NSAN Welcomes the Release of Nuclear Waste Services – GDF – Creating Jobs & Skills: A First Look

NSAN Member, Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), has recently released its The GDF – (Geological Disposal Facility) Creating Jobs & Skills: A First Look report. The report sets out the likely number of jobs and the range of skilled, well paid careers that will be required to deliver a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).

The report provides estimates of the jobs created over the projected 175 year lifetime of the programme. 4000 jobs are expected to be created within the first 25 years.

NWS stresses that any estimates at this early stage will need to be refined as things progress.  The early planning assumptions also include a 140 year operational phase, followed by a 10 year period to complete final closure of the GDF.

Project planning over such a long period is clearly challenging, particularly making detailed projections of the workforce requirements throughout each phase of development, operations and closure.  When you then factor in the indirect employment generated in the supply chain, plus the induced employment from increased spending in areas such as leisure and retail, the employment opportunities are clearly very significant.

NWS is estimating the GDF will generate an average of 2000 jobs in any given year throughout its lifetime.

Alongside the major, long-term economic benefits to the eventual host community, the length of the project provides an almost unparalleled opportunity to plan and invest in the education and skills infrastructure, to build skills and enable recruitment from the local community.  NWS estimates that, of the roles directly employed at the GDF, 75% will be open to people with qualifications at A Level or below.

Jo Tipa, NSAN’s Managing Director, commented:

“We applaud this focus on skills and the early stage plans to support education and training initiatives to boost local skills.  We will continue to work closely with NWS, engaging with the NSAN employer and provider network to support the development and/or delivery of appropriate training, as the GDF project develops”.   

Nuclear Waste Services – GDF – Creating Jobs & Skills: a First Look report can be downloaded here.