BRUNO MOUGEL andSTEPHANE SENARD
Instructor: a key role for the development of a competent workforce
Stéphane SENARD,
EDF Nuclear and Thermal Generation Division
Project Manager of International Training Business Development
Lyon, France
Bruno Mougel,
EDF Nuclear and Thermal Generation Division
Head of International Training Business Development
Lyon, France
Abstract
It is obvious that instructors have an essential role in the development of the skills of a nuclear operator, by the explicit knowledge they impart to the students. But their role is also essential by the tacit knowledge they convey, through behaviors and messages that they deliver, which must be consistent with standards and expectations of the company. This is why great attention must be paid to the recruitment and professionalisation of instructors.
When EDF began to staff up its nuclear fleet, the choice was made to recruit young graduate engineers (master level) in various specialties to reinforce its teams of instructors and work alongside experienced staff, experts in their field. This mix of skills and experience was very relevant, not only to carry out the training, but also for the development of expertise among these young instructors. Expertise that they can quickly put to use in their next posts, in operations or engineering in the EDF nuclear fleet. This is an additional feature of the EDF training system in that the instructors do not remain in their initial posts as instructors for long, typically 3 to 5 years. This is a part of their career development, which enables them to deepen their knowledge and develop new skills, before moving on to their next positions. The fact that several senior executives of the company started their careers as instructors, illustrates the success of this model.
1.Brief review of EDF's nuclear programme
EDF started its nuclear programme over 40 years ago. From the outset, the question of staff skills was central to the operation of the first power plants built and to the rapid development of the fleet. From 1970 to 2000, 58 units were built on 19 different sites. All these sites had their own training centre for initial training, while the Bugey national training centre was created and equipped with simulators to train operating teams.
The training organization evolved in parallel with the first sites with a local training department and a national training centre, which was the only one equipped with a full-scale simulator. In the 1990s, these training centres were grouped into a single training organisation, responsible for designing, developing and carrying out technical training. The training structure then evolved with the setting up in each local training centre of a full-scale simulator, each an exact replica of the control rooms and processes of the site, while the Bugey training centre evolved to become the national training centre for maintenance professions and technical support. This was the beginning of a decentralised training organisation, but one which remained under the sole management of the vocational training department, which manages all the group's training.
2007 was the year of the restructuring of EDF's training entities, with the creation of training organisations specialised by field of activity: generation, distribution, sales, etc. This involved the creation of Technical Training Unit for Generation and Engineering (UFPI - Unité de Formation Production Ingénierie), a national unit dedicated to training EDF industry branch personnel, which has 3 national centres to provide training for maintenance, engineering and fuel handling professions and 20 shared training departments dedicated to each nuclear plant and receiving commissions both from the plantto which they are attached and from the UFPI management. This dual affiliation is aimed at maintaining a strong foothold at the plant, while benefiting from the pooling of UFPI's training expertise.
Fig. 1. UFPI key figures
2.The job of instructor at the UFPI
Instructors are professionals trained by professionals. The UFPI instructors are for the most part professionals with a background in generation; their expertise is recognised and they come to their training role armed with operational experience. In addition, young engineers are recruited and trained to become instructors. Whatever their background, all have teaching skills and are holders of a training accreditation in the technical field in which they work. Finally, with their strong sense of operational challenges, UFPI instructors are engaged, exemplary, and keenly aware of issues relating to safety, security, the environment, and human performance. The UFPI can call on instructors with a diversity of profiles, which enriches training, making it increasingly effective and suitable for purpose.
3.Instructor profiles
To meet its training needs, the UFPI has, from the outset, strengthened its teams of instructors by recruiting young graduates, mostly from engineering schools. These Young Professionals are then given technical training in the speciality for which they will be responsible for training. In parallel with this technical training, they receive instruction in teaching skills, a system built around 5 major principles (detailed in paragraph 6 "Training of instructors") designed to provide training that meets the challenges involved in the profession of instructor in the nuclear industry. In terms of teaching methods, diversity is the rule in an effort to adapt to the needs of the learner: learning in the classroom or in the field, but also coaching, use of innovative tools like “serious games", video learning, e-learning, etc. These young professionals do not hesitate to adopt these innovative tools to enhance learners’ understanding.
