A partnership between the University of South Carolina and Westinghouse Electric Company will fuel the development of AP1000® plants. The multidisciplinary nuclear workforce development program will be housed at USC's planned Nuclear Innovation Center.
The agreement was signed Tuesday at the third annual South Carolina Nuclear Summit in Columbia. The Nuclear Innovation Center is a major initiative for USC to position the state as a national leader in nuclear energy research, innovation, partnership, and workforce development.
“This collaboration will support high-paying jobs and economic growth across South Carolina while strengthening and further developing the workforce needed to deliver the next generation of nuclear power plants and meet the rising demand for electricity,” said Luca Oriani, president of Westinghouse New Plant Delivery.
Potential training capabilities include:
- State-of-the-art digital AP1000 simulators that can train plant operators and students.
- Unique hands-on construction labs to provide craft, construction and maintenance training plus develop new and advanced technologies through digital work packages, wearables, AR/VR, and AI-enabled execution.
- A multidisciplinary certificate program for mechanical, electrical, industrial and civil engineering students pursuing careers in the nuclear energy sector.
“By combining our strengths in education and research with Westinghouse’s industry expertise, and by collaborating with educational, industry and government partners statewide, we can expand hands-on learning and workforce development opportunities to prepare students and professionals for the nuclear sector careers,” said Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing. “Together, we are building an ecosystem that supports the growth of talent, innovation and next-generation nuclear technologies in South Carolina.”
Additional information about the partnership can be found on the University of South Carolina's website.