The Interregional Training Course on Human Resource Management for New and Expanding Nuclear Power Programmes was held at the Moscow branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy. The event, organised jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), took place from 29 June to 3 July 2026. The participants were specialists from countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East — representatives of national nuclear organisations, regulatory bodies, and HR departments responsible for building human resource capacity in their respective countries.
«One of the most important things this course has done is help participants grasp how human resource development is more than a support activity for nuclear power. It is the foundation», said Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy. «Understanding the importance of in-depth, progressive training is a central component of the objectives of this training course. Building and maintaining the human system that runs nuclear power technology is a key element».
The course programme covered key aspects of human resource management in the nuclear industry: from the fundamental concepts of workforce planning to practical tools for attracting and retaining talent. The participants studied the principles of developing national personnel development strategies, including the assessment of current and future staffing needs at different stages of a nuclear project’s implementation.
IAEA experts shared international experience in stakeholder engagement and leadership for the successful implementation of a nuclear power plant project, as well as approaches to attracting and retaining specialists in a competitive labour market. Representatives of the Rosatom Technical Academy presented Russia’s unique experience in developing the competencies of operating organisation personnel and supporting the nuclear infrastructure of newcomer countries.
During the workshop, participants were divided into groups to discuss challenges and approaches to human resource development for hypothetical national nuclear power programmes. The workshop also included the analysis of case studies covering key aspects of workforce planning and development, from assessing current workforce capacity and forecasting personnel needs to developing training plans, evaluating risks, and designing motivation and retention strategies for specialized personnel.
An important part of the course was a visit to Obninsk — Russia’s first science city and the cradle of nuclear energy. The participants visited the Rosatom Technical Academy in Obninsk, where they got acquainted with unique training and simulator complexes for personnel preparation, and also took part in a technical tour of the world’s first nuclear power plant.
“For Serbia, where the development of nuclear infrastructure has resumed after decades of a ban on the use of nuclear energy, building a competent workforce is one of the most important national priorities. I believe that the knowledge gained during the training is extremely valuable both for my academic work and for the national efforts to train a new generation of nuclear professionals. The technical tour to the Rosatom Technical Academy in Obninsk was particularly valuable: it clearly demonstrated a comprehensive approach to training future specialists and the system of their continuous education. The opportunity to see this work ‘from the inside’ perfectly complemented the theoretical part of the course and provided practical guidelines that can be adapted to develop nuclear education in Serbia. I am confident that the knowledge, professional connections, and inspiration gained will have a long term impact on the development of the nuclear community in Serbia.” — Koviljka Stanković, Professor of Physics at the University of Belgrade, Founder and President of the Serbian Nuclear Society.
“The training course proved to be extremely useful: it not only confirmed the correctness of our approach but also allowed us to outline additional measures to develop human resource capacity. The distinctive feature of the programme lies in its integrated nature: human resource development was not considered in isolation but in relation to other elements of nuclear infrastructure. During the lectures and discussions, the two‑way relationship was repeatedly emphasised — HR issues both influence and are influenced by such areas as stakeholder engagement, management, and industrial involvement. The group sessions were of great practical value: they provided an opportunity to exchange experience with colleagues and to see how similar challenges are addressed in different countries and contexts.” — Lachin Tayibov, Head of Department at the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan.
