The 2007 monetary value for the NRRPT on an hourly basis?

[SloGlo]

  Next thing will be hearing is how great navy nuke techs are.

best military teks i ebber worked wit ware army.   but dat wuz bac ina day of being ex-military compact reactor (mcr) tech.  butt de wuz serious nuke wonders.

[hamsamich]

true true radbastard, but alot of those guys who came up thru the ranks got their NRRPT. those are the guys I'm talking about. anyway, I'm not saying there aren't alot of S-bag NRRPT guys, just on average if that is all you have to go by on a resume, then the NRRPT guy might be a better person to take a chance on. it's all probabilities, think about it rad-b. no one is saying you and yours aren't "the man". I know you guys are great, just, if you HAD to pick with just a resume.

[thenukeman]

That is true the Army Techs were best!  I worked with one Group of techs.  About 10 were navy, 2 were army and the rest others.  The only people who were NRRPT were army.  Well one Operator found out who was prior army and always asked for the qualified techs who were NRRPT Army.  I finally asked him to stop dogging the navy guys because they could not take it any more with tears come out of their eyes, but you know what that did, it made it worst with more navy crying,  I even begged the navy guys to take the NRRPT but of couse the 3 that did failed and it just got worse!! LOL   When we took our Oral board we were not allowed to use calculators because they said the electro magnetic pulse would get them. so everything had to be figured by hand.  This helped me on the NRRPT, I was done in 45 minutes using army math, Most people took 3 to 4 hours on the test.  I think I used calculator on maybe 2 questions.

[hamsamich]

there is an army nuke-guy who works at IP.  I think he was one of the guys who almost lost a a nuclear barge when they were being towed for decom and had to be rescued near Wilmington nC.  nrrpt.

[illegalsmile]

...and they tech at Oak Ridge that gave his crew an Am/Pu uptake was Ex Army. It happend because, in his words, "nobody told me to look for alpha in the activation well."
The Navy and the NRRPT haven't cornered the market on incompetence.
It would be nice to see pay and/or bonuses tied to the degree of difficulty of the job. It kinda chaps my sit-down when I come out of a DW or a Cavity and walk by some NPU (non-productive unit) who's sitting at the PCM's telling people where to frisk, or pushing the button on the SAM and makes the same money I do (more if they're NRRPT).

[Already Gone]

If you dig through my old posts (which you would only do if you had no life) you will find that I have been saying the same thing.  If there were some positive correlation between pay and the degree of difficulty of a job, things would be more fair.  There would also be an incentive to get qualified for those better-paying jobs.  As it stands, a lot of slugs think that there is no reason why they should be working under vessel or s/g's or refuel if they get the same cash for escorting laundry bags down the hall.  To be honest, there really isn't one.  Those who try for the harder jobs do it out of a sense of values that doesn't revolve around immediate monetary reward - although that set of values will invariably lead to long term gain. 
BTW, although I am an ex-navy tech., I don't automatically give them credit for being the best.  I have seen brilliance and utter stupidity coming from all quarters. 
This brings the discussion full-circle.  There is no reason to get NRRPT because the monetary incentive isn't worth the cost of the test, prep course, travel ... etc.  There should be an incentive.  Incentives work.  If you work for me, I'll expect a huge effort in return for the huge increase in pay.  If I can find those 10 techs who can do the work of 40, I'm going to hire the 10, pay them double, and leave the other 30 to work for my friend Eric over at Big Blue.  I'll still be able to save the customer the added cost of carrying a bunch of slugs and make a better profit.  If you think you are one of the 10, prove it.  Get a degree or NRRPT or OHST or at least show me that you can.  These things may not make yo a better tech., but at least they show that you have the initiative to improve.
But, if your idea of earning a paycheck is "do little, do less, and do like the other two", or "never sweat on their time, never s&!t on your time" there is nothing I can do to help you.

[RDTroja]

...It would be nice to see pay and/or bonuses tied to the degree of difficulty of the job...

So during the day your pay would change based on what you were doing? If you are a containment tech but relieved the tech at the RCA exit running the SAM you would get less and if you covered a S/G jump your pay would go up? And when you are on your '2 out' from containment...? If you are an ALARA tech do you get more for running computer reports or hanging lead?

No thanks, there are enough bean counters out there already.

