U.S. universities launch new nuclear engineering workforce programs

Educational institutions in the United States are expanding nuclear engineering programs to support the growing energy sector.

Westinghouse Electric Company and the University of South Carolina have entered a partnership to create a multidisciplinary nuclear workforce development program. Centered at the university’s planned Nuclear Innovation Center, the initiative aims to support the deployment of AP1000 plants and strengthen the domestic supply chain. The collaboration focuses on preparing various workforce disciplines for large-scale nuclear construction.

Additionally, West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources plans to launch a nuclear engineering pathway beginning in 2027. The program will offer courses such as Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering and Power Plant Systems Analysis to students across various engineering disciplines. The curriculum will also include studies in materials and methods related to nuclear medicine to meet industry demand.