Age is just a number.

One possible coincidence of the graying workforce issue in the nuclear industry: It could be one of the better opportunities for older workers who lost jobs because of the bad economy.

Community colleges in the Carolinas offer relatively affordable two-year degrees in trades the nuclear companies covet. Richard Zollinger, Central Piedmont Community College's vice president for learning, recalls conversations with energy company executives concerned about finding workers for nuclear plants. Would they be interested in workers starting over in a new field? "The companies said age doesn't matter," Zollinger says. "We can use the 55 (year-old) who has the skills. That's how much the demand is."

He says many people have 85% of the skills needed to work in the sector. "For the other 1 5%, we could provide training so that they could transition into...