Ageing Cumbrian population concern for nuclear industry

The main focus of the meeting was plugging the Cumbrian skills gap, and Kevin Foley, programme manager of the Centre of Nuclear Excellence, revealed his worries over the county’s workforce.

Speaking to over 100 local businesses, Mr Foley said that although the Cumbrian population was growing by two per cent, the working age of the county wasn’t.

Many people are moving to the county in retirement, or buying second homes.

Even more pressure will be put on the situation when the Moorside new nuclear build is constructed.

The Centre of Nuclear Excellence is a collective of public and private sector organisations brought together with the aim of putting Cumbria at the heart of nuclear expertise.

Members include Sellafield, NuGen, Allerdale and Copeland District Councils.

Attracting families to the county is key to increasing the working age population, Mr Foley said.

He said: “We are likely to need to train an extra 2,500-3,500 people in Cumbria to plug the skills gap.

“We are concerned about what is going on literally over the road [Moorside] to Sellafield and we need to work together on skills and work together as a county.

“Bringing families to the county will help, we fully embrace the ‘Choose South Cumbria’ project from CN Group and will support that being a countywide thing.

“If you bring one nuclear worker to the county with their family, you also might bring one dentist, or GP, other skills we need.

“As a county the thought was at one point on nuclear to knock it down and diversify the economy but now it is a huge part of the UK economy.”

Mr Foley also said businesses need to get involved in the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, as it is ‘vital’ to the county’s future.

Carlisle Ambassadors membership continues to grow, with over 130 members.

It was set up in 2014 by Carlisle City Council to bring the Carlisle business community together to work on common goals.