Building Tomorrow's Nuclear Expertise

The UK's nuclear sector is experiencing unprecedented growth. With plans to expand our nuclear capabilities across defence and civil applications, we need to double the number of graduates entering the nuclear workforce.

The Graduate Opportunity

As part of the Nuclear Skills Plan, organisations across the nuclear sector have committed to:

- Double the number of graduates entering the nuclear workforce by academic year 2025/2026
- Implement sponsorship and bursary schemes to support students taking up STEM subjects
- Create accessible pathways for those who may not have previously had the opportunity to go to university

Why Nuclear Needs Graduates

The UK nuclear sector will need to fill 40,000 new roles by 2030, growing from 83,000 to 123,000 skilled workers. Graduates bring fresh perspectives, cutting-edge knowledge and innovative thinking to help address the challenges of:

- Developing new nuclear power plants
- Supporting national security through the nuclear deterrent
- Expanding decommissioning activities
- Working on international partnerships like AUKUS

 

For Graduates

Why Choose a Nuclear Career?

Nuclear offers graduates extraordinary career opportunities with genuine purpose:

- Meaningful work that directly contributes to both energy security and national security
- Diverse career paths spanning engineering, project management, research, cybersecurity, environmental science and many more disciplines
- Long-term stability with projects spanning decades
- Competitive salaries reflecting the sector's strategic importance
- Progression opportunities through established development programmes

 

What Graduate Roles Are There in Nuclear?

The sector offers graduate positions across a wide spectrum of disciplines, including but not exclusively:

- Nuclear engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Materials science
- Project management
- Cybersecurity
- Environmental science
- Data analysis
- Business and finance

Many employers across the sector offer structured graduate development programmes, combining practical experience with continued professional development.

 

For Organisations

Developing the Next Generation

The Nuclear Skills Charter outlines our sector-wide commitment to growing the graduate talent pipeline. Here's how your organisation can contribute:

- Establish or expand graduate development programmes
- Participate in university engagement activities
- Offer industry placements and internships
- Support graduate sponsorship schemes
- Contribute to sector-wide initiatives promoting nuclear careers to university students

 

Support Available

Through the Nuclear Skills Plan, organisations can:

- Access shared resources for graduate recruitment and development
- Participate in collaborative approaches to university engagement
- Connect with regional skills hubs to address specific skills needs in your area
- Benefit from the sector-wide "Destination Nuclear" campaign to raise awareness among graduates

Hear from our nuclear graduates

 

Find Out More

- Explore current graduate opportunities on the Destination Nuclear Careers Portal
- Learn about graduate development programmes at major nuclear employers
- Discover how your organisation can support graduate development in the nuclear sector


Looking to explore other career pathways into nuclear? 

Visit our pages on Apprenticeships, PhDs, and Career Switchers.

The Nuclear Skills Plan is committed to doubling the number of graduates entering the nuclear workforce by 2025/26, creating the next generation of nuclear professionals.

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