Today we speak to Julia Pyke FEI, Financing Director, at Sizewell C.
In this article, you will learn about how Julia started her working career in a role that you would not automatically link to the nuclear industry. However, a passion to increase the use of nuclear energy as part of a clean energy mix had led Julia to one of the most influential roles in the UK nuclear industry.
"Our mission at Sizewell C is to do the power of good, and that’s something everyone can buy into whatever their background."
I have really enjoyed learning more about Julia and her career story. Julia's passion for nuclear energy and its part in a sustainable future is clear.
It is impressive to see how Julia has taken her skills gained outside of the sector and found the perfect place to put them to use in nuclear. This is something we encourage as part of our six-step to get into nuclear guide.
I have no doubt that Julia will steer the nuclear industry, and the UK in the right direction when it comes to nuclear energy. Furthermore, her story should inspire you to consider where you can best add value to an industry using the skills you have learned elsewhere.
Over to Julia.
Before you read on - we have created an email course to guide you through the process of defining your career path into the nuclear industry. Check it out below:
Career Story
I started my career as a project lawyer in the City of London. I made my decision to leave and help develop Sizewell C with the conviction that we need more nuclear power in the U.K.
Over 20 years of experience working on a range of infrastructure projects taught me the challenges of developing infrastructure in the U.K, and that these challenges are greater still where the technology needs the development of new policy.
I spent ten years working on Hinkley Point C, where the ‘only’ major new policy required was to make nuclear financeable via a Contract for Difference.
Given the scale of the need for energy security and to decarbonise, it seemed to me imperative that we use the opportunity presented by the construction of Hinkley Point C to build a copy - in this case with an adapted financing model (I’m writing this a few days after the new Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill became law).
The Nuclear Industry
The longer I spend working in the nuclear industry, the more convinced I am of not only the need but also the benefits a new nuclear programme brings to the U.K.
Additional to the core benefit of building a copy, demonstrating that a fleet approach to nuclear can bring down costs, and the contribution Sizewell C can make to energy security and decarbonising, I am particularly interested in making the most of the asset.
We can do this by;
1/ using heat and developing non-grid uses for electricity so Sizewell C fits well into the future more flexible system,
2/ in working toward a more diverse workforce better reflecting society and towards sustainable construction, and
3/ in better communication about nuclear so that the industry can play its full role in the U.K.
Our mission at Sizewell C is to do the power of good, and that’s something everyone can buy into whatever their background.
How Can People Find Out More About You?
You can find me on LinkedIn.
You can listen to my previous podcast on the Titans of Nuclear:
Your Purpose
I'd like to thank Julia for taking the time to tell her career story. Personally, I have been doing a lot of reflecting on where I can bring together what I enjoy, what I'm good at and what the world needs (and is willing to pay for) to find where I can bring the most value to the world. I feel that Julia has achieved this, and then some.
You can't do much better than using your skills and passions to help create a means of providing a safe, secure, sustainable environment for future generations to come.
Closing Statement
Julia's story shows that there are many routes into the nuclear industry and in many ways, it is an advantage to bring new ways of working from your experience in other industries.
The nuclear industry offers a means to provide you with meaningful, well-paid, long-term work. In return, you help to sector deliver on its promises of a sustainable future.
Leave a comment below or send a message if you have any queries. You'll be amazed at the helpfulness of the nuclear community.
Find out more about how you can use your current skills in nuclear:
UK Nuclear Industry
Types of Jobs in Nuclear
Career Stories of Nuclear Workers
Definitions of Nuclear
Live Nuclear Jobs
