How Long Before I Get Cut?

[gotnoname19]

Hey guys, looking for some honest opinions. I am working my first ever outage this fall. The outage is scheduled for three weeks. How much of this three weeks do you think I'll be able to work before I am cut? 1 week, 2 weeks, all 3 weeks?

My question assumes that I am a hard worker.

[Jr8black3]

Depends on the plant and the supervision,and most of all the BUDGET...Goodluck..

[Rennhack]

Hey guys, looking for some honest opinions. I am working my first ever outage this fall. The outage is scheduled for three weeks. How much of this three weeks do you think I'll be able to work before I am cut? 1 week, 2 weeks, all 3 weeks?

My question assumes that I am a hard worker.

What craft/profession?  Laborer, Boilermaker, Deconner, HP, Safety?  Welders and HP's tend to stay longer in the respective fields.

[UncaBuffalo]

What craft/profession?  Laborer, Boilermaker, Deconner, HP, Safety?  Welders and HP's tend to stay longer in the respective fields.

Deconner?  (Based on his previous posts...)

Hey guys, looking for some honest opinions. I am working my first ever outage this fall. The outage is scheduled for three weeks. How much of this three weeks do you think I'll be able to work before I am cut? 1 week, 2 weeks, all 3 weeks?

My question assumes that I am a hard worker.

Taking the 'hard worker' into account, I'm going to bet you get 4 weeks out of your '3 week' outage...it really does pay to do your best.  Of course, we all know that things don't always work out the way they should, so don't set your budget on that pay...you may hit the street after a week or two...

Good Luck!  (...and let us know how much time you do get!)  

[gotnoname19]

Thanks guys, I'll let you know. Cheers.

[Lorrie Henson]

From what I've seen, in the HP field, first-timers to a plant tend to be on the first lay off... this isn't 100% of the time, of course, just what I've seen.  Also, locals tend to be on the first lay off.  Most plants do try to assist those that want to be on the first lay off.

Do your best!!  Good luck!!

[EasyLivin]

Does this usually apply to senior HPs? I may take my first outage at a plant and would like to work until the outage is complete.

[Lorrie Henson]

Depending on the plant, they will typically put out a "lay off request".  Those wanting to be on the first lay off will 'sign up'.  This will include Sr. Techs, Jr. Techs, and Decon.  If people have another plant to go to, the current plant will get them out first.   Then, there is typically a 'second lay off'... if you don't want a lay off until the very end of the outage, don't sign up for any of the lay offs.  However, there have been people laid off that didn't request it, for various reasons.   

Just do the BEST job you possibly can and try not to complain.   This tells management that you are worthy of staying till the very end.

GOOD LUCK!!

[UncaBuffalo]

From what I've seen, in the HP field, first-timers to a plant tend to be on the first lay off... this isn't 100% of the time, of course, just what I've seen.  Also, locals tend to be on the first lay off.  Most plants do try to assist those that want to be on the first lay off.

Do your best!!  Good luck!!

Yeah, don't take my earlier 'You might get an extra week' comment to apply to any case except 'NoName's".  If you look at his earlier posts, he has family at the plant he is going to be working, so that (combined with 'hard worker') gives him a good chance of catching a later layoff.

For the general 'First Time Worker', I definitely agree that first layoff is the norm.

[gotnoname19]

Whats up with bonuses? I've seen that some outages offer bonuses? Do first time Deconners get a bonus? How does that work?

[gotnoname19]

Your job is your bonus.  Do not get too greedy too early or you'll be back in the soup line asking yourself happened.

I'm not being greedy man, I'm just trying to learn how these things work; knowledge is power. Do I require a bonus to be happy with my position? Absolutely not. Being that I've been in college and haven't worked in four years, I am THRILLED with the wage I am getting paid, and the per diem that goes along with it.

So, bonuses? Yes no? Standard? Not standard? Just for Sr. workers? Etc?

