the national academy for nuclear training final project...
TRANSCRIPT
RUNNING HEAD: INPO 1
The National Academy for Nuclear Training
Final Project
Tina Snyder
Post University
Author Note:
This paper was prepared for Education 505, MOD D4, taught by Professor Sandra Foster
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Introduction
In 1979 the Three Mile Island (Londonderry Township) power station, located in
Pennsylvania, experienced a malfunction in its cooling system which destroyed one of the plant‟s
nuclear reactors. The accident caused the release of radioactive gas which though not enough to
cause injuries or health effects, was enough to cause extensive public concern and confusion
(Londonderry Township, 2006).
In response to the TMI accident President Jimmy Carter appointed a twelve-member
commission to investigate the incident and its possible impact on the health and safety of the
public and of the plant personnel. This commission was headed by a man named John Kemeny,
and came to be known as the Kemeny Commission (Londonderry Township, 2006).
After its investigation, the Kemeny Commission recommended that the U.S. nuclear energy
industry establish a set of industry standards and within nine months the Institute of Nuclear
Power Operations was founded (Rennhack, 2007).
In 1980 INPO identified a need to train entry-level engineers for work on nuclear power
plants, so it established its training organization: The National Academy for Nuclear Training.
This organization consists of the training and educational activities of all U.S. nuclear companies
that are members of the National Academy and INPO (Nuclear Energy Institute, 2012).
Purpose
The purpose National Academy for Nuclear Training is to provide training and support
for all nuclear power professionals across the United States. It offers instructor-led training
sessions at its facility in Atlanta and online training sessions. It also evaluates training programs
of individual nuclear power plants. These evaluations assist the plants in identifying the strengths
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of the training programs offered and recommend improvements (Institute of Nuclear Power
Operations, 2012).
INPO Membership
All U.S. organizations that operate commercial nuclear power plants are members of
INPO. There are also INPO participants that include nuclear operating organizations in other
countries, and engineering firms. INPO contracted with the Department of Energy to provide
member and participant company employees with access to certain INPO products and services.
This includes participation in training courses at INPO's offices in Atlanta and access to INPO‟s
secure nuclear network. This network contains recommendations for training development and
delivery (The Office of Health, 2011).
INPO’s Mission
The mission of INPO‟s National Academy for Nuclear Training is “to strengthen training
and to enhance the pride and professionalism of nuclear plant personnel” (Rennhack, 2007, para.
11). It strives to administer courses that promote the development, involvement and
professionalism of power plant personnel, managers and supervisors. It does so by conducting
workshops and courses using actual plant components and equipment as well as scale models,
and administering online training. INPO‟s training programs are accredited through an
independent agency known as the National Nuclear Accrediting Board, and each training
program must renew its accreditation every four years (Rennhack).
Current Technology Utilized in Training
According to ( Johnson, L., Smith, R., Willis, H., Levine, A. & Haywood, K.,2011) in
The 2011 Horizon Report, in order to meet the future demands of training needs, organizations
will have to adapt training methods that utilize cutting edge technology and meet the
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requirements of its trainees. INPO does this by implementing the most current technology
available. The current technologies being used for training in INPO are gesture-based computing
and learning analytics. Trainers in the nuclear service sector have simulators and models that
immolate actual nuclear plant reactors. Trainees are able to practice procedures on these models
with supervision before having to do the work on an actual reactor; thereby decreasing the
opportunity for human performance error. INPO‟s learning analytics is currently limited to
training assessment and evaluation; however this analysis is effective in its implementation of
training session improvements for its own training sessions and for the training of INPO
members and participants (Johnson, et. al.).
Since INPO implemented its training organization the nuclear industry‟s training
programs have been increasingly successful, and the number of professional staff and space
dedicated to training has increased substantially. The investments in training have produced
substantial improvements in the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants (Rennhack, 2007).
Futuring and Scenarios
Futuring is a science that analyzes history and current trends to explore possible
alternative „futures‟ and predict future scenarios. It is an important tool for educational
institutions as it encourages students to consider the possible impacts of different choices and
strategies as they envision the future that they want to see (Boyd, 2011))
According to (Mietzner & Reger, 2005), in theory, are a combination of different ideas
that form pictures of possible futures. As a means of forecasting future events scenarios can be
useful by creating distance from the present and allowing the creation of alternative futures.