Pay should be based on what you are capable of, but there is no objective measurement for that and all of the slugs would just end up working for their friends... I am sure you see it all the time. The utilities don't want to get caught up in co-employment issues, so they are reluctant to do a lot of 'hand-picking' and a tiered system would be very hard to manage. Something objective like the NRRPT is at least something... again, no guarantees. Just like everything else.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

 
      Registered Nurse
      Registered Land Surveyor

[Chimera]

There is no reason to get NRRPT because the monetary incentive isn't worth the cost of the test, prep course, travel ... etc.  There should be an incentive.  Incentives work. 

Dang, BeerCourt, you're a harsh task master.  I originally took the NRRPT back in 1981 because the NRC was considering requiring credentials for the contractors (as part of the "new" 10CFR20 being considered back then).  It has opened doors (employment) that were otherwise closed (i.e., San Onofre back then), and has provided for a slight increase in pay rates and/or bonuses over the years.  However, I must agree . . . I have worked with NRRPT techs that could barely spell RO-2 and non-NRRPT techs that I would trust at my back blindly. 
Since I lost my "active" status, I've been studying to take the test again, but this is a matter of personal pride.  I don't expect it to help very much in today's climate out there on the road.  I do have to disagree on one point: The pay differential I've experienced has more than payed for the cost of the exam and my time spent studying for it.  In so far as costs are concerned, most house techs get reimbursed by their employers once they've successfully passed the exam (I've noticed this most places I've worked).
By the way, let me know when you're hiring.  I can still work four times harder than a slug but I'm down to only two times harder than the average tech (laughing).

[UncaBuffalo]

So during the day your pay would change based on what you were doing? If you are a containment tech but relieved the tech at the RCA exit running the SAM you would get less and if you covered a S/G jump your pay would go up? And when you are on your '2 out' from containment...? If you are an ALARA tech do you get more for running computer reports or hanging lead?

Actually, I'll do the FUN jobs (S/G, cavity, etc...) for free...as long as you pay me double-time for all the boring stuff (PCMs, ALARA, etc...)! 

As far as NRRPT goes, I've seen from nothing to $3 per hour.  I'd be really happy if someone would give me the $5 per hour that BeerCourt mentioned.

[Brett LaVigne]

National Registration of Radiation Protection Technologists
Full Reimbursement of the exam fee if NRRPT exam is passed. Bartlett also offers 50% off textbooks and 25% off correspondence course by Dr. Dan Gollnick.

That is all very good but what about the time and expense of keeping it current?  Is there any reimburstment for that?  If there is, you may have swayed me. I would love to get some formal re-training, I have not had good HP training since 108 training 18 years ago.  I hate how rusty I am even on the stuff that we don't really use. I always do well on the NUF but really, that test is a joke compared to 108 certification and I am sure the same could be said for NRRPT.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

That is all very good but what about the time and expense of keeping it current?  Is there any reimburstment for that?  If there is, you may have swayed me. I would love to get some formal re-training, I have not had good HP training since 108 training 18 years ago.  I hate how rusty I am even on the stuff that we don't really use. I always do well on the NUF but really, that test is a joke compared to 108 certification and I am sure the same could be said for NRRPT.

Yearly sustaining fee is $35.

Registration Maintenance Program- http://www.nrrpt.org/documents/maintenance.pdf

[Melissa White]

If you're looking for pure monitary value of the NRRPT, it's worth a year of college.  How much does a year of college cost? 

It would be interesting to know how many NRRPT members used this asset to get their degree.

Anybody have any stats?

Melissa

[wlrun3@aol.com]

If you're looking for pure monitary value of the NRRPT, it's worth a year of college.  How much does a year of college cost? 

It would be interesting to know how many NRRPT members used this asset to get their degree.

Anybody have any stats?

Melissa

   "To date, approximately 150 Registered Radiation Protection Technologists have
obtained their BS degrees using this ACE recommendation."

                                                         NRRPT Newsletter, Fall 2006

[wlrun3@aol.com]

That is all very good but what about the time and expense of keeping it current?  Is there any reimburstment for that?  If there is, you may have swayed me. I would love to get some formal re-training, I have not had good HP training since 108 training 18 years ago.  I hate how rusty I am even on the stuff that we don't really use. I always do well on the NUF but really, that test is a joke compared to 108 certification and I am sure the same could be said for NRRPT.

   "Some plants pay regular RP technicians a bonus for NRRPT registration and nearly all plants pay an additional $1-$2 per hour for contract RP technicians who are NRRPT registered."

