UAE Integrated Education and Training

Integrated Approaches in Nuclear Workforce Development

Vienna, September 19, 2012

Hamad AlkaabiAmbassador, Resident Representative of the UAE to the IAEA

Outline

� UAE nuclear Power Programme – The Big picture

� Current status of the UAE nuclear power programme

� Cornerstones of the UAE capacity building programme

� Key Players in the Nuclear programme within UAE

� UAE integrated approach for workforce development

ENEC integrated training and capacity building

FANR integrated approach to workforce development

KU integrated approach to education and training

� Lessons learnt

UAE Nuclear Power Programme: The Big Picture

Energy

Planning

Study

Nuclear

Policy

First unit

followed by

sustainable

program

Infrastructure

Development

2006 2008 2017

2

Capacity Building

� UAE Nuclear Policy formulated

� Programme Management Structure: FANR, ENEC, International Advisory Board, and other entities

� International Cooperation Framework: IAEA, Government-Government, International experts organizations/TSOs

� Adherence to relevant International Conventions

� Prime Contractor chosen: KEPCO (design, construction & joint operation of the first 4 nuclear power reactors units)

� Reactor: Four 1,400 MW power units of APR1400 Design

� INIR and IRRS missions successfully completed

Status of the Nuclear Power Programme in the UAE

� Post-Fukushima assessment

� Positive Public Attitudes towards nuclear energy: 85% of people in the UAE think that peaceful nuclear energy is important for the nation.

� Licenses issued to ENEC to date:

1. Site selection: Authorizes ENEC to carry out site selection activities

2. Site preparation: Authorizes ENEC to undertake ‘non nuclear’ preparation to Barakah site

3. Limited construction License

4. Construction License: for 2 reactors at Barakah site in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Status of the Nuclear Power Programme in the UAE (2)

� Start of Safety-related Construction of Unit 1 of first NPP at Barakah in July 2012

Status of the Nuclear Power Programme in the UAE (3)

�First unit scheduled operation in 2017 (pending regulatory approval).

� UAE Policy Paper:

“continued education and training constitutes a cornerstone of the critical infrastructure necessary to sustain a nuclear power program”

� IAEA guidance:

• UAE is following an aggressive capacity building programme in accordance with all relevant IAEA guidance and publication, such as (but not limited to)TECDOC1254

• UAE further intends to undertake self-assessment against newly published IAEA capacity building guidance.

Cornerstones of the UAE capacity building programme

Strengths

� Support and funding by the government

� Clear Rules and regulations by the government

� Qualified talented people around the world

� Intellectual capital

� Attractive market to UAE nationals and other nationalities

UAE Integrated approach for workforce development

Challenges

� Lack of specialised UAE nationals in the Nuclear energy market

� Competition in the UAE with the oil, gas, IT, construction and other engineering industries

� Nuclear energy is relatively new area to the local community

Threats

� Concerns related to nuclearSafety and hazards

UAE Integrated approach for workforce development

- Workforce/Capacity building challenges identified early on

- Key players of the UAE Nuclear Power Programme sought integrated approach covering the educational, regulatory and operational parts of the programme.

Regulator

Other Gov’t entities

EducationEtc.

Utility

-

Operator– Integrated Training and Capacity Building

� ENEC has developed a comprehensive and integrated approach to building national nuclear infrastructure, with an emphasis on:� Safety

� Developing and sustaining a culture of safety� Mandatory training classes for new hires� Individualized training programs for all employees� Periodic refresher training on safety using nuclear industry

lessons learned� Reinforcement of safety built into processes and procedures

� Development of nuclear related skills, knowledge and ability for all positions in the organization� An understanding that “nuclear is different”

� Emirati capacity building� ENEC now employs nearly 480 people� 64% Emirati

�Comprehensive engineering and technical training�Programs based on a Systematic Approach to Training�Conducted in partnership with Prime Contractor

�Building dedicated training facilities on Barakah site�Simulator Training Center with two Full Scope Simulators�Maintenance training facility

Operator– Integrated Training and Capacity Building (2)

Operator Training Programs

� Programs� Training and development programs now focused on Units 1 and 2

� Eventually program will be duplicated for Units 3 and 4� Senior Reactor Operator Pilot Program (Westinghouse)

� Provides introductory training to newly hired SRO candidates and instructors

� Higher Diploma in Nuclear Technology� 3 year college program for training local operators and

technicians� Graduates are qualified to work at Barakah � Program is based on National Academy for Nuclear Training

guidelines (ACAD 08-006)� Target: 180 graduates

� Scholarship Program (Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, and abroad)� BS in Nuclear, Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical Engineering� MS in Nuclear Engineering� Presently 174 scholarship students

Training Programs (cont.)