Bracken (2008) states that scenarios are an ideal learning tool for instruction. They assist
students in framing problems, and allow them to look at problems from alternate viewpoints. He
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writes “The future‟s unknowability makes scenarios a key tool for meeting the challenges of a
turbulent world” (Bracken).
Scenarios allow the mind to imagine possibilities. Through scenarios the organization can
challenge its internal belief system, its corporate culture, and persuade management to rethink
strategies. Scenarios also foster communication by encouraging members of the organization to
share aims, opportunities, risks, and strategies. This supports coordination and improves the
organization‟s decision-making process (Mietzner & Reger, 2005).
One disadvantage in using scenarios is that can be extremely time consuming, as
scenario building involves collecting and interpreting data from different sources. This requires
that the participants involved in the process possess a considerable amount of knowledge
concerning the situation being evaluated. For this reason selecting participants to take part in the
process can prove difficult. Another disadvantage is the participant‟s may want to slant the
scenario toward the most likely situation or what they want to see happen (Mietzner & Reger,
2005).
Scanning
One way to build a scenario is the use of scanning, or environmental scanning. John
Mahaffie describes environmental scanning as “a process for monitoring an organization‟s
internal and external environments for clues to change that could mean new threats and
opportunities” (2008, para. 1). Scanning is used to look for signs about how the world is
changing. There are many ways to scan including reading the news, watching television,
YouTube, and attending events (Mahaffie).
The scanner analyzes the internal and external environment for evidence of trends that
relate to the current situation. Scanning assists in determining the organization‟s experience, and
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understanding current external events that could affect the organization. This attempts to identify
forces and change-drivers that can drive the future, and lead to alternative outcomes. Scanning is
useful in forming scenarios as it forms a baseline that can be used to trend what could happen,
identifies weak areas in historical data (Hines, 2006).
Scanning can be challenging for researchers because of the amount of data that needs to
be researched and analyzed. According to the Apollo Research Institute (2011), workers must be
able to effectively filter data and focus on what is important. The skill of data filtering will
become more necessary as future trends develop (p. 12).
Mahaffie (2008) reminds the reader the key benefits of environmental scanning include
thinking outside of the scope of the organization and early detection of changes that can affect it.
Organizations use the information obtained in scanning to form future scenarios. In turn these
scenarios can be used to compare what can happen with the scenario that the organization want
to see happen. The gap between these scenarios is analyzed to develop strategic actions and
contingency plans. By envisioning what could happen the organization can equip itself to
manage the uncertainty of the future (Hines, 2006).
Skilled Personnel in the Nuclear Industry
The nuclear power industry faces a growing demand for skilled personnel for various
tasks surrounding power plants to meet increasing energy demands: existing power plants must
be refurbished; aging power plants need to be decommissioned; and new plants need to be built.
Recognizing this need for future nuclear professionals the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) is working with government agencies to develop policies, strategies, and to consolidate
best practices in nuclear education. Included in the identified best practices are cooperation
between educational and training institutions, and the use of networks and technology. Because
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some countries have difficulty in accessing reactor laboratories IAEA innovative technology
includes the use of virtual reactor laboratories and remote learning activities (International
Atomic Energy Agency, 2011).
University of Oxford (2008) states that employers need to vamp up their employees‟
technological skills in order to remain competitive internationally. These future technological
skills, according to the Apollo Research Institute‟s Report, Future work skills 2020, include: use
of simulations, statistical analysis of vast amounts of data, the ability to use new media
effectively, being able to filter vast amounts of information, and virtual collaboration (Davies,
A., Fidler, D., & Gorbis, M., 2011). Many young people entering the workforce have already
developed these skills. If current employees want to remain competitive then they will have to
keep up with technology by utilizing life-long learning opportunities, many of which will be
found online.
Web 2.0 and Social Networking
Because the nuclear industry is advocating remote learning and the use of technology for
training, the trend toward social networking is important. Nick van Dam (2012) defines social
learning as “the interaction between two or more people utilizing social media and/or other
collaborative technologies to facilitate exchanges in knowledge acquisition.” Organizations are
finding that they benefit from these networks due to the increased speed of access to knowledge
and external experts. One example of social networking is simulations which are already in place
in several nuclear training centers (Dam, 2012).
