How I Am Trying To Change An Industry

Keep An Open Mind About Nuclear Energy

6 min readFeb 17, 2022

I’m passionate about making a difference in the world. I have always been. I have a constant inch that I need to be doing more to make the world a better place.

This has manifested itself through Get Into Nuclear. And even though I have personally helped hundreds of people with free career advice during that time, the itch remains.

Many ask what I am trying to achieve with Get Into Nuclear.

If I am 100% honest, I am still asking myself the question as I am writing starting to write this article. [Re-reading it now, I think I’ve done it!]

##Spoiler Alert##

“With everything we do, we aim to challenge the status quo with actually getting into nuclear.

Our services bring new approaches to placing individuals and businesses in front of nuclear opportunities and helping to open the door for them.

We provide individuals with employment services and nuclear employers with marketing services to help bring new, diverse talent into the nuclear industry.”

Start With Why

I’m a big fan of Simon Sinek. Who isn’t?

For those who are not familiar with his work, his most well-known book is Start With Why.

In the book, Sinek explains that by putting too much focus on “what” they sell, many businesses lose “why” they are in business in the first place.

As an example, the brand surrounding Apple isn’t built on the premise of “We make great computers. They’re user friendly, beautifully designed, and easy to use. Want to buy one?”

But with the “why” at the forefront of everything that they do. Apple work with the purpose that “With everything we do, we aim to challenge the status quo. We aim to think differently. Our products are user-friendly, beautifully designed, and easy to use. We just happen to make great computers. Want to buy one?”

Keeping this in mind for Get Into Nuclear, I don’t think I have ever struggled with the “why”.

However, I have worked tirelessly and blindly, believing that the rest will magically appear if I follow the “why” for long enough.

Well, they have not!

The Why

Nuclear energy is needed to ensure a safe, secure, sustainable environment for future generations. I am clear on this.

I also understand that the nuclear industry has an increasing demand for workers, an ageing workforce and an image problem in making the sector attractive to potential candidates looking to work in the sector.

Additionally, there is consistent feedback that I am given from people on why they have not considered a role in the nuclear industry in the past which fit into four may themes:

“When I left school, nuclear was not a viable career path for me.”
“Isn’t nuclear unsafe and bad for the environment?”
“I don’t have a PhD, so can’t work in nuclear.”
“Although I have the skills, I was previously rejected for a role as I do not have nuclear experience.”

The above are not acceptable scenarios. This is what I aim to solve.

I have tried many taglines to depict “why” I have chosen to go down this road with Get Into Nuclear. I used statements such as:

“To create an industry that is open to all.”
“To bring new approaches to marketing the nuclear industry.”
“To break down the barriers of entry into the nuclear industry.”
“To help the nuclear industry demonstrate the social value it delivers.”

None of the above hit the nail on the head. I have referred to the above advice from Simon Sinek and created a version of the “why” for Get Into Nuclear:

“With everything that we do, we aim to challenge the status quo around getting into nuclear.”

The How

My initial vision of how I would solve the above issues revolved around Get Into Nuclear becoming the single voice of the nuclear industry.

Particularly for those outside the industry.

We would provide a means for companies to raise their profile to the benefit of the industry.

This is on the understanding that if there is no public support for new nuclear power plants, for example, there will be no opportunities for the supply chain to manufacture the components.

Although it has been a lot more difficult than I envisaged — I thought nuclear companies would be queuing around the corner to sign up! — this outcome is possible.

However, it needs to be built from the ground up. We need to build support company by company.

There will be benefits for the individual companies themselves, contributing to the public perception and general attractiveness of nuclear to individuals, agencies, businesses and influencers.

Putting this into a “how” statement, it would look something like:

“Our services bring new approaches to placing individuals and businesses in front of nuclear opportunities. Doing the things nuclear employers would like to do but don’t have the resources to do so.”

The What

Before reading the Start With Why book, the “what” has always been something I have struggled with. I’ve operated on the ‘build it, and they will come’ premise.

I have offered many services and products through Get Into Nuclear. Most have been free of charge, using my own time, but more recently, I have been working with paying clients.

The products and services I’ve offered through Get Into Nuclear include:

Information and advice on the website.
20-minute career chats to individuals interested in getting into nuclear.
Reviews of the CVs of individuals before making a job application.
Phone calls with businesses looking to learn more about opportunities to win work.
Referrals to recruiters or specific job boards.
Referrals to training course providers or particular courses.
Provision of engaging virtually with young people directly in their classrooms.
Job advertisements on nuclear job boards.
Featured articles in eMagazines.
Social Media management.
Social Media training courses.
Access to a CV database of energy professionals
Referrals to recruitment services.
‘Packages’ using a combination of the above.

Recently, I attended an online training course for would-be entrepreneurs that reminded me of a book I read a couple of years back called Ready, Fire, Aim.

The key message from the book for someone just starting in business is to focus on just one product, learn to sell it really well, bring in consistent revenue and only then begin to bolt on additional offerings.

I haven’t been very good at this and have wanted to do everything at once.

With this in mind, I have put together a “what” statement for Get Into Nuclear:

“We provide individuals with employment services. We provide employers with marketing services.”

The Mission Statement

The below is an effort to explain to people what it is, in a simple paragraph, what I am trying to achieve with Get Into Nuclear.

In the past, I have overcomplicated things. As Project Manager with a partner network, I can provide pretty much any service any nuclear employer would be interested in.

However, a jack-of-all-trades is not an attractive enough proposition. I need to be more specific in why I’m doing what I’m doing, how I intend to get there, and what I’m providing to achieve it.

I will finish with my Mission Statement for the business and contact details for anyone interested in finding out more.