[HenryBlack]

Most of the time first timers at a facility do not get bonuses. The bonuses are usually for returnees. However getting a bonus the first time out isn't out of the question. The only way to find out if a particular site is payng bonuses and to whom is to ask. Asking on here won't get you much though so I recommend that you call and ask a recruiter.

[thenukeman]

Most of the time they will tell you up front if you get a bonus.  Say Yes sir, yes mam and do your job to the best of your ability and you will stay longer.  Some places give a returnee bonus so next time you go back to a plant or even a system like Dominion you will get a bonus.

Since you do not know it is probably a no.  You could ask your fellow deconners if they get one, maybe they do and you don't because ofthe returnee thing.

[gotnoname19]

Fair enough, thanks for all of the info. I'm ready to work. I start training on Monday morning!!!

[UncaBuffalo]

Hey guys, looking for some honest opinions. I am working my first ever outage this fall. The outage is scheduled for three weeks. How much of this three weeks do you think I'll be able to work before I am cut? 1 week, 2 weeks, all 3 weeks?

My question assumes that I am a hard worker.

So...are you still working?

[HeatherB.]

I'm headed off to my first outage too... as a Jr. HP. Sorry for the enthusiasm (which I know brings on the ire of many old-timers on this site... LOL!), but I'm quite excited to get my foot in the door.

Any last minute suggestions on what I should take with me for 7 weeks? Besides my pitbull & my manual can-opener?



And advice from is greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend while I'm driving cross-country.

Go Gators!

[hezabear]

I'm headed off to my first outage too... as a Jr. HP. Sorry for the enthusiasm (which I know brings on the ire of many old-timers on this site... LOL!), but I'm quite excited to get my foot in the door.

Any last minute suggestions on what I should take with me for 7 weeks? Besides my pitbull & my manual can-opener?



And advice from is greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend while I'm driving cross-country.

Go Gators!

Take a few things that remind you of home. Always pack a coat,good set of work boot's, Handgun if you have one.And a learning attitude. Good luck and welcome to the nuke family. From a very old timer. Brad

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Any last minute suggestions on what I should take with me for 7 weeks? Besides my pitbull & my manual can-opener?



And advice from is greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend while I'm driving cross-country.

Go Gators!

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,10706.0.html

Take a little spare time to read the topic above.  It's titled "Things that Rookie Nukeworkers should know".  It contains a lot of good advice.

Best of luck and Welcome to Nukeworker!

Tom

[gotnoname19]

Hey guys, I started this thread and just wanted to give some closure. I worked for 2 weeks of "training," and 2 weeks of outage. It was a great experience and I made way more $$$ than I expected. Thanks.

[Rennhack]

Thank you for the closure.

[Content1]

Two weeks?!  That stinks, can't make a living on that.  Sounds more like a hobby than a job.   This is why I went house.   Fusion forever!

[GLW]

Two weeks?!  That stinks, can't make a living on that.  Sounds more like a hobby than a job.   This is why I went house.   Fusion forever!

or not,...

[EvolucionSeo]

What craft/profession? please

[Chimera]

Two weeks?!  That stinks, can't make a living on that.  Sounds more like a hobby than a job.   This is why I went house.   Fusion forever!

Back when I first started road-teching, the ideas was to work six months out of the year and make a year's wage.  That's still the general idea but with longer fuel cycles and outages stacked on top of each other, it's a little harder to do.  Looking over my resume from those days in the early '70's shows outages of about the same length as they are today.  The long, drawn-out outages of the '80's and early '90's are a thing of the past - along with SG replacements. 

It's a good thing my kids are all grown up - cuts down on the overhead at home.  However, once they were all grown up and out of the house for good, I quit my house job and went back on the road.  I was tired of my job being my life instead of being how I pay for my life.  It's always a good thing when your "hobby" pays the freight for the other important things in life.

[Content1]

Since I am being quoted saying, "Fusion forever" I meant it to say it will take forever for fusion to work, fission forever is my revision.