Viet Nam needs large pool of workforce for nuclear power development program

The growing demand for highly qualified personnel follows a series of policies issued by the Party, the National Assembly and the Government to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.

According to the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Ministry of Science and Technology, human resources will play a decisive role in ensuring the successful and timely implementation of the country's nuclear power program.

Under Viet Nam's Strategy for the Peaceful Development and Application of Atomic Energy to 2035, with a vision to 2050, nuclear power is expected to account for 6–8 percent of the nation's total electricity mix.

The strategy envisages the construction of four large-scale nuclear power units and between 10 and 15 small modular reactors (SMRs), prompting the need to have internationally trained professionals across the nuclear value chain.

Director General of the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety Nguyen Hoang Linh said the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plants alone will require around 3,900 personnel for direct operation by 2030, including about 670 university graduates who will receive overseas training.

Beyond plant operations, the sector will need specialists in state management, nuclear safety and security regulation, research and development, technical support, education and training, nuclear medicine, radiation technology, radioactive waste management, emergency response, environmental monitoring, and industrial and agricultural applications.

Experts noted that developing nuclear power involves building not only power plants but also a comprehensive ecosystem supported by highly skilled professionals capable of meeting international standards.

To prepare the workforce, the Government approved a national program on training and developing human resources for nuclear power through 2035, while also strengthening personnel engaged in state management, research, applications and technical support in the atomic energy sector.

The Government is also enhancing the capacity of key regulatory agencies, including the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, to meet the requirements of the country's new phase of nuclear development.

Specialists stressed that human resource development is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of Viet Nam's nuclear program and called for closer cooperation among government agencies, universities, research institutes, enterprises and international partners to establish an integrated training ecosystem.

They also suggested the Government steers resources on five or six key universities and training institutions instead of spreading investment across a larger network, arguing that such an approach would improve training quality, optimize investment efficiency and gradually strengthen the country's domestic nuclear expertise.

Educational institutions have been encouraged to update their curricula in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines and expand specialized engineering programs to meet the needs of the modern nuclear industry.

Nguyen Quoc Sy, professor at the National Research University "Moscow Power Engineering Institute" in Russia, suggested that joint faculty programs with international partners could help Viet Nam establish internationally aligned training standards while strengthening teaching capacity, academic exchanges and research cooperation.

Experts also recommended balancing overseas education with the development of domestic training capacity to ensure access to advanced technologies while building a sustainable, highly qualified workforce at home./.