Entergy’s Nuclear Workforce Development Partners Receive $1.1 Million in NRC Grants
08/12/2008
On Aug. 1, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced partners of Entergy’s Workforce Planning strategy will receive grants totaling more than $1.1 million to fund scholarships, faculty development and program development.
Over the past 18 months Entergy’s Nuclear WFP group has worked closely with School Relations to identify existing education and training programs that align with projected workforce needs. WFP also worked on closing gaps where programs did not exist at all. Nuclear WFP has been partnering with colleges, universities and technical schools to develop nuclear-specific programs for a future workforce.
Entergy’s Nuclear WFP strategy is working with these technical schools and colleges around the United States to build new education and training programs for the next generation of nuclear workers. In fact, Entergy has more than a dozen such partnerships under development.
John Wheeler, manager of Entergy’s Nuclear WFP team, said the partnerships were great news for Entergy. “These education and training programs line up with our future workforce needs. The funds will make a big difference in jump starting these programs and in accelerating the education and training of new nuclear talent. It’s also rewarding to know that our hard work is continuing to be recognized in the form of more than $1 million that will go towards developing our future nuclear workforce," he said.
This latest announcement brings the two-year total of federal grant funding for Entergy’s nuclear workforce development partners to more than $3.6 million. Wheeler mentioned the department was always looking for prospective funding. “For example, we’re expecting the U.S. Department of Labor to announce new community-based job training grants sometime this fall,” said Wheeler.
Seven of the academic partners are the latest recipients of NRC Education and Training grants. The grant recipients are:
$95,972 for Polytechnic University in New York, NY to develop a Nuclear Engineering minor degree program.
$100,000 for University of Missouri and Linn State Technical College to develop a freshman level nuclear technology course.
$128,000 for Alcorn State University to continue the development of their Radiation Safety, Training & Technology Program.
$150,000 for Lakeland Community College for the Great Lakes Regional Nuclear Scholarship Program.
$82,687 for Lake Michigan College for scholarships to attend their Energy Production Technology Program.
$150,000 for Linn State Technical College for scholarships to attend their Nuclear Technology and Nuclear Quality Control Technology Programs.
$412,000 for Idaho State University for two new faculty positions in Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics.
