NSAN, we certainly wouldn’t have had the Lakes work. It’s unlikely we’d be in discussions with [major nuclear company] either. We’d have been working much harder at the cold calling, and many of these opportunities wouldn’t have come to fruition.”
NSAN membership has also built confidence for the long term:
“As a small company, it’s given us a huge leg up. The likelihood of us remaining a member for the foreseeable future is high. It’s a no-brainer.”
Ross praises NSAN’s relational approach to looking after members.
“Our interactions with NSAN so far have been good. Esther has been very helpful, interested in us and I’ve liked the meetings. I think NSAN like to think of members as like one big family and that creates a good feel.”
Tools available to members
Capability Model for the UK Nuclear Industry
This document has been developed to clearly articulate to Senior Representatives within the nuclear sector (Operators and Supply Chain) the various skills development tools and techniques (Capability Model) available for implementation by member organisations of NSAN and Cogent Skills.
Maturity Assessment Guide
To assist NSAN members with the implementation of the products within the Capability Model, a self –assessment ‘Maturity Assessment Tool’ has been developed for members to use to assess their progress against the Capability Model.
Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) Guide
To help organisations and individuals identify the appropriate products and services that meet their business needs, NSAN developed the ‘Capability Model for the UK Nuclear Industry – Good practice approach to training, accreditation and nuclear professionalism’.
Our members
Benefits of Membership
Relationship
Dedicated support from a Relationship Manager – you will benefit from face-to-face meetings and have a direct contact for any queries in between meetings. If you need support on anything skills-related, your Relationship Manager will be ready to help.
Networking
Join leading industry groups and attend our events for opportunities to network with other key figures in the industry.
Have your Say
Get involved in developing solutions to specific skills issues. NSAN also provides an operational voice into government on how the changes to the skills landscape are affecting companies.
Save Money
NSAN products and services are offered at a reduced price to members.