K. Furlong, C.M. Jacobson
Realta Fusion,
United States
Keywords: commercial fusion, workforce
Summary:
Rapid deployment of commercial fusion energy will require an enormous workforce that by necessity will be quite different than the current fusion workforce. Presently, the vast majority of people in the fusion sector work in research and development roles and hold advanced degrees. However, once fusion energy is ready for deployment, there will be a need for a large number of people working in manufacturing, construction, operations, and maintenance. Several hundred thousand people are expected to be employed in the US fusion industry 20 years after the beginning of deployment, which echoes both the growth of US fission industry from 1957 to 1977 and the current boom in wind power, which now employs 120,000 workers in the US. As such, workforce development to support training these workers is essential. Creation of fusion-specific degree and certificate programs at four-year and two-year institutions will help meet the demands of a rapidly growing fusion industry, but must also be supplemented by skilled trade apprenticeships, internships and on-the-job training. Rapid growth provides an opportunity to ensure that the makeup of the fusion industry represents the diversity of the overall population, but is also a necessity to ensure that all available talent can be brought in as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the fusion industry can benefit from providing employment to veterans, many of whom may already have experience in reactor operations, construction, and trades.