UNITED KINGDOM - Initiating change to bring more women to the nuclear industry

Assystem’s global inclusion strategy aims for gender parity by focusing on recruitment, career development, and retention. The company attracts future talent by engaging young girls through mentoring and female role models, while supporting its current female workforce into senior roles via bespoke leadership training and job shadowing.


This internal progress is underpinned by a culture that prioritises work-life balance, offering enhanced parental support and a zero-tolerance policy towards sexism.

Crucially, as the sole engineering sponsor of the Women & Work APPG since 2021, Assystem leverages its unique position to highlight female under-representation in the nuclear sector directly to policymakers. This influence was recently showcased for International Women in Engineering Day 2025, when Assystem co-founded the "Engineering the Future: Women Leading STEM" conference. This high-level event brought together over 100 industry leaders and resulted in the inclusion of specific STEM recommendations within the APPG’s 2025 Annual Report, demonstrating the company's commitment to driving systemic change at the highest levels of government.

KEYPOINTS

  • 2
    STEM POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS IN 2026 TO THE UK GOVERNMENT
  • +100
    SENIOR LEADERS OF POLICY AND NUCLEAR
INDUSTRY AT NEW WOMEN IN STEM CONFERENCE
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UNITED KINGDOM – Launch of the ‘Energised by Sport’ initiative

Energised by Sport is an Assystem initiative aimed at strengthening the company’s social impact whilst supporting the development of a future pool of diverse talent committed to the low-carbon transition. As part of the Switch to ImpACT commitments, it addresses the challenges of social mobility, equal opportunities and the under-representation of women in STEM subjects and the nuclear sector.

Developed in partnership with Asfordby Amateurs, the programme primarily targets girls aged 12 to 16, a key period in their educational choices. It is based on an innovative approach combining sport, education and an introduction to industrial careers, with the aim of removing socio-educational barriers and boosting the participants’ confidence and ambition.

At the heart of the initiative is the Female Leadership Academy, which offers workshops on leadership, teamwork and personal development, drawing on the values of sport. These activities are complemented by STEM workshops, awareness-raising sessions on low-carbon careers and discussions with Assystem employees, who act as role models and mentors. The initiative also includes funding for sports equipment and structured development pathways.

Keypoints

  • 1:5
    CHILDREN FACE
LITERACY DISADVANTAGE
  • 12 - 16
    Age group targeted
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UNITED KINGDOM – Imagine the Switch, Assystem’s innovation competition for students

Imagine the Switch is Assystem’s emblematic innovation competition, designed to encourage the development of digital solutions that support the energy transition and complex infrastructure projects. As part of the UK government’s Plan for Change, the initiative aims to develop the key skills needed to address the industrial and climate challenges of the future.

Open to students UK-wide, the competition is aimed at undergraduates and postgraduates from a variety of disciplines. Participants are invited to work in teams on real-world challenges related to project control, engineering and the performance of infrastructure projects, with a focus on digital innovation and operational efficiency.

The programme offers an immersive and career-focused experience: finalist teams present their projects at the Project Controls Expo, gaining direct exposure to industry stakeholders. Winning teams receive a cash prize of £2,000, as well as opportunities for internships or work placements, enhancing participants’ employability and their links with the industry.

The programme offers numerous benefits: the development of innovation and problem-solving skills, a better understanding of the challenges of the energy transition, and the acquisition of practical experience on real-world cases. Through Imagine the Switch, Assystem is strengthening its talent pool, whilst promoting digital and collaborative solutions to support a more sustainable and efficient infrastructure.

Keypoints

  • 6 000 £
    AWARDED TO INNOVATION IDEAS
  • UK-wide
    STUDENT ENGAGEMENT