POWER COUNTY, Idaho -- Idaho State University is racing to train the next generation of nuclear technicians before time runs out. A recent study says half the current workforce is on the verge of retirement.

The study by the Nuclear Energy Institute states that within the next five to seven years, 49 pecent of the operations and maintenance workers at nuclear plants are set to retire.

And at the same time the workforce is shrinking, the need is growing with new plants being built.

"Nuclear science is something that has grown and evolved to a lot of different areas,” ISU Energy Systems Technology and Education Center Associate Director Lawrence Beaty said.

So, ISU has has launched a new program.

"This program allows students to have a head's up of what they are getting into. Which is pretty valuable as a student to know what you are doing before you get there,” ISU instructor Michael Fort said.

With help from the Idaho National Laboratory, ISU has started a two year nuclear science technician program, training students to work as reactor operators in plants across the world.

"The learn how to operate and control what's going on in a nuclear reactor and generate electricity and benefit everybody,” Fort said.

But the imminent lack of technicians, is good news for those learning the skills now to be able to fill that need.

"We know we're always going to need energy, and in economic downtimes like we have now, it is nice to go into a program that you know you can find a job after graduation,” student Brandalin Barnes said.

Students in the program spend about three hours a day inside a state of the art lab, and are also taught by faculty from the INL.

"We've been able to develop some very innovative teaching and learning tools that make our students have a better understanding and deeper knowledge than you can get from any classroom,” Beaty said.