Nuclear Knowledge to the Next Generation
Jul 13 - Nuclear Plant Journal
Traditional worker training programs have addressed explicit knowledge that
is contained in written documents, policies, and procedures. However, tacit
knowledge that is held in a person's mind has not typically been either captured
or transferred in any formal manner. Rather, new workers have acquired such
knowledge over time through their working with those who already possess it.
As those workers who are in possession of this tacit knowledge leave the
workplace for retirement, the effective capture and transfer of that information
becomes even more critical. The longterm operation of NPPs requires that this
entire body of explicit and tacit knowledge be transferred to new personnel as
they enter the workforce. Accordingly, new and different techniques may be
required to ensure timely and effective knowledge retention and transfer.
A new report on the subject prepared by the IAEA is intended to provide NPP
managers practical information they can use to improve the transfer of knowledge
from the current generation of operating organization personnel to the next
generation in an effective manner. A survey on the topic was distributed to NPP
operating organizations in IAEA Member States to collect information regarding
both the magnitude of the problems in this area and also the methods being used
to transfer tacit and explicit knowledge to the next generation of NPP
personnel. The information provided in the report is based upon the experiences
of Member State operating organizations as well as other related industries.
Summary of Current Situation
In some Member States, measures have been taken to terminate operations prior
to the scheduled end of plant life, or agreements have been made to phase out
nuclear power. Privatization and more open energy markets have created greater
financial uncertainty. Downsizing and right sizing efforts in NPP operating
organizations can result in the departure, almost simultaneously, of much of the
organizational knowledge. These factors mean that, in many Member States, it is
more difficult today to attract people into the nuclear power industry.
Additionally, the growth in information technology opportunities for young
professionals has resulted in fewer students pursuing traditional engineering
degrees, not just in nuclear engineering. In still other Member States,
significant numbers of experienced personnel have immigrated to other countries
due to better opportunities. It is also important to recognize that the
situation described above does not apply in all Member States. In some
countries, particularly those with continuing construction and commissioning of
new plants, there are few concerns or issues with respect to an ageing workforce
and transfer of knowledge.
Recent positive trends in the nuclear power industry include continuing new
construction in Asia, a return to new construction in Europe, new plants being
seriously discussed in North America, plant life extensions being implemented
for many existing plants, improved operational and safety performance of plants
overall, and innovative designs being developed through the Gen IV initiative.
The success of all of these efforts depends upon having sufficient well-
qualified personnel for their implementation.
Nuclear Industry Trends
The IAEA's PRIS data indicates that of the 437 NPP units in operation in
2003, over 80% (355) have been in operation for 15 years or more. If one
considers that most of the initial professional and technical staff for an NPP
are hired approximately 5 years in advance of the commercial operation date,
then for this group of plants, the personnel who grew up with the plant have a
minimum of 20 years experience, which suggests that the youngest of this group
is in their mid40's, and most are older. One common characteristic of NPP
personnel in IAEA Member States has been workforce stability; most people came
to the organization shortly after completion of their formal education and
internships, and stay until they retire. This combined with a general trend
toward smaller plant staffs, particularly over the past decade, means that for
most NPP operating organizations that have not built new plants within the past
15 years, there has been a very small influx of new personnel. That is until
recently, when current staff began to retire in significant numbers.
Recently, restructuring and downsizing have been a reality for NPP operating
organizations in a number of Member States. Downsizing has, in some cases,
aggravated agei ng workforce issues through compressing the time period over
which the transition occurs and, if not well thought out, can provide
insufficient lead time to plan a well organized transition of know how (and know
why) to replacement personnel. Early decommissioning of NPPs creates special
needs.
Trends in Education
In a number of IAEA Member States, due to uncertainties and fewer career
opportunities, interest in nuclear industry courses of study has continued to
decrease. This decrease has happened in many cases in all engineering areas, not
just nuclear engineering. In some IAEA Member States with economies in
transition, the overall quality of education has decreased, and education
budgets are very limited. In these situations, nuclear training centers need
more effort to prepare specialists to be able to fulfill all needs of NPPs.
The OECD/NEA report entitled, Nuclear Education and Training; Cause for
Concern published in 2000 indicated that:
"In most countries there are now fewer comprehensive, high- quality
nuclear technology programs at universities than before. The ability of
universities to attract top-quality students to those programs, meet future
staffing requirements of the nuclear industry, and conduct leading-edge research
in nuclear topics is becoming seriously compromised. A number of concerns exist:
* The decreasing number and the dilution of nuclear programs.
* The decreasing number of students taking nuclear subjects.
* The lack of young faculty members to replace aging and retiring faculty
members.
* Aging research facilities which are being closed and not replaced.
* The significant fraction of nuclear graduates not entering the nuclear
industry."
In 2002, OECD/NEA launched a follow-up study to assess the evolution since
the previous study. The preliminary results from this soon to be released study
show that a large number of actions have been initiated and positive development
has been reported in several countries. However, the situation in many countries
demands further actions. International level collaboralion may offer a
complementary route to improve the amount and the quality of nuclear education.
A number of international and national efforts have been initiated to address
the need for greater numbers of well qualified and educated nuclear industry
recruits. The most recent of these is the World Nuclear University (WNU) |http:/
/www. world-nuclear- university.org]. The WNU founding supporters are the IAEA,
???/ OECD, WANO and WNA, and membership includes 26 organizations worldwide. The
mission of the World Nuclear University is to strengthen the international
community of people and institutions so as to guide and further develop:
The safe and increasing use of nuclear power as the one proven technology
able to produce clean energy on a large global scale; and the many valuable
applications of nuclear science and technology that contribute to sustainable
agriculture, medicine, nutrition, industrial development, management of fresh
water resources and environmental protection.