    Basic Radiation Protection Technology, Dr. Daniel A. Gollnick
       4th Ed. (2000) p 718
       5th Ed. (2006) p 743

[RDTroja]

   "Some plants pay regular RP technicians a bonus for NRRPT registration and nearly all plants pay an additional $1-$2 per hour for contract RP technicians who are NRRPT registered."

    Basic Radiation Protection Technology, Dr. Daniel A. Gollnick
       4th Ed. (2000) p 718
       5th Ed. (2006) p 743

I guess not evrything published in Dr. Gollnick's books is 100% accurate...

[Brett LaVigne]

Thanks for the info., I think that it is worth a second look.

[wlrun3@aol.com]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote from: wlrun3 on Yesterday at 10:31

   "Some plants pay regular RP technicians a bonus for NRRPT registration and nearly all plants pay an additional $1-$2 per hour for contract RP technicians who are NRRPT registered."

    Basic Radiation Protection Technology, Dr. Daniel A. Gollnick
       4th Ed. (2000) p 718
       5th Ed. (2006) p 743

I guess not everything published in Dr. Gollnick's books is 100% accurate...

« Last Edit: Yesterday at 10:58 by RDTroja » 



Roger, you are correct. I just talked to Eric Bartlett about this.

Only four of the twenty two fall 07 outages offer an NRRPT hourly wage rate increase.

Overall roughly 50% of plants/outages offer this incentive.

As an example, all fourteen of the Exelon plants/outages offer the increase for active registrants.


   Thankyou for preventing me from giving a false impression to the initial inquirer and the nukeworker forum in general.

[G-reg]

At those select locations which actually do give an NRRPT bonus:

Does the bonus usually apply only to Sr. HPs (or do the Jr. HPs with a successful NRRPT under their belt also get a little something extra in their paycheck at those locations)?

[retired nuke]

At those select locations which actually do give an NRRPT bonus:

Does the bonus usually apply only to Sr. HPs (or do the Jr. HPs with a successful NRRPT under their belt also get a little something extra in their paycheck at those locations)?

from http://www.nrrpt.org/index.cfm/m/17/m/7

Experience
An applicant must have a minimum of five years experience. Training may be substituted for experience if the applicant will submit to the Board information about the program and proof of completion. This information should include curriculum, typical examinations, and passing requirements for radiation related subjects.

Experience credit allowed for formal education, company training programs and applicable military training is cummulative up to a maximum of two years. Note that an applicant may not claim work experience while in formal classroom study.


Kinda hard to meet the 5 year experience requirement and still be a junior.......

[retired nuke]

This brings the discussion full-circle.  There is no reason to get NRRPT because the monetary incentive isn't worth the cost of the test, prep course, travel ... etc.  

Didn't take a course, only traveled to the next plant up the road for the test, missed 1 day of outage work on test day, Bartlett reimbursed me the test cost. Been paid back 100 fold for the other expenses in pay increases, promotions, additional responsibilities, etc. Still maintained active (tho it's easier as a house tech, due to continuing training)'

Worth the effort   

[UncaBuffalo]

Didn't take a course, only traveled to the next plant up the road for the test, missed 1 day of outage work on test day, Bartlett reimbursed me the test cost. Been paid back 100 fold for the other expenses in pay increases, promotions, additional responsibilities, etc. Still maintained active (tho it's easier as a house tech, due to continuing training)'

Worth the effort   

Right on, Housedad!  ABSOLUTELY worth the effort!

I've got the pay increases, interviews/jobs, etc, PLUS got 24 upper-division credits to finish my degree...which has given me MORE pay increases, interviews/jobs, etc...

[Already Gone]

I'm one of those 150, so I guess it was worth about $4-7k.

Almost every plant that pays an NRRPT premium for contract HP's will pay the same premium for having 7 years' experience.  Considering that you have to be a Senior HP for 5 years to take the test, all you need to do is wait 2 years.

Forget about taking the NRRPT for the money, take it because it is a credential that will open doors.  The money will follow.  Take it because it will cut at LEAST a year off getting a degree - not to mention the cost of 30 semester hours (24 upper level).  The money will follow.

[grantime]

Some things can't always be measured as a return on cash investment.  Somethings are worth doing even without compensation.  I've never recieved a cent extra because I am NNRPT but I took it entirely for my own satisfaction.  Maybe not for everyone. 

