Your pathway to a future in nuclear science

21 Sep 2018 Sponsored by NTEC

Postgraduate training that is personalized, flexible and taught by experts – that is what’s on offer from the Nuclear Technology Education Consortium (NTEC), whose novel courses aim to create the UK’s next generation of nuclear experts, with the skills to secure a sustainable and safe nuclear industry

Hands on: an NTEC student operating the VR-1 Reactor at the Czech Technical University.

“What we offer is a vocational programme, the whole goal of which is to support the nuclear industry,” says John Roberts of The University of Manchester. NTEC was formed in 2005 to tackle concerns that not enough students were graduating from UK universities to meet the needs of the nuclear sector, be it in operation, decommissioning or new build. It was set up following detailed consultations with the whole of the UK nuclear sector including businesses, regulators, the Ministry of Defence, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, government departments and the Cogent Sector Skills Council.

Seven institutions – the universities of Birmingham, Central Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, as well as the Nuclear Department of the Defence Academy – provide 14 different modules that are directly taught, with nine of these also available in a distance-learning format. Students graduate with an MSc, a postgraduate certificate, a diploma or a continuous professional development (CPD) accreditation.

Bespoke training

The NTEC courses are distinctive in that they are aimed at both graduates straight out of university and industry professionals seeking to broaden their skills and knowledge. “A unique aspect of our courses is the delivery method,” says Roberts, who explains that each module is taught in a one week short-format method. “Instead of a student having a course delivered over a one-hour slot every Monday morning at nine o’clock for a full semester, they take eight modules for the full MSc, and study each one for a week at one of the member universities.”

Each module includes 35 hours of direct contact, but totals around 150 hours when including pre- and post-coursework, exams and study time. This approach allows the training to be accessed by people working in industry, who might find it easier to take one week out of a work schedule, rather than attending a full semester of classes. “They can do a part-time course over three years, where they do four modules in year one, four modules in year two and then do their project in year three,” says Roberts. “That’s the kind of model we were told by industry that they prefer, rather than having day release or losing an employee for a full year.” While there are no compulsory modules, supervisors provide recommendations depending on the interests of each student.

Broad spectrum

NTEC encourages applications from graduates with a wide variety of science and engineering backgrounds, including those with degrees in aerospace, chemical engineering, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, materials, mechanical engineering and, of course, physics. Applicants straight from university will be required to have at least a 2:2 degree in a relevant discipline.

For applicants with some years’ industrial experience, a lesser qualification may be acceptable. However, each application is considered individually – the main criterion being whether a registering university believes that a potential student has a good chance of completing the programme successfully.

As part of the degree, full-time students also undertake a research project during the summer. “We start thinking about projects around April, and we encourage most full-time students to do the project within industry,” says Roberts. “This gives them a flavour of industry and provides a stepping stone between university life and going into industry once they’ve finished their studies.” University-based projects are also offered.

Our course was formed on the basis of a big stakeholder consultation, to see what industry wants today and what it needs in the future.John Roberts

Part-time students do their project in their third year, mostly at their own company, which Roberts says lets them “contribute to their employer’s goals and research requirements”. NTEC also runs an annual bespoke careers fair. “We invite all the nuclear companies that support the programme, so that students are able to talk to them about projects and possible employment once they complete their studies,” says Roberts. Students on the courses benefit from lectures given by external industrial experts. The consortium has an external advisory board, to ensure that the course quality does not drop, and that its content is relevant. As Roberts points out: “Ultimately our course was formed on the basis of a big stakeholder consultation, to see what industry wants today and what it needs in the future.”

For more information on the course and how to apply, visit the NTEC website:www.ntec.ac.uk

Applications are open from now until the start of the course in September 2019, and most students can apply for funding through a postgraduate master’s loan. Applications for single modules are open year-round – you should submit your request at least four weeks prior to the module taking place.

Entry requirements for the Nuclear Science and Technology MSc, postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate are the same. Applicants straight from university are required to have at least a 2:2 degree in a relevant discipline. Part-time UK students are accepted with the lower qualification of a higher national certificate (HNC) as long as they have at least seven years’ work experience in the nuclear industry.

Applicants whose first language is not English must have achieved one of the following levels of proficiency:

• IELTS – 7.0 with no less than 6.0 in any sub-test

• TOEFL – scores of at least 95 overall with no less than 24 in reading, 22 in listening, 25 in speaking and 24 in writing

Contact: info.ntec@manchester.ac.uk, +44 (0)161 275 4267/161 275 1246

28/01/2019 from physicsworld.com