USC launches Nuclear Workforce Initiative in SC

State, industry and academic leaders are partnering through the University of South Carolina to create a Nuclear Workforce and Economic Impact Initiative, preparing the state to be a national model for nuclear energy deployment.

The statewide effort is led by USC’s Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing and is aimed at workforce development and advanced technology innovation for a nuclear workforce and advanced energy economy, according to a news release.

In addition to being there for a potential revitalization of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station project in Fairfield County, the platform is positioned to meet a rising demand for nuclear energy elsewhere.

“As the state’s flagship research institution, the University of South Carolina is committed to preparing the workforce and advancing the innovation needed to support both our state and the nation’s nuclear future,” USC President Michael Amiridis said in the release.

According to the release, USC is currently the only South Carolina school offering a master’s and doctoral program in nuclear engineering. Projects led by the university have been sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, Westinghouse, General Atomics, NASA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

USC has partnered with the South Carolina Technical College System, Antares Nuclear, a microreactors manufacturer, and The Nuclear Company, a nuclear project-development firm.

“By aligning our training pathways and credential programs, we are building a workforce system that is responsive to the needs of nuclear energy, specialized construction skills, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies,” Tim Hardee, president of the South Carolina Technical College System, said in the release.

Through the technical college system partnership, USC aims to align training and credential programs to create a synonymous workforce with specialized associate degrees and internship opportunities, the release said. USC will have a pathway to its nuclear engineering program following completion of an associate degree at a state technical college.

Antares will provide USC students a chance to preview the development of microreactor technology designed to power the nation’s critical infrastructure, including military installations. The Nuclear Company will work toward advanced manufacturing, digital twin modeling and workforce readiness initiatives.

“Microreactors represent a new frontier in energy resilience and innovation, and we are excited to donate an electrically heated demonstration microreactor to the Nuclear Workforce and Economic Impact Initiative, supporting efforts that advance both research and workforce training,” Tom Mancinelli, head of federal strategy and policy at Antares, said in the release.