Young people open to follow nuclear energy careers, report finds

The study, conducted as part of the BSA’s Future Forum programme, was funded by Urenco. The results show that young people are open to careers in nuclear energy, but do not feel they are well enough informed about it in the classroom, via media or wider society. The research showed that 14 to 18-year-olds felt more informed about renewables and fossil fuels than they did nuclear.

According to BSA, the most critical issue for improving young people’s lives in the future was climate change. In total, 45 per cent ranked it as their top concern, stating they wanted to learn more about how nuclear could contribute to this in terms of cleaner, more efficient and more sustainable energy, and how it compares to other sources such as fossil fuels. They also wanted access to clear and transparent information concerning the safety of nuclear energy, its cost, and how nuclear energy is generated.