The gap between the number of nuclear workers in the UK and the number it needs by 2030 has fallen from 40,000 to 16,000 in two years.
The narrowed gap follows coordinated action through the Nuclear Skills Plan, according to the Nuclear Workforce Assessment 2025 report.
The report has recorded a workforce of 102,867, up from around 83,000 in 2023 stemming from areas such as power generation, decommissioning, submarine building and research.
The findings suggest there is now a younger workforce as the number of workers aged 20 to 29 has risen by 55% since 2023.
The gap closure is also thanks to a hiring boom, where employers made nearly 12,000 hires last year. This is up from 35% in 2024.
Other factors include more women and engineers and a stronger retention across the sector.
Mark Rouse, Director of the Nuclear Skills Plan, said: “These projections give us the evidence needed to plan for the future. By understanding where and when workforce demand will grow, we can make better decisions now to attract talent, develop skills and strengthen capability, giving us the workforce required to deliver the UK’s ambitious nuclear projects for decades to come.”
However, the assessment warns the challenge does not end in 2030 as demand is projected to rise to over 150,000 workers by 2043.
It also notes the risks of losing hard-won expertise as more than one in four workers are aged 50 or above and those over 60 are leaving at more than twice the rate of their share of the workforce.
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