Given the huge projects in the pipeline in Normandy, companies are looking for an equally huge amount of talent. The Region is on their side and has brought its partners together to back the 3NC campaign (which translates as “Normandy, nuclear, new skills” in English). Mission: train over 5400 people a year by 2030. The project has just launched with 24 3NC courses or specialisations starting in September 2024.
Facing the future
With major power plants, leading companies (EDF, Orano) and 18,000 employees, Normandy is one of the top French regions for nuclear industry. And there’s more to come: Penly EPR 2, upgrades to existing power plants, decommissioning, fuel processing infrastructures etc. To pull these projects off, companies will need 10,000 trained and operational staff in the local area in the next 10 years.
To fill the gap, the Region has brought its partners together to answer a call for expression of interest: “Skills and Future Professions”, launched in 2022 as part of France 2030. The 3NC project won 42 M€ in state funding out of the 64 M€ project total. The Region has contributed 6.1 M€ and companies have provided 10 M€ (including EDF, Eiffage, Orano, Enedis).
The 3NC project is completely unique: it unites a consortium of 36 public and private partners who work together to adapt regional training programmes to suit local requirements. The result is high standard courses that take young adults straight into the job market.
Boosting the region’s training capacity
Universities, engineering colleges, training centres, State Education: Normandy already has a wide range of nuclear and radioactive protection training opportunities. The 3NC project wants to improve the Region’s training capacity in all areas of engineering: civil engineering, public works, industry etc. Why? Because companies with large nuclear sites will need not only engineers but also automation technicians, pipefitters, heavy plant operators and more.
By training young adults and people changing career in all these trades, the 3NC project will help all the local companies and green energy facilities to expand.
Creating new courses and adapting existing ones
“The aim is to train 5400 people by 2030, be it through formal education or as part of a career change, with courses ranging from NVQs to PhDs,” says Ilona Huthwohl. New courses have been launched to achieve the goal. ETPN (Normandy public works school) has a centre in Alençon and is opening a new one in Rouen in September 2024. Builders engineering college in Caen is launching a civil engineering master’s course specialising in nuclear. CNAM and Pôle Formation UIMM Rouen Dieppe are working on programmes in Seine-Maritime and Eure.
In the meantime, existing courses in the region will be adapted to fulfil the industry’s requirements, primarily with additional specialisations. Just take the region’s engineering colleges which teach courses to suit the nuclear industry: BUILDERS, ENSICAEN and ISEN in Caen, INSA, ESIGELEC and CESI in Rouen, ISEL in Le Havre and ESIX in Cherbourg. Caen Normandy and Rouen Normandy Universities are also working on new teaching platforms to meet industry needs.
The map of nuclear training courses in Normandy
Studying in Normandy
Changing mindsets
Another challenge: attract people to the 3NC courses Careers in engineering and industry have an image problem. There are empty seats in classes at vocational colleges and apprenticeship centres. “It’s up to us to change how people see us and show that the industry has much to offer. It has great career opportunities and exciting trades,” says Ilona Huthwohl. The Agence Régionale de l’Orientation et des Métiers de Normandie will help promote the courses.
Attracting talent from all walks of life
It's a fact: there aren't enough young adults in Normandy to fill the 3NC training courses. So one of our objectives is to attract students from other regions and countries to our courses.
A project group is already working on partnership opportunities or exchange programmes to appeal to young people in countries that have nuclear courses.
The 3NC project will be put on the world map by attending major events like the next WorldSkills competition in Lyon between September 10th and 15th 2024.
Another challenge for the 3NC project: how to attract women to the industry
It’s a fact: there still aren’t enough women working in engineering jobs. The 3NC project has a pragmatic way to tackle the issue. It will increase existing measures in the region to attract young women to science and engineering courses. Just take “Girl’s Day” at Lycée Pablo Neruda in Dieppe, where female college students discuss their experience with female high school students. There will also be a major social media campaign launching in 2025 for young people and specifically young women.
Encouraging territorial equity
5 colleges are going to develop or upgrade teaching platforms. They will form “centres of excellence” and will be dotted all over the region. “This network enables students from any college, studying vocational diplomas or HNDs in towns or in the countryside, to study at these outstanding facilities.” It’s supports territorial equity in terms of access to education.
The idea is also to provide pupils, students, apprentices and their families with training programmes that are clear and relatable.
Normandy paves the way with the 3NC project
Lots of its measures can be replicated in other parts of France. The 3NC project may primarily focus on a local talent deficit, but it also wants to create training models for the entire nuclear industry in France.“This project makes Normandy a guinea pig for other regions. The 3NC training programmes could roll out nationwide, especially through EDF’s own Université des Métiers du Nucléaire.“
Energy industry in Normandy
Thematics
