INTERVIEW Loredana Macaneata, Nuclearelectrica: “Starting with the 2024-2025 academic year, we have launched Romania’s first university degree programs in a dual system”

“Over the next decade, Nuclearelectrica will need to hire over 2,000 people to support our strategic projects. This is why we are investing in a comprehensive, multi-level strategy to build and sustain a pipeline of nuclear talent,” Loredana Macaneata, HR Director, Nuclearelectrica told The Diplomat-Bucharest.

“Our approach begins with education and early engagement. There are several years now since we have launched Nucleus of Excellence platform, Nuclearelectrica’s employer branding program, to prepare for both generational change and to attract and train a new generation of professionals in the nuclear industry. We have reached thousands of young people through the programs we have developed: career fairs, presentations, events, scholarships, dual schools, vocational schools, internships.” 

How is Nuclearelectrica adapting its HR strategies to attract and retain talent in 2025’s competitive energy sector landscape?

Nuclear energy has seen a resurgence in recent years, and Romania is at the forefront of this transformation. With our ambitious plans—including the refurbishment of Cernavodă Unit 1, the construction of Units 3 and 4, and the development of SMRs—Nuclearelectrica is committed to delivering clean, stable, and secure energy. But none of this is possible without the right people. The renewed focus on nuclear energy will generate thousands of highly skilled jobs in Romania. Over the next decade, Nuclearelectrica will need to hire over 2,000 people to support our strategic projects. This is why we are investing in a comprehensive, multi-level strategy to build and sustain a pipeline of nuclear talent.

Our approach begins with education and early engagement. There are several years now since we have launched Nucleus of Excellence platform, Nuclearelectrica’s employer branding program, to prepare for both generational change and to attract and train a new generation of professionals in the nuclear industry. We have reached thousands of young people through the programs we have developed: career fairs, presentations, events, scholarships, dual schools, vocational schools, internships. Starting with the 2024-2025 academic year, we have launched Romania’s first university degree programs in a dual system, blending theory with practical experience over four years. We partnered with educational institutions, evaluating current curricula and launching unique high-education programs with our in-house training center. We are also actively engaging with global nuclear organizations to exchange knowledge, best practices, and participate in joint skills development projects.

Talking about retaining our talent, first of all, I am proud to say that in Nuclearelectrica we have a low turnover. This is the result of our culture that employees want to be part of  and the result of our retention strategy which includes professional and personal development opportunities, Work-life Balance, Work From Home, Recognize and Reward of our employees for their work and last, but not least, the offer of competitive base salaries.

What are the key skills and competencies Nuclearelectrica is focusing on to future-proof its workforce?

Traditionally, we consider five crucial competences required for nuclear professionals: technical expertise, analytical skills, communication and collaboration skills, adaptability and lifelong learning, ethical and professional conduct. Additionally, our leadership model encourages people to develop and demonstrate a collection of competencies, aligned with our vision and our values, we have identified as key to success for our organization.

However, the nuclear industry worldwide is experiencing significant transformations driven by various trends. They include rising energy demands, technological advancements, climate crisis challenges, international cooperation agreements. In this context, we are constantly reviewing the skills framework. Nuclearelectrica is part of an European-wide project which includes the development of a Nuclear Skills Strategy, a multi-annual roadmap guiding efforts to attract, retrain, upskill and reskill professionals for the nuclear sector. The strategy will promote a fair shift to nuclear energy, prioritizing diversity, inclusion and gender balance. Another significant outcome will be the implementation of reskilling and upskilling programs enabling workers from other industries, such as fossil fuels, to transition into nuclear roles. These programs will prepare the workforce for advanced technologies like SMRs and fusion with a strong focus on safety and innovation.

We are also working with Romania’s leading technical universities to define a national framework for nuclear skills, aligned with the European Qualification Framework (EQF). 

What initiatives are in place to support career development and internal mobility for employees?

Career development in Nuclearelectrica is not limited to acquiring job-specific skills but also includes the development of leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities.

