Training Positions?

[jonota]

     I have been reading a lot of the posts on this site (mostly in this sub-forum however) and most of the work seems to be in the RP/HP arena, or the Ops.  I'm still not 100% on all the divisions that we are eligible straight out of the Navy, but currently I'm negotiating a training position.  I haven't quite finished my TESC degree (should have 2 courses starting in Jan and that's it).  I love training, and think I'm pretty good at it.  I have good grades through all schools (including college), staff instructor duty, training PO (divisional and department) for 2 years for experience but not sure how it carries over to my current pursuit.  Does anyone have any more information on the training side of the house?  Salary to expect and growth prospects?  Good things to get done (as possible) before getting into the field?  Competition?  Any advice would be most appreciated. 

Thanks
(and no, I don't think I'm better than anyone because I was a staff pick up!!  I imagine it doesn't mean squat in Civ world)

[Roll Tide]

 
(and no, I don't think I'm better than anyone because I was a staff pick up!!  I imagine it doesn't mean squat in Civ world)

I will sleep better nights knowing that
/Gunny Highway (Heartbreak Ridge)

OK,
Instructor is a great route. You will have to get an SRO Cert in order to teach OPS (and who would try to teach anything else?) which will be worth big $$$. I would expect at least $70K once you are training at a low paying plant. But the ones that need staff desperately will pay $100K for you if you have SRO Cert and 1 year commercial instructor experience.

[rlbinc]

Yeah, we've hired lots of "pick ups" in the plant before. They cruise around with the "sweep ups" and the "mop ups." I have known some to have a thermodynamic use, as "suck ups" when drawing a vacuum.

[Fermi2]

Actually you have no experience. If you want any credibility has an Ops instructor you'd better go through an Ops job otherwise you'd be sort of useless.

I'm not sure how the other departments are on this but I can tell you exactly how an Ops instructor with no real Ops experience is viewed, and I can tell you what their career path will be.

Mike

[Roll Tide]

Actually you have no experience. If you want any credibility has an Ops instructor you'd better go through an Ops job otherwise you'd be sort of useless.

He is used to that; he is a SPU.

Many of the instructors hired other than at commercial nukes don't have much experience. One of my AUO class-mates at Turkey Point had to choose between that position and instructor at Savannah River. AUO paid better...

[jonota]

I'm already being interviewed for the position and the company seems very interested in me.  Maybe that's just my impression and I'm wrong...  I "might" be able to do some ops jobs but not operating a commercial plant, as the location that I want doesn't really allow for the opportunity (although in 1-2 years it should).  If I can jump in ground floor in training, I'm fairly sure I can do alright(not cocky just confident).  I have also seen a lot on SRO although not much on the process, and I'm somewhat interested in that.  I'm not all about pay (by any means), although I'd like a decent wage.  I'm not willing to change the location I have in mind for an additional 5-10k/year. 

[Fermi2]

If you can't find anything on the SRO process here then you aren't looking hard enough.

I do like what you said in the last line of your last post, that all things being equal there are more important things than money.

Within 3 months after moving to Tennessee I got offered a job at another nuke for about 12K more. I told them it's a great offer but your plant isn't in Tennessee which to me was a bottom line, short of offering me 200K I wasn't moving. A few times when my license class kept getting extended I second guessed myself but I'm very glad I stayed as I work with some great people, at a for the most part well running facility and it's a great area. My family loves it and to me that's a lot more important than the extra money I could have made elsewhere.

My guess, an instructor job with your lack of any nuclear experience will be about 60K maybe more.

Mike

[RP Instructor]

I have to agree with RollTide; an Operations Instructor is the way-to-go, if you can. Yes...the salary is considerably more than a Craft or Technical Instructor. Once you receive the SRO License and/or Certification, you can move throughout managment at the palnt should you so desire.
I'm currently a Health Physics Instructor, and have requested the opportunity to go to SRO Certification class at my plant. I cross-trained in Operations (somewhat) while an HP house tech, and it was exciting to be put on the simulator and be responsible for reactor start-up, controlling steam generator water level, and syncronizing the turbine-generator. I've found that Operations Instructors are always more than willing to help if you show a genuine interst in learinng the plant.

[Neutron234]

I have over 7 years of operations experience as a non-licensed operator, and wanted to take a look at what opportunities may exist in the training side of things. I have taught one fundamentals class and actually kind of like it, so I want to see what else may be out there. One question I have is whether or not I can get in somewhere as an Ops Instructor and do the SRO cert without ever having been previously licensed? Any info would be helpful. Thanks

[Fermi2]

There are so many instructor bids out now that say SRO Experience required so I don't know. I know the last few we hired at my plant were already either SRO or SRO certified.

Mike

[shayne]

If it gets your foot in the door, why not start there.  If you find you don't enjoy it or the money isn't right, it is then easier to move within the company.

I seemed to like most of the instructors that had experience better, just my opinion.

[JohnK87]

We've had good success hiring Ops instructors from the Navy and putting them through SRO school.  (Heck, that's how I started, first 10 years in Ops Training.)  Pay typically starts higher than other jobs and really goes up if you get your SRO.  Keep in mind that you are teaching guys who have been operating the plant for 20+ years and don't like BS, and you'll be fine.