PLease give me your opinion on my quals.

[skewter30]

First off let me state that I lack any formal engineering education.  I have  B.S. In Management Science Operations Analysis.  I took roughly 10 math courses including calculus, statistics(6 courses including statistical quality control and forecasting), Linear/matrix algebra, and two more basic classes.  I also took upper level management courses ( Production management, materials management,Operations management & Analysis) as part of my major.  The only science class i took was a 200 level chem class.

I have been running my own e commerce company for the last 6 years, but I am ready for something that can provide for my family (wife and two kids) on a more consistent basis. 

I have applied for an AO position with a local nuke...do you think I am what they are looking for?

[Fermi2]

No

[skewter30]

No

Thanks

[HydroDave63]

Thanks

Apply, take the POSS test, get hired, and enjoy life....just to spite Broadzilla if nothing else!

[BoilerHP]

I work closely with recruiters for the company I am currently scheduled to take a POSS with. I was told High School science classes also count (did you take physics then?)... I am sure Broadzilla will disagree, but this is what I was told (I am sure this will vary by company as well). I have a B.S. in Radiological Health Physics and the recruiter said if you have Nuke Navy or a B.S. "that's generally good enough to qualify" was what she said. If you have a B.S and not a B.A. there is a chance you may get a shot at taking the POSS. Once you get to that point read the posts on here about that over and over and over again.

[JustinHEMI05]

That would get you hired at my plant.

Justin

[Fermi2]

I stand behind my answer. How do any of us know what the local nuke is looking for if he hasn't referenced a plant?

[skewter30]

I stand behind my answer. How do any of us know what the local nuke is looking for if he hasn't referenced a plant?

I have applied at Constellation.  Do you know their hiring practices? if so, I would greatly appreciate any insight into their decision making strategy.

[30rem]

A few years ago, the plant I was employed at could not find people who could pass the pre-employment battery test. They looked high and low and nobody passed.

They finally resorted to hiring the geeks at the local high school and had jobs waiting for them when they turned 18. Giving them $60,000 a year jobs.

They all turned out to be pretty good operators.

If you could pass that test you had a job regardless of degree, pedigree etc.

I do not remember what the test was called though.

Good luck.

[xobxdoc]

Calvert has hired right out of high school in the past. Just pass the POSS and you are in. We just lost 5 PO's to license class so we are probably looking to hire.

[Bleyse]

In my AUO class we have two guys with degrees in Agricultural Science.  I'm not knocking them or anything, they're both competent and will make fine operators.  Just giving you an idea of what kind of background you can get in with.

Like the others say, give it a shot.  If you try and they say no, at least you tried.  If you don't try...  well, you'll never know. 

[Smooth Operator]

I hired into a class of 20 NLOs, of which many had no former plant experience:

BS Environmental Science
BS Chemistry
2 BS Physics
1 BS Mathematics
1 BS Health Physics with no actual nuclear experience
1 2 year degree in Power Plant Tech.
1 general industrial experience
1 with industrial optics experience
the remainder being an assortment of navy nukes with and w/o degrees

I say go for it. Pass the POSS and call it a day. The industry is hurting for applicants.

[alphadude]

LOTS of nonqual BS people get hired in at all nukes in ops positions. its a typical method of operation. what happens is you get hired, move into ops, get certified, enroll in a Eng degree program and in about 3 years the company has what they want. (SOTA) good thing is the utility will pay for almost all of it.

[BoilerHP]

I think a large part of it has to do with 1) The company 2) The recruiter and Hiring Manager. At Exelon they have been very happy that I am going into Ops and I know they would love to get some fresh out of college engineers in there as well. I have a degree in Health Physics, so they were having a hard time with themselves talking me out of taking an HP job... since they need those very badly. But everyone agreed I would fit in great with Ops and we all just need to "bite the bullet" on not putting me in RP (the S.O.S. was probably the most enthused about this choice).
I have applied to other utilities and did not hear anything back, so I think it's a lot with getting your foot in the door and getting your resume to the right people.

I really saw how important this "networking" is when I was getting my resume out for Health Physics positions. I have a "mentor" who has 25+ years in the business and knows a lot of RPMs, I could not get any replies going through HR on jobs... Once he gave out my resume I was getting calls within minutes of him sending them out from RP managers. So if at all possible try and get your resume to someone at the site in the department... not the HR people. Hope this helps! Best of luck

[tr]

Given your math background, you may want to look into the Probabalistic Risk Assessment group at the plant.  The management science operational analysis may be a good fit for groups like root cause investigation, quality assurance/oversight, procurement, and so on.

I suggest taking a look at what jobs are posted, rather than just concentrating on NLO.  Don't forget that at many plants, Ops makes up only 10-20% of the people who work at the site.

[skewter30]

Given your math background, you may want to look into the Probabalistic Risk Assessment group at the plant.  The management science operational analysis may be a good fit for groups like root cause investigation, quality assurance/oversight, procurement, and so on.

I suggest taking a look at what jobs are posted, rather than just concentrating on NLO.  Don't forget that at many plants, Ops makes up only 10-20% of the people who work at the site.

Thanks for the advice.  I have an interview with Constellation soon.  I passed the test and was recommended for the position.  I will keep everyone updated.

[dagiffy]

Thanks for the advice.  I have an interview with Constellation soon.  I passed the test and was recommended for the position.  I will keep everyone updated.

Which Constellation plant? I have something at Nine Mile Point on Feb 2nd. The POSS in the morning, interviews directly after that.

[skewter30]

Same plant on the 3rd.

[dagiffy]

this is the story we got. they are hiring 25, starting second week of March. Show up first week of March to get badged. Find out POSS results day after you take the test. Find out next week who they hire.

is that what you were told as well?

[skewter30]

That is the story I got.

[skewter30]

this is the story we got. they are hiring 25, starting second week of March. Show up first week of March to get badged. Find out POSS results day after you take the test. Find out next week who they hire.

is that what you were told as well?

Did you get your results?

[dagiffy]

I got my POSS results about 1 p.m. EST the next day. I passed. However, I have neither recent plant experience (nuke navy was 21 years ago) nor a degree (I have an AA but with university Calc 1 and 2, Physics w/Calc, Chemistry, all with the labs), so I consider myself at the bottom of the ones who passed the POSS, which apparently was a small group compared to the number that took the exam, at least as far as looking attractive to HR. No word on who they hired, but 25 seems like a large number. No idea how many applied, maybe hundreds, who knows. Have you found out yet about your POSS?

[skewter30]

yes, I passed. From what people tell me, my youth is a plus for me. I guess now we wait until next Wednesday...Thursday...Friday...

[dagiffy]

One of my questions for them was whether there was high turnover, do people stay when they hire on, etc...he said very little turnover, but they are hiring so many because the work force is retiring and it takes a long time to get good at the job, so they are hiring now. I think youth would play well into their plans. But, as the environmentalist wackos like to say, "Youth is wasted on the young".

[skewter30]

Well I'm Hired.  I have to say that this site was really helpful and all the advice I got from it made the process very manageable.