The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will invest around £15 million in skills initiatives over the next decade.

The pledge was made as the NDA celebrated 10 years of the nucleargraduates programme.

NDA chief executive, David Peattie, said the investment would be crucial in futureproofing and diversifying the UK’s nuclear workforce – the vast majority of which is based in Cumbria.

And he told a celebration dinner at Energus to mark the anniversary, that nucleargraduates would evolve over the next ten years to offer graduates clear development routes and pledged a greater commitment to helping them secure roles with the NDA’s operations.

The NDA will support four more graduates each year and overall recruitment will be made based on skills gaps within the NDA Group and wider industry.

Mr Peattie also promised to work with the NDA’s supply chain to encourage further support and investment in the scheme, joining the likes of International Nuclear Services, Low Level Waste Repository and the Environment Agency.

The boost to skills initiatives and nucleargraduates is part of the NDA’s groupwide Early Careers Strategy, which has been designed to create a workforce capable of dealing with future challenges in the industry. It also links closely with its role in delivering the Government’s Nuclear Sector Deal.

Mr Peattie said: “The NDA Group is changing to be even better at delivering its mission of the safe, secure and cost-effective clean-up of the UK’s nuclear legacy. A renewed focus and boost to our skills investment over the next 10 years will undoubtedly help us achieve that.

“Nucleargraduates is a fantastic programme and I want to see it recognised as the scheme for the nuclear industry. In turn it will ensure a workforce ready to take on the future challenges and developments the nuclear sector will bring.”

To date, 344 graduates have gone through the nucleargraduates programme, which was originally developed by the NDA in 2008 supporting by £5 million of funding.

Nuclear Energy Minister Richard Harrington: “Investing in skills is a key focus of our Nuclear Sector Deal. The NDA’s pledge of £15 million to train the nuclear workforce of the future is a welcome boost.

“As well as having a role to play in the UK’s low-carbon energy supply, nuclear power is also helping to create sustainable and highly skilled jobs for the future as part of our modern Industrial Strategy.”