A conversation that I had tonight...

[ChaseJuggler]

Hey folks, first I'd like to say that I'm about as brand new to this forum as they come, but it looks like everyone here is friendly enough

Anyway, I'll briefly fill you in on my situation. I just graduated from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill in May with a BA in physics. For the past 5 years, my dream has been to teach high school math & physics.

However, I must say that I am pretty upset with the way education is run and how teachers are treated. I spent all summer scrambling to find a teaching job in my area, only to have that job given to someone else in the district after convincing the principal to hire me. In desperation, I managed to convince another principal to hire me within the next 48 hours. 10 days later, they are still trying to get everything together to hire me while in the meantime, there is a sub teaching my classes who is teaching them absolutely nothing (I spoke with the sub myself.)

Tonight I ran into someone at Arby's who told me that he had come out of retirement because they are so desperate for qualified problem solving type thinkers in nuclear plants. I met him because I happen to live only a few miles from one in NC. He encouraged me to at least consider it as a career for several years, and I don't see any harm in it since I can go back to teaching science & math pretty much whenever I want to.

I was always under the impression that a physics degree was WAY inferior to, say, an engineering degree for this line of work. He urged me that it's all about on site training anyway, and that a physics degree shows that I have enough problem solving skills for them to hire me in some entry level position. He also told me that there could be a possibility of later on working mostly with training others in the field, which would allow my passion/talent for teaching to really shine.

Is this really doable? Is the demand for mathematically inclined workers as desperate as he makes it out to be?

I look forward to hearing what you guys think! Thanks for reading

-Chase

[Fermi2]

Problem solving and ability to learn are far more important than paper qualifications.

You should do ok.

Very intelligent and well asked question my friend.

Mike

[ChaseJuggler]

Mutant, trust me, it felt more awkward for me typing the word Arby's than it did for you reading it

I guess he was just really interested in my story and I was equally interested in his. We ended up chatting for almost an hour about his experiences and my evaluation of the current state of math/science education in NC.

Thanks for the quick replies!

Maybe next week I'll meet my future wife at Taco Bell 

[stownsend]

Maybe someone higher up, sent someone to speak to you at Arby's.

[Lorrie Henson]

This is a pretty tough crowd in here sometimes and you couldn't have gotten a higher praise from Broadzilla!!!   Karma to you for your sense of humor!  Are you a Tarheel?  Which plant are you close to?  My husband is currently doing the outage at McGuire and he's been to Brunswick a number of times.

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck!  IMHO, this is a great business to be in.

Lorrie   

[tr]

In some specialized areas (such as core design and reactor engineering) a physics degree is as useful as an engineering degree.  

Each plant has a training department that is at least as large as most elementary schools (number of instructors and classrooms), and there are a steady stream of people taking classes related to physics (from reactor theory to heat transfer to fluid flow).  You would almost certainly be a good fit as an instructor in these general areas after a year or two.  I've know of other people who transferred from K-12 education to nuclear.

[Lorrie Henson]

I worked at Fermi in the Training Department and was responsible for the new training building... it's a 2 story building with numerous classrooms......not as big as an elementary school, but it's pretty big!!

[Fermi2]

Lorrie when were you at Fermi??

That training building is a monster isn't it?

Mike

[Lorrie Henson]

Hey BZ!!  I was there in 2002-2003... I left there to go to Big Rock to become a Jr. HP. 

Yeppers, the New Training Building was mine... plus I did huge projects for the Trainers, including all the training packets for the outage.  I was also a proctor for GET.  Would you like my full resume?   

[Jr8black3]

Fermi is a rough ride

[RDTroja]

Training departments as large as an elementary school??  You must work at a nuke that I have never been to, or you are from a really small town.

Hmmm... assuming elementary school = 1st - 6th grades and 4 teachers per grade (24 teachers total) then the plant I work in has a training department with about twice as many teachers as an elementary school. Our plant population all get some sort of training each year, so that is more than 1,000 students (trainees, actually) although not all in class at the same time. Sounds close to an elementary school to me, but with a bigger staff... and that is the important point here, if the poster is looking at training as a profession. I can think of a couple of other parallels to an elementary school, but I digress.

