DOE Core fundamentals exam

[ashrum]

I applied for a position at CH2M Hill at Hanford. It is for a HPT trainee. Zero experience, they want me to take the doe core fundamental exam and pass it with an 80%. I have looked over the practice exam and it seems to have a lot of questions that the average person would not know. Do they really test over this information.

[HydroDave63]

I applied for a position at CH2M Hill at Hanford. It is for a HPT trainee. Zero experience, they want me to take the doe core fundamental exam and pass it with an 80%. I have looked over the practice exam and it seems to have a lot of questions that the average person would not know. Do they really test over this information.

Why yes, they do, and for that I am thankful. The average person probably shouldn't be providing HP support.

[Rennhack]

follow these links;


http://www.nukeworker.com/study/hp/rct/index.shtml

http://www.nukeworker.com/quiz/

I like it when it's spoon fed to them!

[Smart People]

A question for clarification: Will you have to take the test as soon as you show up on site or is there training beforehand? Seems kind of odd that you would be required to take this test as a new trainee.

I am making a distinction from new trainee and JR. Tech. Jr's need to have their fundamentals straight.

[ashrum]

The exam is before the interview. If I pass the exam with 80%, I will have an iterview. If they except me then I will go into the training program.

Thanks everyone for your help.

[REllis]

Yes they do test all of that information. Not only that the hanford core test seems to be harder than most. My daughter is in the current class training for the site specific. When she took it she was one of 9 out of 36 that passed on the day she took it. Only 11 out of 42 passed on the second day. They had to allow retakes to fill the available positions. If your "class' is the one for Jan. that will be the third class. After passing the core and selection process they will train you for the site specific. During training they give test on the various sections of the site specific and if you get >80% on all those you don't have to take the full monty at the end. Good Luck.

[ld5030]

Thank you everyone.

I feel that after reading these posts I am now prepared to take the DOE core exam. I wouldn't have been able or prepared to do this without all the information and comments above and to the point discussion concerning the exam. I just hope others have gleamed as much as I did from this lively discussion relating to the CORE test.

Best wishes and again thanks. I will let you all know how I did.


The CORE exam is what this discussion is about...isn't it? I wasn't alway 1,000,000% sure at times

For those who are interested in the CORE exam, Shawnee offers it online for $100 and can be proctored by a NRRPT current qualified person. Sorry to get off subject.....

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Thank you everyone.

I feel that after reading these posts I am now prepared to take the DOE core exam. I wouldn't have been able or prepared to do this without all the information and comments above and to the point discussion concerning the exam. I just hope others have gleamed as much as I did from this lively discussion relating to the CORE test.

Best wishes and again thanks. I will let you all know how I did.


The CORE exam is what this discussion is about...isn't it? I wasn't alway 1,000,000% sure at times

For those who are interested in the CORE exam, Shawnee offers it online for $100 and can be proctored by a NRRPT current qualified person. Sorry to get off subject.....

Thank You for steering it back onto the subject and for letting us know how you do on it.  Best of luck.

[ld5030]

You are welcome my friend...

I am sure others have gone to this topic hoping to find some help with the CORE exam and wondered as I did "what the hell is going on!" If that is the case and some have returned let us know how we can help. There is I am sure a couple of hundred years experience with some of the posters here that I hope you can gleam from.

As mentioned before Shawnee does offer an on line test, I was mistaken that it is not $100 but $125 and can be arranged on their website. You must have a proctor approved by them who must be a CHP or current good standing NRRPT member.

I had a friend who just took it and made a 89%. He studied the "cliff notes" short document that can be found on Shawnee's website in addition to the CORE quiz on Nukeworker. Bartlett has some study guides that you can download on their site which may be helpful also.

For you who are trying to break into the industry there is still  the good ole boy hidden policy in force at many places. If you are related to someone you can skip the decon position and head straight for Jr. HP. Is this unfair....well...like it or not it is fact at many places.

For the newcomers or hopefuls check out Bartlett's site again and they have a lesson how to read a rad meter. This might sound silly to some of us ole timers but I have seen on more than one occasion a "ANSI 3.1" who had a hard time converting cpm to dpm on a L-177. FACT!

I will try to post some good links soon that may be helpful to newcomers as well as some of us old dogs.  Best wishes and good luck to all. LD

[Content1]

If you study the nukeworker material and practice tests you will pass.

[Dave Warren]

Who is our resident DOE Core exam expert?

Does your successful completion of a core exam have an expiration date? Has it changed since back in the day?

Does Shawnee still offer it online?

[Rennhack]

1. No expert, as the policy varies from site to site.
2. Depends on the site. Depends on the site.
3. Yes.

[Jack E Schelebo]

Can anyone tell me about the DOE Core test and the site test at the Idaho Falls National Lab, I have been out of Rad business for almost 3 years and would like to get a honest opinion with what you think about studying and taking the nukeworker practice tests.

[SloGlo]

haven't herd very many complaints, if enny.

[Chimera]

The areas covered by the NUF and DOE Academic Fundamentals exam are quite similar.  DOE has a longer exam.

[GLW]

Can anyone tell me about the DOE Core test and the site test at the Idaho Falls National Lab, I have been out of Rad business for almost 3 years and would like to get a honest opinion with what you think about studying and taking the nukeworker practice tests.

the NUF is worth the time to practice with, I would expect similar results for the DOE Core,...

The areas covered by the NUF and DOE Academic Fundamentals exam are quite similar.  DOE has a longer exam.

I did not think so,....

I last sat for the NUF in 2013 and just took the DOE Core (cold) this past January.

I found the DOE core to be monotonous, I skipped four of the bio half life questions because it was just making my head hurt to keep doing the same, slow, painful, "do it just because the test writers are too lazy" exercises in number crunching,...

since anybody worth their chops just writes a spreadsheet to do the math for themselves anyways,...

fewer ECF from DHT problems,...

I still managed a 92,...

so,...

the NUF?!? not so monotonously difficult but much more "interesting" to take than the DOE Core ( I think I scored a 96 on the NUF),...

the DOE Core?!?,..... too long, too monotonous,....

[tolstoy]

The exam is before the interview. If I pass the exam with 80%, I will have an iterview. If they except me then I will go into the training program.

Thanks everyone for your help.

You are competing against people who have made a previous career choice to pursue the health physics field and have earned degrees or certificates. If hired you will find that very little of the DOE world translate to normal living.

[Jack E Schelebo]

I'm just trying to get back into the business and would like to know anything about the DOE core test and what you think about the practice test on nukeworker compared to the actual test does it help.

[Rennhack]

I have tried not to answer, because I am biased.  However, I am the resident SME (Subject Mater Expert), so here it goes:

Our Generic Fundamentals (1.1-1.13) sections are equivalent to the DOE version.  As is my RCT Cram notes.

I have started on, but have not released a 2.1-2.19 'site specific' section.  So for now, you are on your own for that portion.

Some smaller sites only give the 1.1-1.13 portion.  The larger sites (INEL) have a very customized version of 2.1-2.19.  At this time, it is beyond my scope and available time to produce a book for each site.

I can get you 50% of the way there, at this time.

[Chimera]

I, also, have "very customized" version of 2.1 through 2.19 here in Paducah.  Those Study Guides are for site specific information and may vary considerably between DOE sites.