Nuclear engineers in high demand

With nuclear plants expanding and their employee ranks growing older, trained nuclear engineers are in high demand.

More than a quarter of the industry's 15,600 employees will be eligible for retirement in the next five years, said Carol Berrigan, senior project manager at the Nuclear Energy Institute.

This is good news for engineering students across South Carolina.

All of the University of South Carolina's graduate students in nuclear engineering have jobs at least one semester before graduating, said Abdel Bayoumi, director of the graduate program.

And companies start recruiting undergraduate nuclear engineering students at South Carolina State University as early as their sophomore year, said Kenneth Lewis, dean of the university's College of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technology.

Both school officials said the academic programs were developed to meet the industry's need for workers.

Entry-level nuclear engineers can make more than $50,000, and more if they have graduate degrees.

Duke, SCANA, Southern Nuclear and Progress Energy all have applied to build new plants in South Carolina.

"Whether it be an engineer, welding technician, trainer, financial or procurement specialist, we need it all and this is the time to get involved," said Amy Buu, the professional development chair for the North American Young Generation in Nuclear, an industry association for people under age 35. "For us to remain a technologically advanced society we need energy."

Buu, 29, of Columbia, works at Westinghouse Electric Co. as a Customer 1st Leader in nuclear fuels.

Duke Energy plans to hire about 50 people each at plants in Oconee, Catawba and McGuire, said company spokeswoman Rita Sipe. The company also will hire about 800 full-time employees at a planned nuclear station in Cherokee County.

"We recognized a number of years ago that we were going to need to hire people for the future," Sipe said.

Duke hires about 50 college interns to work at a nuclear plant during the summer and learn about careers in the nuclear industry. It also partners with technical colleges to allow electricians, welders and maintenance workers to work while attending school.

South Carolina State University has programs to expose both high school students and teachers to basic concepts of nuclear science.

"There is a lot going on in the nuclear industry to try to attract young people to these types of jobs and encourage them, even when they are in high school," Sipe said.

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Information from: The Greenville News, http://www.greenvillenews.com