The 2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning report (Blackboard K-12 & Project
Tomorrow, (2008) states that “organizations are becoming increasingly amplified by the use of
social technologies.” (Sobrero) Social networks are powerful tools that link learners and experts
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in one shared workspace. These networks will continue to grow in popularity as they give
today‟s learners the ability to receive information anywhere at any time (Knowledge Works,
2008).
Social networks developed through the use of Web 2.0 which is defined as internet
technology that connects users by utilizing blogs, wikis, and social networking (TechTerms,
2008). According to University of Oxford, Nottingham University, Sero Consulting, Kable, &
Oakleigh Consulting Ltd. (2008), young people are becoming increasingly skilled at multi-
tasking using Web 2.0 technologies by utilizing laptop computers, cell phones, and game
consoles. This trend toward the use of technology affects the way in which learning is viewed
and preferred. The report, Learning in the 21st century: 2009 trends update (Blackboard K-12 &
Project Tomorrow, 2009), shows that since 2006 there has been a 40% increase in students in
grades 6th
– 12th
that prefer learning online. Some primary educators are taking advantage of this
preference by adding virtual learning environments to their curriculum. One such program is the
HARP Project which is designed to uses augmented reality learning environments by way of
wireless handheld computers that are equipped with global positioning system receivers
(Harvard, 2012). These young people will be entering the workforce within the next decade and
employers will need to modify training delivery in order to accommodate this increasing trend
toward online learning. The nuclear industry is no exception.
Demographics
According to the Education Commission of the United States (ECUS) (2012), there is a
rapid growth of people in the workforce who are age 65 or over. As technology advances the
aging workforce will need to adapt in order to remain competitive in the job market (Education
Commission of the United States).
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One way older workers will adapt will be to enroll in continuing education courses. This
need will increase the demand for postsecondary education. According to Ross-Gordon (2011),
“projections of higher education enrollment from 2007–2018 suggest that the number of students
over twenty-five will remain stable or increase during the current decade, and that 73 percent of
those students could be viewed as nontraditional” (para. 1). These nontraditional students include
adult learners who are employed full-time and are attending college part time. Influencing this
trend are changes in technology and shifting workplace demands.
These trends in demographics will impact my project because it will be challenging to
employers to adapt their training methods and design training that will fulfill the needs of adult
learners while still managing to keep younger trainees motivated and engaged.
The Future of INPO’s Training Program
INPO‟s future training program for nuclear power workers will become less and less
classroom based. Training will begin using the internet. As more access to the internet becomes
more secure trainees will be able to review procedures on mobile devices. Training completion
will be stored on a national learning management system which all nuclear power plants have
access to by way of a code which only gives access to the data needed for that particular site.
Once the workers tasks are identified they will be grouped with other trainees and as a
group they will spend time in a training center which is equipped with terminals where they will
assist one another in working through the tasks in a virtual (gaming) environment. Once the task
has been mastered in this fashion the group will advance to a training room where they will be
given equipment to wear which will place them into a virtual nuclear reactor. In this environment
they will be given various scenarios and problems that they have to work through in order to
become comfortable performing the task. After the trainees have worked through all possible
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scenarios in this fashion to the satisfaction of the instructor they will be deployed to the nuclear
power site.
Once the trainee is at the nuclear power plant it will be necessary for he or she to perform
the task in front of a manager or supervisor, and they must do so correctly and without hesitation
in order to be considered qualified to perform the task. Being able to practice these tasks in
several safe environments will increase efficiency and decrease the likelihood of human error.
Increasing safety and decreasing human error are becoming increasingly important since
the accident at Fukishima. INPO will have to vamp up its‟ training programs in order to increase
safety and instill confidence in the American public. As energy demands increase, the demand
for clean energy will also increase and nuclear energy is a viable solution for the impending
future energy deficit.
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Bracken, P. (2008). Futurizing Business Education. [Article]. Futurist, 42(4), 38-42.
Dam, N. V. (2012, April). Designing learning for a 21st century workforce. T+D, 49-53.
Davies, A., Fidler, D., & Gorbis, M. (2011). Future work skills 2020. Palo Alto, CA: Apollo
Research Institute.
Education Commission of the United States. (2012). Demographics. Equiping Education
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