Through a worldwide network that coordinates, supports and draws on the
strengths of established institutions of nuclear learning, the WNU will promote
academic rigor and high professional ethics in all phases of nuclear activity,
from fuel and isotope supply to decommissioning and waste management.
Other recent international initiatives regarding nuclear education and
training include the European Union's European Nuclear Engineering Network (ENEN)
and its successor the Nuclear European Platform for Training and University
Education (NEPTUNO) (these initiatives are for both current EU Members and those
countries planning to soon join the EU [www3.sckcen.be/enen]), and the Asian
Nuclear Safety Network.
Trends in IT Support for KM
Most NPP operating organizations use information technology (IT) to improve
their systems for designing, developing and implementing training programs and
other human resource management functions. Some organizations have implemented
or are now implementing integrated human resource management systems for all
activities concerning planning, employment, organizing, assessment, training,
development, payment, protection of health, and use of human resources in \the
organization. Use of IT tools for knowledge management is not yet common in most
Member State NPP operating organizations. E-learning is used by some but not
most operating organizations, and generally in limited ways (e.g., general
employee refresher training). Some operating organizations have integrated
computerized operation management systems, including work planning and control,
and document management functions. The outputs from these systems are readily
available to all plant personnel through Intranets.
Conclusions from the IAEA Report
The main conclusions from the IAEA report regarding strategies for managing
an aging workforce are:
The nature and magnitude of the aging workforce problem for the organization
should be defined and regularly updated. Staffing plans/ work force plans should
be prepared that provide a standardized methodology for overall human resources
planning driven by strategic and business goals. These plans should identify
planned retirements and vacant positions as well as the required staffing levels
needed to support business strategies. They should include attrition data,
development plans, succession plans and current work force requirements.
Activities should be strengthened to retain current employees, including
regularly soliciting inputs from employees regarding their job satisfaction and
motivation, monitoring external markets to ensure that employee benefits and
compensation are competitive, and providing opportunities for
career/professional development.
Partnerships with educational institutions and universities that provide
qualified professionals for the nuclear industry should be assessed based upon
medium and long term needs, and strengthened where needed. Actions should be
taken to make the organization an attractive employer and neighbor in the
community.
The main conclusions from the report regarding the capture and preservation
of mission critical knowledge, and the effective transfer of this knowledge to
the next generation of NPP personnel are the following:
Experience has shown that one of the principal limitations of such individual
transfer of tacit knowledge is the potential for variability in the quality of
knowledge transfer. Thus, personal transfer should be supplemented, whenever
feasible by support systems including guidelines, job aids, individual
development plans, structured onthe-job training and communities of practice
that both help to provide consistent and high quality transfer of tacit
knowledge as well as providing a way to transfer tacit knowledge, where
appropriate, to explicit knowledge.
The nuclear industry due to its need for well documented procedures,
specification, design basis, safety analyses, etc. has a greater fraction of its
mission critical knowledge as explicit knowledge than do many other industries.
This facilitates the task of knowledge transfer. For older plants in particular,
there may be a need for additional efforts to transfer tacit knowledge to
explicit knowledge to support major strategic initiatives such as plant license
extensions/renewals, periodic safety reviews, major plant upgrades, and plant
specific control room simulator development.
The challenge in disseminating explicit knowledge is to make employees aware
that it is available, provide easy access, in formats and forms that are usable.
Tacit knowledge is more difficult to identify and disseminate. The challenge
is to identify what can be converted to explicit knowledge and to create an
environment where tacit knowledge is routinely shared and disseminated
(knowledge-sharing culture). No information management system can replace the
need for face-to-face interactions, particularly for transfer of tacit knowledge
(experts know more than they can say, or write).
Many NPP operating organizations have taken positive and decisive steps to
address the aging workforce situation. A number of these actions are described
in the document, and should be considered for use by others, as appropriate.
List of Abbreviations
* IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency
* IRS - Incident Reporting System
* IT - Information Technology
* KM - Knowledge Management
* MS - Member States
* NPP - Nuclear Power Plant
* NEA/OECD - Nuclear Energy Agency/Organization for Economic Co- operation
and Development
* WANO - World Association of Nuclear Operators
* WNA - World Nuclear Association
* WNU - World Nuclear University
Thomas Mazour
Thomas Mazour, Senior Nuclear Power Engineer, IAEA Division of Nuclear Power
has 30 years total experience in the nuclear power industry. Six years of
experience supervising the operation and maintenance of NPPs, 3 years experience
in NPP design and construction, 6 years project management experience, 6 years
in training and qualification of nuclear industry personnel, and 9 years
experience in independent assessment of nuclear facility performance.
Andrei Kossilov
IAndrei Kossilov has a broad range of experience in nuclear engineering,
including 14 years as a staff member of the International Atomic Energy Agency,
and 8 years as a deputy head of department responsible/or the long term planning
and implementation of programs in nuclear field.
By Thomas Mazour and Andrel Kossilov, IAEA
Contact: Andrei Kossilov, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer
Strosse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria; Phone: (43 1) 2600-22802 or
22804; Fax: (43 1) 2600-29598; E-mail: A.Kossilov@iaea.org
Copyright EQES, Inc. May/Jun 2004