S 8556

This bill amends New York's education law to create an Advanced Nuclear Energy Workforce Development Commission, consisting of state education officials and three governor-appointed industry experts, tasked with establishing and administering a workforce development program for the state's advanced nuclear energy sector. The commission will develop a strategic plan to address labor and skill gaps in the nuclear energy industry, provide grants and financial assistance for educational programming, create academic pathways from secondary schools to higher education and vocational training programs, and develop customized curriculum for degree and certificate programs in nuclear energy fields. The primary purpose is to build a skilled workforce pipeline to support New York's advanced nuclear energy industry, including emerging technologies like small modular reactors, through coordinated education and training initiatives across the state's public education systems.