� ENEC Operator, Technician and Engineer training programs

� Intensive technical training programs for each position

� Training programs range from 15-24 months in length

� Program taught in Abu Dhabi and at operating nuclear power plants in Korea

� Targeting 300 students, beginning in 2013

� Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute

� 16 week program designed to build future industry leaders � Executive Program in Nuclear Energy with Massachusetts

Institute of Technology

Current: core international team with nuclear regulation experience, strong training & mentoring background

Mid-term: keep international personnel, develop skilled cadre of UAE Nationals in key responsibility areas

Long-term: UAE nuclear expertise, with appropriate support from international experts & organizations

FANR Workforce - Human Resources and Goals

End 2012: 153 EmployeesNationalities: 23 different Nationalities

FANR Integrated workforce development:Emiratization - Strategic goal

UAE

54%

EXPAT

46%

FANR Emiratization %

UAE

73%

EXPAT

27%

ADMIN DIVISION

UAE

41%

EXPAT

59%

OPERATIONS DIVISION

Security Safeguards Radiation

Safety

Nuclear

Safety

Basic

(2 years)

Specialized

(2 years)

Advanced

(2 years)

Risktec Programme / GNEII / Kaist-KINS

FANR familiarization Programme

Knowledge

LevelOperations Areas

On-the-job Training

Technical Workshops

On-the-job Training

Technical Workshops

On-the-job Training

Technical Workshops

On-the-job Training

Technical Workshops

Train

ee

De

ve

lop

me

nt

Inspector Qualification Programme

Safety Assessor Qualification Programme

Secondments at NRC / KINS / IAEA

Training on Emergency Planning and Response

FANR Workforce - Framework

Basic Level: aims to provide the basic concepts and principles of safety, security and safeguardsSpecialized Level: aims to prepare the staff to conduct tasks of limited complexity under the supervision of a more senior staff.Advance Level: the aim is to prepare the staff to perform tasks under his/her responsibility in an autonomous way

FANR Capacity building - Knowledge Levels

Basic Level:

Organized in cooperation with education and training organizations outside FANR

� RISKTEC Programme – Liverpool John Moores University / Risktec

� GNEII (Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute) - Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University have partnered with Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research

� KINS-KAIST International Nuclear Safety Master’s Degree Programme

Specialized Level:

Organized and delivered by FANR + External Support:

� Inspector Qualification Programme

� Safety Assessor Qualification Programme (under development)

� Security Qualification Programme (under development)

� Safeguards Qualification Programme (under development)

� Emergency Preparedness and Response (under development)

Advanced Level:

Organized and delivered by FANR + External Support:

� Mentoring Programme

� Workshops / training on specific topics of interest

UAE Nuclear Scholarship Program

� Central to UAE Capacity Building effort� Applies to both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Nuclear,

Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering� All students are UAE nationals� Students receive full tuition and benefits� Expectation of working in FANR/ENEC/KUSTAR upon

graduation� Around 166 students in the undergraduate program USA &

Khalifa University

� 15 students in the graduate program (Khalifa University)

Khalifa University approach to workforce development

Khalifa University (KU) Support for Nuclear Capacity Building in the UAE

� MSc in Nuclear EngineeringAccredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Research Stared admitting students in 2010 Presently 16 students enrolled with 5 due to complete this Fall.

� Nuclear Engineering Minor in Mechanical Engineering BScSince 2011, Minor Program in Nuclear Engineering within the BSc in Mechanical EngineeringPresently have 10 students registered for various courses in the Junior year of their degree program.

� PhD Engineering ProgramPhD Program in various disciplines, including Nuclear, starting in the Spring of 2013Local students have already been targeted for this program.

� Gulf Nuclear Energy Research Institute (GNEII)� KU Nuclear Engineering Department supports the GNEII initiative with

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Texas A&M University, Nuclear Security Science Policy Unit (HSSPI)

� Provide a career based professional development program in Nuclear Safeguards, Safety and Security (the Integrated SSS) for key UAE stakeholders

� Completed programs for 10 Fellows from the UAE in 2011� 23 Fellows from the GCC enrolled in the 2012 program.

� Nuclear Engineering Research� KU has four active research clusters in (Nuclear) Materials Science,

Instrumentation and Control, Reactor Design and Analysis and Environmental and Waste Management

� These research clusters support key stakeholders from ENEC, FANR and CNIA.

Khalifa University approach to workforce development

Khalifa University: Integrated approach with FANR&ENEC

� KU and FANR signed MoU for nuclear safety research and building workforce. MoU covered:� R&D programmes for nuclear safety� Training personnel� Events supporting knowledge transfer, capacity building and information

exchange� KU involved in IRRS in December 2011� FANR&ENEC participate in the selection of high school and university

graduates, to undergo graduate and postgraduate training in the relevant nuclear fields.

� GNEIICase study: SSDL

� Challenge: Need for calibration of radiation measurement tools in the UAE (Gap identified)

� Solution: Establishment of Secondary Standards Dosimetry Laboratory (SSDL) at KU, through TC with IAEA

� Workforce development: MoU between FANR and KU covers the establishment and operation of SSDL including workforce development

Lessons learnt

� Enhance the pre-screening entry requirements

� Continuous Self Assessment

� Develop a Knowledge Management Program

� Improve the Competency Framework

� Evaluate your organizations needs:

� Regulator: staffing estimate, types of staff required, qualifications required

� Education: programs to be implemented, instructional and professorial staff

� Industry expansion: An awareness of the development of secondary lines of business that will require nuclear related human resources

� Identify local capabilities and resources that are immediately available

Growth of the organization, identify the educational institutions that will be helping the development of human resources (or have them assigned) and be ready for an increased volume of new students interested in nuclear energy.

Thank You.