Certifications

[Naimugen]

Dear Board,

Greetings all, this is my first post as a new member of this site. I'm currently in the Navy as a Machinist Mate Submarine designated. I'm currently qualified up to Engine Room Supervisor. To the point, I've been looking into certifications and apprenticeships through the Navy and was wondering would a journeyman certification as a Industrial Mechanic be very beneficial and are there any certifications that would be good to be working towards prior to getting out.

Sincerely,

Curious Mechanic

[JsonD13]

Journeyman certification can be beneficial.  Other certifications can be beneficial to get prior to getting out.  It all depends on what you want to do.  Do some more research on your desired job field to find all the qualifications that are required/desired.  Most companies put what is required and what they would prefer on their job postings.

Jason

[Naimugen]

I guess I wasn't really specific. I was wondering if it is beneficial towards a career in the the nuclear field. 

[JsonD13]

My previous post is still a valid response, as there are a good number of different jobs you can perform within the nuclear community.  A good start would be to google the nuclear power plants near where you want to live, find out the companies that own/operate them, and look at their job postings to see what you may need.  As an 8 and out ELT, I needed nothing more than my experience and Navy training to get a great job as a radiation protection specialist.

Jason

[Nuclear NASCAR]

A journeyman certification helped 3 people I know of to be able to bid straight to a journeyman maintenance job at my plant.  It will never be a waste of your time & effort to obtain one.

[Already Gone]

As an MM2 you're eligible for your Journeyman card in several trade unions.  You might wish to contact your local union halls.  Or, do some web browsing.  You might be required to prove your qualifications through testing or through an apprenticeship program (which should be much shorter for you than for an apprentice who comes in off the street).

Pipefitters- www.ua.org
Millwrights - http://www.ubcmillwrights.org
Boilermakers - http://www.boilermakers.org

Work through a union hall can be anything from long-term work on a fixed location to itinerant outage work (lots of overtime) to a day or two performing a small repair - depending on the needs of the local market.  Travel into other jurisdictions is also an option in most unions when demand is high enough.

If you are considering a house job (working directly for a utility) you will possibly be required to join the union which covers their employees once you are hired.  Regardless of your actual skill, you'll be in the same union as the other manual trades on site (in most cases).  The two largest unions who represent utility employees are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - http://www.ibew.org
and the Utility Workers Union of America - http://www.uwua.net

These jobs do not necessarily follow the progression from Apprentice to Journeyman - rather, they tend to follow the employers' job classifications and establish pay rates based on their individual contract with the employer.

Getting a Journeyman card will not necessarily be a deciding factor in securing a house job, but it can't hurt.  The only caution here is that if you join a union and work as a Journeyman, and then accept work at a non-union power plant, you could lose any accrued pension and benefits that you earned as a union tradesperson.  Only in extraordinary circumstances will a union tolerate one of its members working in a similar trade outside of their bargaining jurisdiction - and never without their permission.  People do get away with it all the time - some even have books in two or three unions at the same time (which is also frowned upon if any of the work is similar - such as a Boilermaker working as a Pipefitter).  But, they sometimes make examples of violators (if they catch them).  So, you have to think of it as a one-way ticket when you go into or out of a union.  They tend to see membership as a commitment, and not a stepping-stone to other work.  Although, I know a few Engineers and management types who are former union tradesmen.  Some of them still keep their books and pay their dues.  This kind of move is widely accepted if not outright encouraged.

Having said that, I don't think it would hurt you in the least to investigate the various unions.  You don't have to join right off.  Check them out and decide when it is appropriate.

Now, return the favor and keep us posted on what you find out.

Good luck.

[Naimugen]

Thank you all for the advice, I'll keep you posted on what I find out.

Sincerely,

Curious Mechanic

[steve6542]

Curious Mechanic,

Your posting reminds me of when I left the Navy in 1977.  I too was a MM on a sub, and ERS qualified.  My sub has long since been decommissioned (Silversides).  I still work in the nuclear industry.  After the Navy I worked for almost 4 years as a plant operator at Calvert Cliffs.  In the early '80s I jumped to an engineering firm to help out with the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident recovery/cleanup.  After working at TMI-2 for nearly 9 years, I moved to field engineering assignments along the east coast and Midwest.  I currently work on design engineering/modifications projects.  All of this without much more than my Navy experience and a "can do" attitude.  My Navy and Calvert Cliffs Operations experience is appreciated in what I do for my projects.  Maybe my timing was good, or I was lucky, but all I can say to you is keep up what you are doing and make lots of friends....you will do well.

Good Luck and Welcome to Commercial Nuclear Power!
Steve

PS: Nuclear utility companies are currently expanding their ability to make more power (upgrades, new reactor licenses and relicensing old plants).  Going commercial right now is great timing.