Rookie trying to get in the NUKE FIELD

[farrski53]

I am 19 years old trying to break in the nuke field. I have contacted countless number of companies from Bartlett to LSI and nobody seems to have any openings. I can pass a drug test and have no criminal backgroung so no problem for clearance issues. I worked for a company called PCI. We would go into TVA plants and clean their fly-ash out of the hoppers during outages and what not. I dont care what kind of job it is or how far I have to travel. Any thought or opinions that can help me out. I have my OSHA 10 also.

[Content1]

Bartlett is the best place to try, ask for Eric or Joey, very good people at 800 225-0385.   You are coming in kind of late for a new commer.  I heard Kewaunee was short of people, but they prefer experience.   If you are determined, if you don't get it now there is next season.   Letting as many people in the business you can meet to help get the word out and your name that you are looking for a job can never hurt.

[withroaj]

If you're 19 and don't care how far you have to travel you can check out the Navy option. One or two of the folks in the industry started there from what I understand.

[EasyLivin]

...check out the Navy option.

I agree.

[farrski53]

Thanks for the help. But as far as the navy from what I have heard they do not pay that good I dont know thats just here say.

[withroaj]

Thanks for the help. But as far as the navy from what I have heard they do not pay that good I dont know thats just here say.

If you're 19 with no kids and no education beyond high school the money is great.  If you get promoted as fast as possible you'll be making around 50k within your first three years.  Not bad if you can't afford college.

If you can afford college... go to college.

[HeatherB.]

I am a rookie... just NOW getting into the field, after some encouragement of Dad & Uncles in the biz.

Rather than starting as a laborer, or decon, etc... I took an online course with S.E.S. (SHawnee Enviromental Services) to get certified as a Radiation Control Technician. It was a 6-month course, with twice a week online classroom chats for lecture & Q&A sessions. The course really gave some quality instruction and helped me pass the Dept. of Energy's CORE Exam.
(*COntact Bill Childers: admin@shawneerct.com for more information about when the next RCT Course might be starting. You can also look for then via the Rentatechs.com website.)

I'm driving off this weekend to work the outage @ Beaver Valley... it'll be my first! And I'm feeling excited & affirmed that I've worked hard for 6 months and now it'll payoff!!!

[Content1]

I paid $2,200 for my daughter to take the Bartlett course at rocky flats and ended up not being able to use it and she got in as a deconner, before she worked her way into a Junior.  Good luck that you actually got a job from that, many just were out of the money they paid.   The reason stated was sites did not trust classes without experience, which you can do without the investment in the first place.  It goes back to who you know and a little luck.

[johnnyreb]

  has bartlett no shame?

[nukewood]

Content 1  ,  I suspect that, in the long run , her course will benefit her if she continues to maintain a positive attitude .

[jowlman]

If you're in Tennessee and have already been in the TVA system, you should try to do Sequoyah's next outage. You've already missed the start of Watts Bar's. TVA has hired people with no nuclear experience in the past. So I would get on the phone to Bartlett ASAP. Once I had my foot in the door, then I would try the SES route to learn the theory as well as the practical.