Assystem joins Northern Powerhouse Partner Programme

The announcement – which coincided with the inaugural Northern Powerhouse summit in Rotherham – means that the Blackburn-based company will take part in promoting the strategic and economic value of the north with continued investment in the region and a focus on education and skills development, enterprise and innovation.  

Assystem vice president international business development Tom Jones said: “Much of our workforce is based in the North of England as well as our UK headquarters, so we have a major interest in helping the economy of the north to grow. 

“As the UK now looks to nuclear power to help it meet its net zero carbon emissions targets by 2050, the industry needs young people to embark on STEM subjects and careers in nuclear engineering to fill the skills gap.” 

Assystem has 5,700 employees worldwide, with UK sites in Blackburn, Sunderland, Westlakes, Bristol and Derby.   It is involved in the development of nuclear programmes abroad as well as in the UK at Hinkley Point C in Somerset. 

The firm’s engineers are also at the forefront of developments in nuclear fusion, with a team of scientists based in Sunderland that are currently supporting the creation of the world's largest fusion prototype, ITER, in France [see pic] as well as UK experiments run by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in Oxfordshire. It is also involved with the small modular reactor programme (UK SMR) led by Rolls-Royce.