[G-reg]

from http://www.nrrpt.org/index.cfm/m/17/m/7

Experience
An applicant must have a minimum of five years experience. Training may be substituted for experience if the applicant will submit to the Board information about the program and proof of completion. This information should include curriculum, typical examinations, and passing requirements for radiation related subjects.

Experience credit allowed for formal education, company training programs and applicable military training is cummulative up to a maximum of two years. Note that an applicant may not claim work experience while in formal classroom study.


Kinda hard to meet the 5 year experience requirement and still be a junior.......

Got it!  Here's a bit of an explanation for my rookie mistake.  I'm a 20-year Navy ELT (submarines) with two tender RadCon/RCSS tours, Plant Leading ELT at Prototype (635 in Charleston back in '99), two SSN LELT tours, three years as the Squadron Chem/RadCon guy, blah, blah, blah.  Anyway...

Reading post http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,4395.msg28914.html#msg28914, it looks like I could wiggle my tender RadCon, ELT, and time in the shipyards towards some serious SHP progression.  The money is obviously enticing, but I think it's probably not smart to skip straight to SHP for my first-ever outage.  I'm really good at Navy RadCon, but that + $3 will get me a cup of coffee when I'm driving around town outside the confines of the Navy base.

So I was thinkin' - which loosely translates into, "here is where I could probably use some fixin'":
I bone up for two months on the NRRPT, and take it in Feb 08.  (I'm kinda blessed in that I usually take written tests pretty well.  During oral exams, let's just say I won't be doing any Right Guard commercials...)  At this point I'd have to pay the exam's late-application fee, but c'est la vie.  Of course, this whole NRRPT exam for me is based on allowing my Navy "life experiences" to count toward the exam's prereqs - and I haven't seen anything yet which clearly tells me that that's OK, so this whole exam thing for me could be completely moot.  However, let's just say at this point that hypothetically I do take the NRRPT in Feb 08 (however hypothetical that may be).

Even if I do pass the NRRPT, and even if I do happen to squeeze into all the SHP prereqs, I'm thinking that I oughtta tackle my first-ever outage going in as Jr HP.  Maybe I'm crazy, or maybe I'm just plain dumb for thinking such thoughts, but here's how I look at the two entry-level options:
Jr HP. Compared to SHP I lose roughly $4K over the course of an outage (which ain't chump change), but I'm still payin' the bills and keepin' food on the table.  If I trip up a time or two on the civilian-side learning curve, I receive a few choice epithets & a roll of the eyes, I make a mental note regarding the f--- up, and I carry on smartly.  On the other hand, if I do reasonably well then maybe I get a couple people notice my name & face and say to themselves "he's OK" (which is important because paths seem to cross frequently).
SHP.  I put maybe 40 extra C-notes in the bank from the outage.  If I dork up a few things (or more than a few things) and do a sub-par SHP job right out of the starting blocks in front of God & country, then I'm toast; I'll be stuck deep in image rebuild/recovery mode for a pretty good stretch of time, which is not a fabulous way to be starting out one's career...

So with the Jr HP option, I loose a chunk of $$$ but should be able to manage to not lose face (and might even gain some good PR).  With SHP I bank some extra bills, but may have to lay low ("You want fries with that?") for a spell after that first initial job is done.

So unless a major epiphany strikes me and changes my mind, I'm going Jr HP for my first job.  And besides, it's my emphatic feeling that I oughtta have at least one "SHP U/I" before I actually take that job on fer chrissakes.  In fact, I'd like to do a Decon job even before going Jr HP, but I'm kinda worried that I could/would be "locked in" as a Decon guy after that.  I could imagine that after finishing Job #1 as a Deconner, any company getting my résumé for Job #2 would raise their eyebrows and say "You did Decon at your last job?  We need experienced Deconners for our outage."  (And thus commences an uphill battle...)  Maybe I'm wrong?

Anyway, coming full circle now and getting back to the NRRPT:

Even if I could/can satisfy all the prereqs for SHP, I plan on taking a Jr HP job (or two or three Jr jobs, depending on how hard it is for me to unlearn Navy RadCon).  So I was just wondering if I'd qualify for a NRRPT bonus as a Jr HP during the first job/jobs (or if I would have to wait until I actually took on the role of SHP).  Regardless of whether I get credit or not as a Jr, I'm still planning on taking the NRRPT this time around; even if it turns out that it isn't a pay-raiser for Jr HP, it can still be a door-opener.

Sorry this post is so long – hopefully it wasn't too painful to read...