Nuclear Energy Human Resource Development Council Report (April 2009)
Efforts for Nuclear Energy Human Resource Development
Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc.
Outline of the Report
The Nuclear Energy Human Resource Development (HRD) Council has addressed thecurrent state of nuclear human resource development in Japan, identifying various
issues and specific activities in regard to the roles that ought to be played by theindustrial, governmental and academic sectors. Based on those efforts, the council
issued this report, including proposals to various organizations.
In the broad context of the use of nuclear energy, and keeping in mind the developmentof human resources from elementary and secondary schools through to the early stagesof employment, the report focused on human resources at the level of university andtechnical school graduates working at companies, research institutes, etc., in the nuclearfield.
The council first looked quantitatively at the students entering the nuclear field, andfound no problem in terms of their absolute numbers. The potential problem lies,
however, in their quality. Causes for the latter concern included declining basic
academic ability and decreasing numbers of nuclear-related subjects (especially basicsubjects and practical training). The industrial, public and academic sectors should thus
work on improving the quality of the students.
The Nuclear Energy Human Resources Development Program (HRD Program),
implemented by the Japanese government since 2007, has urged universities to makeproactive efforts, and has been recognized as effective in fostering nuclear humanresources. To make the program even more effective, the report calls for the following
actions, among others: (1) increasing international efforts; (2) supporting bold efforts,such as establishing new courses; (3) promoting cooperation among universities,including the joint use of educational and research facilities; and (4) cooperating withnuclear siting areas.
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In surveys through extensive interviews with parties both within and outside the nuclear
world, many opinions were heard to the effect that efforts in human resource
development should recognize the following three points:-- Making the nuclear world itself attractive to students.
-- Promoting education both at school and within companies.
-- Enhancing public understanding and confidence in nuclear energy.
With those points in mind, comprehensive surveys were conducted among students
participating in the HRD Program, as well as among employees who had recently
entered the nuclear industry. The results indicate the following actions as useful inmotivating students to desire to work for the nuclear industry:(1) Exposing students yet undecided about their future direction to nuclear-related
technological content (more professional than general knowledge);(2) Providing students with information on the standing of nuclear generation and thenuclear industry within society.
(3) Having the nuclear industry directly provide students with information.
Also, internationally-minded human resources need to be developed, given theexpansion and promotion of R&D by nuclear enterprises overseas. In that respect,several measures need to be implemented, including promoting internships to overseas
research institutes, offering classes by foreign instructors in Japan, and supporting asystem to accept foreign students. In addition, measures to help Japanese personnel
participate in international conferences and international organizations should beaddressed from now on. Diversified human resources are also necessary for thedevelopment of industries in Japan generally, for which the use of foreign humanresources should be promoted.
Finally, six basic efforts need to be made by nuclear related parties in the industrial,
government and academic sectors, as follows:(1) Carrying out education in science and mathematics, and increasing understanding
on energy and the environment at the elementary and secondary levels, to enticemore students to follow careers in the industrial world.
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(2) More effectively conveying the attractions of the nuclear world to students, andencouraging good students to major in nuclear-related engineering.
(3) Developing or improving educational infrastructure at universities and elsewhere,with university education incorporating the needs of the nuclear industry.
(4) Developing sufficient numbers of young researchers in the area of fundamentaltechnology.
(5) Motivating internationally-minded personnel to work in the nuclear world byincreasing understanding about nuclear energy and related subjects.
(6) Providing the environment and motivation to enable people to acquire knowledge
and skills and to continue developing their abilities after employment.
Commonly recognizing those basic targets, academic, industrial and governmental
nuclear-related organizations should promote specific human resource development
efforts according to their specific organizational circumstances and other conditions.
Specific efforts to be made in each sector are as follows:
In the nuclear industry, further efforts should be made to help elementary, secondary
and upper secondary school students better understand nuclear energy, including thedistribution of materials, nuclear classes on demand, the staging of facility tours, andsupport for the implementation of energy and environmental education.
Cooperating with universities and other schools, moreover, the nuclear industry needs tocarry out such activities as conducting joint research, establishing donated courses,
dispatching lecturers, hosting facility tours, and offering internship programs.
Universities, etc., should carry out independent, strategic efforts consistent with theirown characters and identities, and actively utilize external resources of otheruniversities, industries, research institutes, and so forth. They should also realize
long-term, self-supported education and research, making best use of the HRD Program.
In order for students to acquire the various skills that will be necessary after going out
into the world, universities and the other institutions should make completion
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requirements stricter. Students in doctoral programs should receive a broader range ofeducation to develop wider abilities.
The Japanese government is expected to continue the HRD Program, which has beensteadily producing good results.
Based on the directions proposed in the report, specific efforts will be made by eachorganization to maintain and develop personnel who will contribute to the growth of thenuclear industry.
There are various issues in human resource development other than those taken up in
the report, and the council will address them one by one in accordance with theirimportance and urgency. It is also important to work on activities continuously and in
depth, with the HRD Council continuing to play a central role.

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