“Stakeholder Engagement: The Human Capital Connection”

ENS at the IAEA International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes

Here we share the keynote speech that ENS President, Dr Eng Stefano Monti, delivered to introduce the session “Splitting the Atom, Uniting Talent: Developing the Nuclear Workforce” at the IAEA International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes 2025, which took place in Vienna from 26 to 30 May.

This panel explored strategies to strengthen the nuclear workforce by attracting diverse talent, fostering innovation, and expanding training and career development opportunities. Experts highlighted the importance of inclusive approaches — such as engaging underrepresented groups and local communities — and emphasize collaboration between industry, academia, and education providers to build a skilled, future-ready workforce.

 

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Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, friends,

Thank you for the invitation to open this important conversation. I am very glad that this conference program highlights the important fact that stakeholder engagement is not just about public support for a nuclear facility — it is above all about securing the people who will develop, design, build, operate, and sustain that nuclear facility and the related programme.

Public support of nuclear infrastructures of all kind fosters long-term favourable political conditions, but we also need public – and policymakers – to understand the importance of a well-skilled and competent nuclear workforce. This awareness is a prerequisite for establishing national policies that first ensure the sector is attractive to top talent, then address current and future human capital needs, and finally, guarantee continuous professional development and career opportunities — broadening the pool of skilled potential employees and retaining the workforce we already have.

Let’s start with the scale of what we need, and the challenges we’re facing.

The IAEA during the last year Conference on KM&HR has stated that for the whole world the nuclear sector requires 4 million new experts by 2050, EU has recently estimated a need of some 500 thousand new professionals. Just France — one of the most experienced nuclear countries in the world — according to its national MATCH project and to support its new expanding programme domestically and abroad needs to hire around 10,000 new employees each year over the next decade. And so on and so forth.

We need nuclear professionals across the full spectrum of the nuclear value chain: reactor technology, fuel and fuel cycle, waste management, supply chain, R&D, safety, security, safeguards, but also communication, basic infrastructure, nuclear legislation, etc. etc..

This reminds us how important it is to engage with all relevant stakeholders. This means gathering insights and expertise from industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, academia, R&D institutes and other key entities to understand their human resource needs — both in terms of personnel numbers and required qualifications.

And it is not only about high-level nuclear experts. According to the European Human Resources Observatory in Nuclear, only 16% of the nuclear workforce are expected to be nuclear experts. The remaining 84% are either nuclearized or nuclear-aware professionals — many of them skilled blue-collar workers who are essential to the operation and maintenance of nuclear facilities.

With the vision of Tripling Nuclear by 2050, in short: the nuclear sector needs a massive, diverse, and sustainable workforce pipeline — supported by robust systems for attraction and retention.

And that pipeline begins long before university or job applications. It starts at school — and even at home — with the narratives children hear about science, technology, and, finally, nuclear energy.

Think about this: when a young person is choosing a career path, what shapes their decision?

It’s about perception — of opportunity, of the strategic importance of their job, of working conditions, including economic aspects.

The nuclear sector doesn’t compete in a vacuum. When considering the figures I was talking about earlier, we have to keep in mind that nuclear competes directly for talent with high-end, highly attractive tech sectors: IT — and now, in particular, AI — as well as renewables, space, finance, and biotech, nano technologies and many other very attractive industrial sectors.

If our sector is perceived as opaque, outdated, or politically controversial, we will not stand out in the market. On the other hand, if it is seen as innovative, international, and essential, we can succeed — attracting both top talent and a large, motivated workforce seeking stable, well-paid, and well-reputed careers.

So, stakeholder engagement isn’t just about gaining political approval for a reactor. It’s about shaping how teachers talk about nuclear in the classroom. It’s about how the media presents our technologies. And it’s about how we — as a sector — engage with families, communities, and young people.

This brings me to what I believe is the key message of today’s discussion:

Sustainable stakeholder engagement practices are vital to the long-term viability of the nuclear industry — because they help build a stable, motivated, and committed workforce.

The workforce is a stakeholder in its own right, and it deserves a targeted response to the needs of nuclear professionals.

From this point of view we think that organizations like the  European Nuclear Society — which I have the honour of representing and which brings together over 12,000 professionals across Europe and beyond, including more than 4,000 members of the Young Generation Network — play a very important role. Indeed our members — and peers from Nuclear Societies in other regions — are directly engaged in shaping the future of the sector’s workforce.

We support a wide range of initiatives across the pipeline, some of which you may have heard about in yesterday’s Flash Talk by my colleague Jadwiga:

• School outreach programs to demystify nuclear technologies and introduce science in engaging ways;
• Topical conferences and technical symposia that offer mentorship, career development, and knowledge exchange;
• Intergenerational and interdisciplinary dialogues to bridge the gap between experience and fresh perspectives;
• Position and vision papers that bring the voice of the professional community to the policymaking table;
• Self-led youth initiatives designed by and for young people entering the sector.

Despite all these actions, we firmly believe that the best way to engage young professionals is to listen — and to truly understand their needs and expectations.
One recent example of such engagement was the EC’s FISA–EURADWASTE conference, co-organized by ENS.

In a dedicated Youth Day, more than 70 young professionals gathered to develop their Vision for the Future of nuclear energy. And their message was clear — and loud:

• “In order to succeed, nuclear has to not only be accepted by the public, but also be appealing and attractive, creating a culture of demand for nuclear.”
• “Let’s make nuclear science exciting through modern education that fosters cooperation and a strong nuclear culture.”
• “To ensure equal access to opportunities in the nuclear sector, governments, NGOs, industrial leaders, and educational institutions should take responsibility for policies that provide access regardless of age, gender, nationality, or social status. We urge an inclusive environment to help end energy poverty, gender disparity, and poor work-life balance.”

And finally:

• “Our fresh perspective, combined with your knowledge and expertise, makes us a formidable asset. Involve us in the decision-making process as equals to build a better future for all of us.”

The Youth have shown us their Vision of stakeholder engagement — one that I fully align with: inclusive, proactive, intergenerational.

Not just talking to stakeholders — but listening to them, empowering them, and working with them.

So, what do we need to do next?

First, we must recognize that the workforce is a stakeholder too — within the scope of nuclear power programs, inside companies, and within teams. And like any stakeholder, it needs more than good conditions. At ENS, we understand that it needs:

• A shared vision for the future;
• Recognition of its strategic role in delivering energy security and sustainable development;
• Continuous dialogue — not just communication.

Second, we need deeper collaboration between governments, industry, academia, and civil society — to design educational pathways, career development models, and outreach campaigns that reflect real-world needs and real-world aspirations.

Third, we must continue to support professionals in their passion to contribute — through learned societies and other initiatives — as they serve both as amplifiers and incubators.

In conclusion: We cannot build the future of nuclear without the people who will run it.

And we cannot build that workforce without intentional, inclusive, and sustained stakeholder engagement.

So, let’s move forward — together — to engage earlier, listen more, and act with purpose, to build a human capital strategy that is resilient, inclusive, and ready for the challenges ahead.

Thank you.