Nuclear training courses coming to Saskatchewan Polytechnic

Saskatchewan is working towards a future powered by nuclear energy and now that includes building up the industry’s workforce.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic signed a five-year contract with the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) on Thursday to deliver nuclear training.

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The program offers a range of courses, including one designed for senior leaders that provides them with a foundational understanding of the nuclear industry, focusing on current and emerging technologies.

Another course is designed for people early in their careers wanting to learn more about nuclear, including safety, security and the nuclear fuel cycle.

The variety of training will be offered in-person and online through Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Centre for Continuing Education. It’s an exclusive partnership with NSAN, allowing the school to offer courses across the country.

NSAN operations director Nicola Wallwork said Saskatchewan’s workforce is already well-positioned to enter the nuclear industry because workers are used to operating in complex, highly regulated environments like mining or oil and gas.

The organization’s managing director, Tricia Austin, agreed, saying Saskatchewan has a lot of “high hazard industries with a really good safety culture.” But, according to Austin, nuclear is one step further.

NSAN managing director Tricia Austin said that to get to the point of operating a nuclear power plant, training needs to start years earlier. “You need to be training those people 10 years in advance,” she said. (Marija Robinson/650 CKOM)

Austin said this training will ensure people understand the compound they’re dealing with.

Although Saskatchewan doesn’t have any nuclear power plants yet, Austin said training an operator can take 10 years. So, they need to start educating people and companies as soon as possible.

“You have to be training now and making companies aware of the opportunities that are in the nuclear sector and what they will need to actually get to the place where they’re able to supply and manufacture for the industry,” she said.

The first training course is taking place on Dec. 11, and there’s already a waiting list. Another is scheduled for later in January.

Austin said the frequency of these course offerings depends on demand.

Training faculty amidst recent layoffs

While NSAN will be delivering the programs in Saskatchewan to start, faculty at Saskatchewan Polytechnic are getting trained to teach the courses virtually and in person.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic President and CEO Larry Rosia said if instructors are going to teach these skills, they need to have them first.

This announcement comes just a week after the school did another round of layoffs affecting faculty and student-support staff, bringing the total number of jobs cut to 63 since April.

Rosia said the nuclear training can be an opportunity to retain more instructors.

“If some of those instructors have skills in these areas, we can upskill them,” he said. “As long as there’s a classes to teach, we have opportunities for employment numbers.”