The other instructors come from different EDF generationand engineering divisions, thus bring their experience to the training process. They follow a customised training, according to the additional technical knowledge they need to carry out their training role. At the same time, they undergo the same training as the young professionals.
The mix of these two types of instructor profile is a real asset for the training team. Faced with the challenges of nuclear safety and production, young instructorsprovide a new and critical perspective on development, teaching methods and training facilitation. Their knowledge of the latest technologies and means of communication provides input and a new vision of training focused on the learner's needs. For their part, the instructors who have gained experience due to their years spent working with the production equipment, bring experience and know-how to the team. These different profiles encourage emulation within the group, with each person bringingitsknowledge and enhancing the process of knowledge transfer.
Fig 2. Age pyramid of UFPI instructors
4.Key skills expected of instructors
Training and qualification issues are important for the nuclear industry and represent a crucial asset in terms of safety and production. In this respect, the nuclear instructor plays a key role in achieving the objectives set by the sector to ensure over the long term a very high level of varied skills that can adapt to changes within facilities, professions and organisations. The nuclear instructor must be a guarantor of knowledge, skills and attitudes in a context in perpetual evolution. The instructor must therefore have a good knowledge of the company's training policies and objectives as well as the technical aspects and regulations related to their field of teaching.
The instruction given to the instructors in teaching skillsenables them to master the techniques of analysis and expression of needs, the techniques and teaching methods best-suited to the training objectives (classroomtraining, simulation on mock-upsor simulated work areas, e-learning, videos, etc.). In addition to this expertise, training provides them with additional know-how in project management, written and oral communication techniques and tools, and group facilitation techniques that are very useful in their subsequent positions.
In addition to technical skills, the instructor must develop strong interpersonal skills. More a pedagogical mediator than a transmitter of knowledge, it is crucial that the instructors become focused on helping learners and on how best to relate to them. The instructor’s people skills, their ability to convey messages effectively and to build a quality relationship with learners are essential skills. The instructor must be able to show an open mind, curiosity, rigour, empathy and confidentiality so that training can become a time for the meaningful development of technical and behavioural skills.
5.The instructor's missions
The instructor designs, develops and implements (organises and runs) training schemes in his skills area in order to contribute to the provision of initial training, to the maintenance of skills and to the development of learners' competencies.
Main activities of instructors:
Conducts training projects;
Analyses the training requests and needs of the client entity and, from there, draws up the training specifications;
Develops teaching kits based on the specifications;
Organises and prepares training sessions;
Leads groups in learning situations;
Evaluates what has been learned: implementing methods and tools to assess prior learning;
Carries out assessments of training initiatives incorporating feedback and possible changes in the training offer;
Develops the training offer and designs new products.
6.Training of instructors
The nuclear instructor has a dual expertise: one element is technical ("core competency") and the other pedagogical.
The challenge of the training programme for instructors is to develop teaching skills.The development of these skills occurs alongside technical training. This allows future instructors to gradually ease into training mode and thus put into practice what they have learned throughout their technical training. The pedagogical training of future instructors has 5 components:
Generic instructor skills;
2 professional situations, design and implementation;
The involvement of the training management team;
Multiple evaluation system: satisfaction and comprehension, self-evaluations and final assessment;
Maximum individualisation to meet as closely as possible the needs of Permanent and Occasional instructors.
This training is based on decisive principles such as:
7.The professional “afterlife” of instructors
With their solid technical and pedagogical training, the instructors, whether it is their first position or a stepin their career, provide training for 4 to 5 years within the UFPI. At the end of this period, these instructors pursue their careers in the fields of operation, maintenance or nuclear plant engineering. Whether in operation or maintenance, their in-depth knowledge and skills are real assets that are highly valued by the nuclear operator. Because of their experience, they are very quickly able to occupy management or project management positions.
8.Conclusion
Thanks to its years of experience in training personnel operating nuclear power plants, the UFPI has set up an organisation and processes designed to respond effectively to all the professional training needs of EDF's operating plant personnel and of its new projects.
With their robust technical and pedagogical training, combined with all the pedagogical means at their disposal (simulators, mock-ups, e-learning, innovative and interactive tools, videos, professional training simulations), the nuclear instructor plays a key role in EDF's skills management process.
During theirtime in this position, the nuclear instructors develop technical and teaching skills that make them a respected professional whose expertise is sought when they move on from this role to a different one within nuclear plant operation and engineering.