It is an ongoing commitment by both the employer and the employee to ensure that the individual’s career path aligns with their personal and professional aspirations while contributing to the organization’s success.

We are focusing in identifying the talent and potential of our colleagues and in fostering their growth.

We encourage our colleagues to assess their skillset, we have a solid training and development plan, mentorship programs, we promote cross-functional projects and provide networking opportunities, not only in Romania but in the top nuclear organizations over the world.

How is Nuclearelectrica leveraging digital transformation and AI in HR processes, such as recruitment, onboarding, and performance management?

Because of the unique context and characteristics of nuclear operations and the high stakes involved, AI applications in our field should be considered with caution. Although we recognize that AI could have significant effects on nuclear risk if used to improve capabilities in areas like operations and maintenance of nuclear or analysis, planning, and decision support, we are still analyzing some risk mitigation steps.

On the other hand, on HR area, we are in a continuous process of digitalizing. I think that the area where digital transformation will have the greatest positive impact is learning.  The best example is the first simulator for the control room of a NuScale VOYGR small modular reactor power plant opened at the University Politehnica of Bucharest in Romania. The simulator is the fifth in total, but the first outside the USA. It offers users a hands-on opportunity to apply nuclear science and engineering principles through simulated, real-world nuclear power plant operation scenarios. This is a tool that will enable Romania to develop the next generation of advanced nuclear experts, technologists, and operators and become a hub for deploying SMRs in Europe.

How does Nuclearelectrica integrate ESG principles into its HR policies and practices?

As HR is the link between Nuclearelectrica’s strategy and its people, we consider to have an important role in implementing ESG; ESG requires more than policy changes, it demands cultural and behavioral shifts.

While environmental decisions are not the responsibility of HR, we support the company’s initiatives in the area, by involving staff in corporate responsibility projects and recognizing contributions to ESG goals.

The Social component of ESG is extremely important as it should be. If one only considers the recent CSRD Directive and Socials ESRSs related datapoints, that it becomes obvious that HR metrics, targets, procedures and policies become the strategic liaison between an efficient organization and its long-term future. We constantly develop and consequently report on it.

In addition to ESG disclosure requirements, and the backbone behind this, we have been always handling the policies and programs that promote a fair, inclusive, and supportive workplace. As “Care for our people” is one of the core values of Nuclearelectrica, we have comprehensive policies and practices that promote employee well-being or diversity and inclusion.  Recruitment, development, and performance metrics are reflecting our ESG priorities. Not to mention human rights, that’s an understatement. In addition to legal reporting requirements, Nuclearelectrica is a member of UN Global Compact, thus we fully abide by UN Principles, having assumed and published our commitments on significant social issues.

As for Governance, we are promoting leadership, accountability, and transparency within our organization. We have policies that uphold ethical standards, ensuring compliance with labor laws, and maintaining employee data privacy.

What are the key priorities for workplace safety at Nuclearelectrica in 2025, especially considering the high-risk nature of the nuclear energy sector?

Nuclear power plants are among the safest and most secure facilities in the world.

Safety is at the heart of our activities. At Nuclearelectrica, we implement the highest safety standards and comply with international and national nuclear regulations to protect both our people, the surrounding communities and the environment.

We highly prioritize all areas of safety: operations, maintenance, work management and outage performance, chemistry, equipment reliability, engineering, radiological protection, emergency preparedness, operating experience, training, organizational efficiency and nuclear safety culture.

How does the company ensure continuous training and compliance with safety regulations?

First of all, for us, nuclear safety has the highest priority, before any requirements related to production. All decisions are made and implemented in accordance with this declaration. Our managers convey this principle through their attitude and personal example.

All our staff have the appropriate qualification for the activities they carry out, responsibilities for safety are clearly defined and verification of the activities is permanently considered.

Besides continuous training on safety, we encourage desired behaviors such as questioning attitude, respect for procedures, peer guiding, “stop if not sure”. These behaviors are part of our organizational culture, our leadership model and our HR processes, such as recruitment, onboarding and performance management.