Scotland is losing out on approximately 5,000 high-quality jobs and millions in investment due to the Scottish Government’s continued opposition to new nuclear projects, a leading trade body has revealed.
In a stark assessment released during National Apprenticeship Week, the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) warned that while the rest of the UK experiences a nuclear workforce boom, Scotland is being left behind. The data indicates that England has created 43,000 new nuclear jobs over the past decade, while Scotland has added just 490.
The NIA argues that “ideology is winning over opportunity,” forcing skilled Scottish workers to travel south for employment instead of building a clean energy future at home.
The Great Workforce Divide
The disparity between Scotland and its neighbours has widened significantly in recent years. According to the fresh analysis, if Scotland’s civil nuclear sector had grown at the same rate as England’s over the last ten years, the country would currently support over 10,000 roles. Instead, the figure stands at roughly 5,400 today.
Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the NIA, described the situation as Scotland “turning its back on industrial workers.” He emphasized that the refusal to sanction new projects is not just a political stance but a policy with real-world economic consequences for families in industrial communities.
“Around 5,000 nuclear jobs that Scotland should have simply do not exist because the SNP has chosen ideology over opportunity,” Greatrex stated. “While England and Wales build new nuclear and create skilled jobs for the future, the Scottish Government is content to export Scottish workers and deny Scottish companies the support they need.”
The Skills Passport Controversy
A central point of contention is the exclusion of nuclear energy from Scotland’s newly launched ‘Energy Skills Passport’. This digital tool is designed to help workers—particularly those in the declining oil and gas sector—transfer their qualifications to green energy roles. However, by limiting the passport to renewables like wind and hydrogen, the government is effectively blocking a streamlined route into the nuclear sector.
Industry leaders argue this decision deters apprentices and limits workforce mobility. For a worker leaving the North Sea oil fields, the nuclear sector offers similar engineering challenges and high pay. Excluding it from the passport creates unnecessary friction for those seeking stable, long-term employment.
Key Figures at a Glance:
- England Job Growth (10 Years): +43,000
- Scotland Job Growth (10 Years): +490
- Potential Scottish Jobs Lost: ~5,000
- Scots Working at Hinkley Point C: >1,200
Exodus of Talent and Investment
The lack of domestic projects has led to a noticeable “brain drain” of Scottish talent. More than 1,200 Scottish workers are currently employed at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, commuting hundreds of miles because similar opportunities do not exist north of the border.
Furthermore, Scottish businesses are missing out on lucrative supply chain contracts. The Welsh Government, which supports new nuclear development, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sizewell C consortium four years ago. That single agreement is expected to secure up to £900 million in investment and support 4,700 jobs across Wales.
Scotland has no such agreement. Consequently, local engineering and manufacturing firms face higher hurdles to access work on major UK infrastructure projects compared to their Welsh counterparts. The NIA is urging ministers to sign a formal agreement with Sizewell C to stop Scottish firms from being disadvantaged.
Future Outlook: A Critical Junction
The clock is ticking for Scotland’s existing nuclear workforce. The Torness Nuclear Power Station in East Lothian, a cornerstone of the local economy, is expected to end generation in March 2030. While this date reflects a recent life extension, the lack of a successor project raises serious concerns about the long-term future of the workforce.
Aaron Turnbull, a third-year electrical apprentice at Torness, highlighted the value of these roles. “My role has provided a strong start to my career,” he said. “Further nuclear investment in Scotland would secure opportunities for future trainees.”
Unions are also sounding the alarm. The GMB trade union reports that Scotland has lost approximately 15% of its industrial jobs since 2010. They warn that without a “Just Transition” that includes nuclear baseload power, this industrial decline will accelerate, leaving skilled communities hollowed out.
While the Scottish Government maintains that its focus remains on its vast renewable potential—citing wind and tidal energy as the priority—critics argue that a balanced energy mix is essential. Without a policy shift to include nuclear in the Energy Skills Passport and supply chain strategies, Scotland risks watching the next industrial revolution happen from the sidelines.
