Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the Nuclear Industry

Richard Pilkington

University of Salford

What is CPD?

• CPD takes many forms but in general should maintain, improve and broaden knowledge and skills and develop the personal qualities required in professional lives.

• It is in the public's interest that professionals in the nuclear industry maintain and develop their professional knowledge and skills throughout their life.

How the Universities fit into CPD

• As a member of a University we are all constantly (or should be!!) learning new skills, broadening our knowledge base and via research, discovering new phenomena etc.

WHEN WE HAVE THE TIME!!!

A member of University Academic staff!!!!!

Typical PhD student!!!

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In general the Universities possess a broad wealth of knowledge that can, when properly packaged, help improve industrial processes, methodologies, safety, efficiency and productivity etc. and develop skills that will ultimately enhance the professional abilities of its staff.

My own Experience – an example

Vacuum engineering is widely deployed in development of nuclear technology and plays a vital role in the production of radioactive metals such as uranium.

24 new operators – 1 full week (8:00 – 17:00) New Mexico, USA

What I have learnt by running CPD courses

• That there are often shortfalls in the knowledge base of personnel who are actively involved in industrial processing.

• You can never assume that what a manager wants you to teach is actually what is required.

• Gauging the level of a course is of prime importance – talk to the prospective participants before the course begins.

• Be flexible, not only with the course material but also with the methods used to impart knowledge.

• Receive feedback from the participants at regular intervals to ascertain that the information being imparted is at the right level and is perceived as being useful by them.

• COMMUNICATE

CPD courses for the Nuclear industry:Some examples

• Nuclear Energy Technology, University of Southampton• Nuclear Graphite Technology, University of Manchester• Reactor Physics, Criticality & Design, University of

Birmingham• Nuclear Fuel Cycle, UCLan • Decommissioning / Waste / Environmental Management,

University of Liverpool• Water Reactor, Imperial College • Reactor Materials & Lifetime Behaviour, University of

Manchester• Particle & Colloid Engineering in the Nuclear Industry,

University of Leeds • Processing, Storage & Disposal of Nuclear Waste, University

of Sheffield • Decommissioning Technology & Robotics, Lancaster

University

Proposed CPD Course:LIBS for the Nuclear Industry

• The principle underlying LIBS is a simple one:

• the composition of a given sample may be inferred by spectroscopic analysis of the optical emissions from a laser-induced plasma, generated by focussing high-power, pulsed laser radiation on the sample.

©Applied Photonics

Proposed CPD CourseLIBS for the Nuclear Industry

• Portable, easy to use LIBS apparatus would be of benefit in many applications:

• Environmental monitoring• Online process monitoring• Geo-archaeological prospecting• In hazardous environments • Small footprint laboratory instruments• Remote, stand-off materials characterisation

What is required?

• Good communication between Higher Education, the Nuclear Industry and associated Professional Bodies.

• Honesty.

• Linked CPD courses with associated credits that can lead to a recognised qualification.

• Flexible delivery methods.

The REF

• In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) significant additional recognition will be given where high quality research has contributed to the economy, society, public policy, culture, the environment, international development or quality of life.

It has been suggested that researchers will receive:• reward and encouragement for the effective sharing,

dissemination and application of research findings and the productive interchange of research staff and ideas between HEIs, business and other research users.

• reward and encouragement for HEIs that deliver benefits to business, the economy and society by building on excellent research.