Bechtel, NABTU Launch Nuclear Construction Apprenticeship Partnership to Support U.S. Reactor Expansion

RESTON, Va. — Engineering and construction giant Bechtel and North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) have signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening apprenticeship programs and expanding the skilled workforce needed to support the next generation of nuclear power construction projects across the United States.

The companies announced May 5 that they had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding focused on modernizing training programs for large-scale nuclear reactors and small modular reactors, commonly known as SMRs.

The partnership comes as the U.S. nuclear sector prepares for renewed investment in advanced nuclear technologies, utility-scale reactors and energy infrastructure projects intended to support long-term energy reliability and decarbonization goals.

Under the agreement, Bechtel and NABTU will collaborate to identify specialized construction skills required for nuclear projects and update apprenticeship training programs to match evolving industry demands. The initiative will also focus on recruitment efforts designed to increase access to high-skill construction careers.

“Delivering nuclear power plants requires exceptional craft expertise and a deep commitment to safety and quality,” said Brendan Bechtel, chair and CEO of Bechtel. “Bechtel’s long-standing partnership with NABTU has helped build some of the most complex energy infrastructure in the United States, including Vogtle Units 3 and 4, the first new nuclear reactors built in the country in more than three decades.”

Bechtel is currently involved in several advanced nuclear initiatives, including the Natrium Demonstration Project in Wyoming, which the company described as part of “a new era of nuclear innovation.”

Partnership Focuses on Workforce Development

According to the agreement, the organizations will work with union training centers to modernize apprenticeship curricula and better prepare workers for modern nuclear construction techniques and technologies.

The collaboration will also coordinate recruitment efforts through union networks to ensure an adequate pipeline of skilled labor for future reactor construction projects.

Sean McGarvey, president of NABTU, said the partnership is intended to address growing workforce needs as nuclear development expands nationwide.

“Building the next generation of nuclear projects requires the highest levels of skill, precision, and safety, and that starts with NABTU’s world-class apprenticeship training and strong contractor partners like Bechtel,” McGarvey said. “This agreement ensures a continuous pipeline of highly skilled, job-ready craft professionals to build nuclear power’s next fleet of reactors.”

The announcement reflects broader industry concerns about labor availability as utilities and developers move forward with new energy projects, including advanced nuclear technologies that require highly specialized construction expertise.

Nuclear Sector Growth Driving Demand for Skilled Labor

Bechtel and NABTU said apprenticeships will remain central to developing the workforce capable of delivering increasingly complex nuclear infrastructure projects safely and efficiently.

The organizations have previously collaborated on major U.S. energy projects, including the expansion of Plant Vogtle in Georgia, where Units 3 and 4 became the first newly constructed nuclear reactors completed in the United States in more than 30 years.

Today, union craft professionals affiliated with NABTU are also supporting construction work on the Natrium Demonstration Project in Kemmerer, Wyoming, which is being developed as America’s first utility-scale advanced nuclear project.

Industry leaders say future nuclear expansion will require sustained investment in workforce training to meet construction schedules and maintain safety and quality standards.

The partnership signals growing alignment between contractors, labor organizations and energy developers as the U.S. seeks to expand domestic power generation capacity and modernize critical infrastructure.

Originally reported by Ashley Accardo in Betchel.