Nuclear Technician School
Qualified specialist staff is essential for the safe operation of nuclear power plants. That is why the operators of these plants attach such great importance to the high-quality training of licensed personnel, such as reactor operators, for instance.
To provide these training programs, the Nuclear Technician School Association (Verein Nukleartechnikerschule ) was reconstituted on November 24, 2020 by the operating companies of the Beznau, Gösgen and Leibstadt nuclear power plants. This tertiary-level school is situated on the premises of the ABB Technician School (ABB Technikerschule) in Baden, Switzerland. It ensures training in accordance with Swiss regulations and is funded by the nuclear power plant operators.
The Nuclear Technician School is the only school offering the study program to obtain a Higher Technical School diploma (HF qualification) as a technician specializing in large-scale plant operation (Techniker/in HF Fachrichtung Grossanlagenbetrieb). The three-year study program is the basis for training licensed reactor operators in accordance with the ENSI-B10 Guideline for Swiss Nuclear Installations. Anyone interested in the program must apply to the school through one of the nuclear power plants. The school also offers additional courses in the field of nuclear technology.
Besides having five instructors and one administrative specialist on its staff, the school can call in additional instructors and experts from the outside.
Curriculum framework «Facility Operation»
As representant from the professional world, swissnuclear is responsible together with the Konferenz der Höheren Fachschulen -Technik for the curriculum framework “Facility Operation”, which describes the competence needed for the operation of large and complex production plants posing potential risks like nuclear power stations. The curriculum framework is the basis for the education as facility operation technicians, who operate as reactor operators in the nuclear power plants.
The curriculum framework «Facility Operation» has been updated and approved by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation on February 7th 2022.
ETH Chair in Nuclear Safety and Multi-phase Flows
The safe operation of nuclear power plants depends on ensuring excellent competence and qualified new talent in the nuclear power sector from universities as well. Horst-Michael Prasser, full professor of Nuclear Energy Systems at ETH Zurich, was highly successful in doing just that until his retirement in January 2021. The nuclear power plant operators thank him for his major and valuable involvement in research and teaching.
Swissnuclear is pleased that Prof. Annalisa Manera has been named as Prof. Prasser’s successor to this position. After several years as a professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences at the University of Michigan in the United States, she will now hold the Chair for Nuclear Engineering at ETH Zurich. Swissnuclear funds one fourth of the costs for this chair.
Swissnuclear wishes this deserving successor much joy and success in her teaching and associated research.