TBR and Roane State Community College host Nuclear Workforce Summit in Oak Ridge

TBR - The College System of Tennessee hosted a Nuclear Workforce Summit on Oct. 28, 2025, on the Oak Ridge Campus of Roane State Community College. This event provided an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the ongoing nuclear renaissance in Tennessee and how our community and technical colleges are helping prepare Tennesseans for a broad range of rewarding careers in this growing industry.

“The development of a robust nuclear workforce to fill the highly skilled jobs available in our state is essential in solidifying Tennessee’s status as a national nuclear industry leader,” said Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “Our Nuclear Workforce Summit, held in partnership with Roane State Community College, will help identify opportunities and resources to prioritize workforce development in this specialized industry sector. This will ensure we are prepared to address immediate, emerging, and long-term needs of nuclear companies looking to establish their operations here.”

Attendees -- including presidents and other senior leaders of our community colleges and colleges of applied technology -- heard from industry leaders about workforce needs during an industry panel discussion. Panelists included executives from Barnhart Crane and Rigging, EnergySolutions, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Orano, and UCOR.

They also learned more during the conference about Oak Ridge's pioneering nuclear history and its ongoing major national role in research and development, and about current academic, career and technical education programs in place on our campuses to enhance workforce development in this emerging sector. Dr. Stephen K. Streiffer, director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, spoke about the impact of artificial intelligence on the future nuclear energy workforce. 

“Each of the nuclear related companies coming to Tennessee is keenly aware that their shared success is highly dependent on a trained workforce both now and in the coming years. The College System of Tennessee is an essential component of that success,” said Omega Technical Services President & CEO Bill Tindal, who also is chair of Roane State's Nuclear Technology Program Advisory Board.  Tindal moderated the panel discussion with five other industry leaders.

The nuclear industry is one of four major workforce development priorities for the College System in 2026. Currently, TBR supports career and workforce development in the emerging nuclear industry through various programs. Chattanooga State and Roane State community colleges, for example, offer nuclear technology, while Pellissippi State Community College has a chemical radiation technology program. Roane State is also cross-training more than 100 Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) students in nuclear energy, the fuel cycle, radiation measurements, safety, and other career opportunities through its introduction to nuclear technology program.

“The nuclear renaissance provides an extraordinary opportunity for our state and our nation. Tennessee is the epicenter of this activity, and the College System of Tennessee — through its 36 community and technical colleges—stands ready to support this effort across the state,” said TBR Nuclear Workforce Lead Strategist Teresa S. Duncan.

As Tuesday's conference made clear, the industry's workforce needs are much broader than graduates trained in programs with "nuclear" in their titles, including industrial electricians, computer information technology, construction, machining, welding, commercial truck driving, heavy equipment operators, and many more. TCAT campuses already strengthen the state’s nuclear workforce through those programs and more that support the construction and operation of current and future nuclear facilities in Tennessee.

The summit was coordinated through the TBR Center for Workforce Development in partnership with Roane State. For more information on the College System’s initiatives that prepare students to build careers in nuclear energy and other high-demand fields, visit tbr.edu.