No offense to our teacher want-to-be but he/she never said that they had ever made a presentation before a class full of students.  Assuming that he/she would be a good fit in the training environment is a bit presumptuous.

While it may be a leap to assume instructor skills, it also is a distinct possibility. No guarantee, of course, but not worth dismissing out of hand, either.

[Fermi2]

Hey BZ!!  I was there in 2002-2003... I left there to go to Big Rock to become a Jr. HP. 

Yeppers, the New Training Building was mine... plus I did huge projects for the Trainers, including all the training packets for the outage.  I was also a proctor for GET.  Would you like my full resume?   

WHOA I was still a Shift Manager there in 2002-2003. I left in 2005. We might have run across each other.

You have my email right?

Mike

[tr]

Training departments as large as an elementary school??  You must work at a nuke that I have never been to, or you are from a really small town.

My local elementary school has 22 classrooms and about 25 teachers, with around 500 students.  I've never counted all the classrooms at SONGS, but I'm sure there are at least 15 dedicated classrooms, plus a simulator, plus all the various training labs.  While I don't know the number of people in the training department, I'm sure it's more than 25.

[ChaseJuggler]

Sorry for not replying -- my internet has been goofy for the past few days.

I live very close to McGuire. Probably a 5 minute drive or so.

And I am most definitely a Tarheel. I was a complete zombie when I had to teach the day after we won the national championship 

Thanks again for all the replies. For now I have to focus on school since I start tomorrow, but come next summer I will definitely have this in the back of my mind. Don't be surprised if you hear from me again in July!

By the way, thanks for what you guys do. I know it probably rarely looks as heroic as something like a firefighter, but I'm sure at times it's pretty admirable the amount of care required in the profession. At least that's the impression that I get from my hour of poking around in these forums. 

[Lorrie Henson]

YAYYY Tarheels!!  I can only imagine trying to keep composed the day after the championship.   The area around McGuire is nice.  My husband is staying in a place about 5 mins (if that) from the gate.

I'm so glad to hear your job starts tomorrow and hope you have a very successful year of teaching.  Just remember, the nuke business is here, if you want to entertain the idea later on.

[merchantg]

Just had to interject on the degree. After working with engineers and friends with physics degrees. I would generally take the physics degree, so don't let that discourage you at all. I some time wonder if when I complete my engineering degree will my IQ suddenly plummet to the bowls of hell?

[GoNuc]

Question for Tr.... You seem too know a lot about the Nuclear Power Plant.... That is why I have a question for you and hopefully you can answer it and maybe give me some advice.  First off, I have a Bachelors Degree of Science/Nuclear Medicine Technology... I just graduated in Dec. of 2008.....The job market for Nuc. Med. Techs. is slim pickens.. and majority of the time they look for 5 to 10yrs experiece before you are considered hire worthy.... However, I should have researched my education choice before jumping into something that I will never find a job in...Anyways, upon my job search.. I saw lots and lots of job postings for Nuclear Criticaity Safety Engineers, Radiochemist...ect..I am very interested......Tell me ... They ask for a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering or a Science related degree preferred....Even though I do not have any one of those except for the main focus of Radiation Physics, and Basic Physics, and minor Chemistry knowledge, along with Radiaton Safety, NRC guide lines, Radiation Biology, and much more.... which equals my Nuclear Medicine degree.  Do you think or is it possible for one like me to land one of those jobs without the engineering part?  What could I do to enhance my chance?  Thanks GoNuc!!

[tr]

One big thing an engineering degree gives that you may not have received is an understanding of thermodynamics, fluid flow, and heat transfer.  If you have a background in this you pretty definitely meet the BS in a science related field criteria.  If you don't, you might consider taking a class or two from some nearby college that offers these type of courses. 

As it is, your background is a pretty good fit in the Health Physics area, so that's where I would concentrate your efforts. 

Remember, your typical nuclear plant has a lot of high paying jobs that are open to smart, motivated people, some of which only require a high school diploma.  Any additional technical education (which you already have) is merely one additional factor which may improve your chances of being selected.  Any person that is hired will receive additional training in order to do their job.

Best bet is to compare your education and experience against whatever the listed job requirements are, and take it from there. 

Good luck.