Canadian province to help PHL prepare nuclear workforce development plan

THE PHILIPPINES and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan are making progress on a joint action plan on nuclear workforce development, the Department of Energy (DoE) said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the DoE said it met with Minister Ken Cheveldayoff of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Advanced Education to advance the implementation of their memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in June.

“This cooperation with Saskatchewan helps us build the skills pipeline and academic partnerships we need from engineering and safety management to technical training and micro-credentials while reinforcing the standards and public engagement required for responsible energy development,” Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said.

The MoU set the framework for cooperation across priority areas, including small modular reactors (SMRs), carbon capture, smart grids, renewable energy integration, and the repurposing of ageing coal assets.

A joint working group determined the need to support the development of Nuclear Engineering and Safety Management curricula, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education and Saskatchewan institutions.

It is also looking into Train-the-Trainer programs for Philippine educators on advanced clean energy topics, alongside potential technical-vocational cooperation with Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

The joint working group also seeks to collaborate with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority on micro-credentialing and skilled-worker development for the nuclear and clean-energy industries.

“The Joint Working Group meeting allows us to move from shared intentions to coordinated actions,” Energy Undersecretary Mario C. Marasigan said. “Our priority is to ensure that the Philippine transition is supported by capable institutions, a prepared workforce, and sustained engagement with communities, including Indigenous peoples.” — Sheldeen Joy Talavera