The U.S. Navy and members of the nuclear power industry have signed a deal meant to help Navy veterans with specialized training find civilian jobs.

A trade group says the civilian power industry needs to fill 25,000 positions over the next four years. Utility companies need to replace those retiring from an aging workforce and find new workers to staff plants now under construction in the southeast.

The industry has long recruited engineers and other skilled workers from the Navy, which operates a large fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and surface ships.

Navy veterans can now have their contact information given to industry recruiters at 30 companies that signed the agreement of understanding. Navy recruiters will have access to those in an industry training program.