The Nuclear Technology Education Consortium was established in 2005 to provide Master’s level education for the UK nuclear workforce. The nuclear science and technology programme was designed to support the development of engineers and scientists to have the knowledge, skills and competencies to secure a sustainable and safe future for nuclear energy and the nuclear industry. It is also ideal for industry professionals who wish to extend their knowledge, skills and competencies with individual NTEC course units being available as standalone Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses.
Within the 10 years NTEC has been running it has been accredited twice by IMechE, the IET, EI and loM3, and is currently the only MSc in the UK to be endorsed by the Nuclear Institute. NTEC has helped to fund 158 full time UK students of which 110 have gone into the nuclear industry and 36 have gone into nuclear related research.
NTEC is different from other MSc courses due to the short-course delivery format and the breadth of the modules offered which currently stands at twenty, with students able to design their own MSc according to desired career path. NTEC offers the choice of either Postgraduate Graduate Certificate or Postgraduate Graduate Diploma or MSc qualifications, all delivered in the short course format, which currently no other course offers.
NTEC was at the forefront of the renaissance in nuclear education as outlined in the Squires and Coverdale reports, and continually strives for excellence in both content and delivery. In 2013-14 (the 1st year of the Postgraduate Taught Educational Survey) the MSc scored 98% but in 2014-15 it bettered this and achieved 100% for overall course satisfaction.
Some student testimonials in regards to the programme, explain their own view:
From a standing start I initially found the NTEC course challenging, both intellectually (coming from a non-nuclear background) and in fitting it in with my work and home life. Fortunately, the flexibility of the programme enabled me to fit it around everything else and even to defer certain elements when work pressure became too demanding. Though I was following the distance learning route I greatly enjoyed the interaction of several directly taught modules and as communication technology moves forwards, this may be possible with the distance material. The help and support I received from Mel and her team was invaluable. Having graduated I feel a massive sense of personal achievement in gaining this qualification, now being able to better understand the complexities of the nuclear industry on a day to day basis. The knowledge I have gained will help me to develop my company’s contribution to the nuclear sector and I would highly recommend the course to willing Engineers and Students who would like to play a significant role in the renaissance of this industry.
Leighton Millis (Graduated December 2015), currently Working at BAM Nuttall
NTEC was an invaluable course and due to a visit to BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness organised by NTEC, I am currently working as a Nuclear Safety Engineer. I am now organising the BAE Systems visit with NTEC for this year’s intake with the intention of inspiring them into the nuclear industry. NTEC gave me the skills and ambition for a career in the nuclear industry and I am so grateful for the course, it opened up a opportunities I didn’t know existed.”
Sophie Jackson (Graduated December 2015), currently working at BAE Systems
Doing the NTEC course was the best decision I have ever made for my education and future prospects. With a wide range of modules available to study, NTEC is perfect for tailoring your study to fit your interests and future career goals. It is also an unique course, with the opportunity to study at other universities and is a great networking opportunity. The course is well known in the nuclear industry and opened many doors for me when applying for jobs and has served me very well in my role as a Nuclear Safety Consultant, having settled into the company easily and quickly getting to grips with the work.
NTEC comprises of the Universities of Birmingham, Central Lancashire, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, Imperial College London and the Nuclear Department of the Defence Academy. Together they offer a postgraduate-level master’s degree in Nuclear Science and Technology which is delivered in both directly taught and distance learning formats. Students register with the University of their Choice (Liverpool, Manchester or Sheffield) and visit other members of the consortium to attend their selected modules.