Navy Nuke getting out (Please read the whole post before flaming)

[mark.phillips]

Gentlemen (and ladies),
A little background, then my questions are in bold.  I am a navy LT getting out in the next few months.  I have an engineering degree and my masters in management (not an MBA). 

I have made the usual rounds at a few plants and have a few offers.  However, I am not sure I am ready to roll right from the Navy into shift work.  With that in mind I have explored a few of the Nuclear suppliers (Westinghouse, Mitsubishi, etc).  Im not too keen on Pittsburgh and have been considering MNES pretty seriously in Northern VA.  I would be interviewing for an Engineering/Project Management type of position in their APWR division.  My questions is about the APWR.  It seems to me that AP1000 is the plant of choice in the US and there is only one APWR plant in the works as of right now (Commanche Peak I think).  Would it be silly of me to hitch my wagon to a company who seems to be struggling to gain market share in the new construction business?  Is that assessment of the APWR plant even correct? 

Second question.  I have also had some dialogue with a few energy consulting companies who specialize in the Nuclear industry (supply chain stuff mostly).  I think this would be a good way to get a lot of broad exposure to the industry and build my resume before making a jump to a management type position with a utility (probably my ultimate goal, even though Im still not entirely sure what I wanna do when I grow up).  The flip side to that coin is that I have gotten a lot of feedback that the SRO license is an important ticket to get punched.  Does anyone have any experience with this type of consulting position? or thoughts on the necessity of getting an SRO license?

Last question...Along the same lines as the consulting idea, I have considered the NRC as a good way to get a broad exposure to the Nuclear industry. But again, may not get my SRO license if I go that route.  Does anyone have any experience with making the jump from the NRC to a utility?

Thanks in advance for your time and looking forward to the witty comments...
Mark

[co60slr]

Gentlemen (and ladies),
A little background, then my questions are in bold.  I am a navy LT getting out in the next few months.  I have an engineering degree and my masters in management (not an MBA). 

I have made the usual rounds at a few plants and have a few offers.  However, I am not sure I am ready to roll right from the Navy into shift work.  With that in mind I have explored a few of the Nuclear suppliers (Westinghouse, Mitsubishi, etc).  Im not too keen on Pittsburgh and have been considering MNES pretty seriously in Northern VA.  I would be interviewing for an Engineering/Project Management type of position in their APWR division.  My questions is about the APWR.  It seems to me that AP1000 is the plant of choice in the US and there is only one APWR plant in the works as of right now (Commanche Peak I think).  Would it be silly of me to hitch my wagon to a company who seems to be struggling to gain market share in the new construction business?  Is that assessment of the APWR plant even correct? 

Second question.  I have also had some dialogue with a few energy consulting companies who specialize in the Nuclear industry (supply chain stuff mostly).  I think this would be a good way to get a lot of broad exposure to the industry and build my resume before making a jump to a management type position with a utility (probably my ultimate goal, even though Im still not entirely sure what I wanna do when I grow up).  The flip side to that coin is that I have gotten a lot of feedback that the SRO license is an important ticket to get punched.  Does anyone have any experience with this type of consulting position? or thoughts on the necessity of getting an SRO license?

Last question...Along the same lines as the consulting idea, I have considered the NRC as a good way to get a broad exposure to the Nuclear industry. But again, may not get my SRO license if I go that route.  Does anyone have any experience with making the jump from the NRC to a utility?

Thanks in advance for your time and looking forward to the witty comments...
Mark

Hi Mark,

Sorry to disappoint you.  No witty comments.

It sounds like you've done a thorough job search.  Congrats on your exploration and then having some choices!   I recently went through similar thoughts and choices...I can share my opinion via PM/email if you'd like.

You may consider the lack of SRO license/cert to be synonymous to spending three years on a submarine and never getting your Dolphins.   It wouldn't hurt to spend some time in the "trenches" while waiting to see exactly how many AP1000s end up getting built in the next 5 years.  It appears you see that path though and are just weighing options.

All great options.  I suspect it'll come down to where you want to live and deciding, at least on some macroscopic level what direction you'd like to go for the next five years or so.  I've heard of people bouncing around all the areas you listed, but don't have any personal experience with that diversity on "this" side of the fence.  :-)

In any event, please keep the Forum posted of your progress.   

Co60

[Benwah033]

Gentlemen (and ladies),
A little background, then my questions are in bold.  I am a navy LT getting out in the next few months.  I have an engineering degree and my masters in management (not an MBA). 

I have made the usual rounds at a few plants and have a few offers.  However, I am not sure I am ready to roll right from the Navy into shift work.  With that in mind I have explored a few of the Nuclear suppliers (Westinghouse, Mitsubishi, etc).  Im not too keen on Pittsburgh and have been considering MNES pretty seriously in Northern VA.  I would be interviewing for an Engineering/Project Management type of position in their APWR division.  My questions is about the APWR.  It seems to me that AP1000 is the plant of choice in the US and there is only one APWR plant in the works as of right now (Commanche Peak I think).  Would it be silly of me to hitch my wagon to a company who seems to be struggling to gain market share in the new construction business?  Is that assessment of the APWR plant even correct? 

Second question.  I have also had some dialogue with a few energy consulting companies who specialize in the Nuclear industry (supply chain stuff mostly).  I think this would be a good way to get a lot of broad exposure to the industry and build my resume before making a jump to a management type position with a utility (probably my ultimate goal, even though Im still not entirely sure what I wanna do when I grow up).  The flip side to that coin is that I have gotten a lot of feedback that the SRO license is an important ticket to get punched.  Does anyone have any experience with this type of consulting position? or thoughts on the necessity of getting an SRO license?

Last question...Along the same lines as the consulting idea, I have considered the NRC as a good way to get a broad exposure to the Nuclear industry. But again, may not get my SRO license if I go that route.  Does anyone have any experience with making the jump from the NRC to a utility?

Thanks in advance for your time and looking forward to the witty comments...
Mark

Ok, I'll take a stab at each question one at a time:

1) Mitsubishi vs Westinghouse - You're assessment is a little off.  Currently ABWRs are being built in Japan and further along in construction than any AP1000's in the US or any of the 4 in China.  As of right now, only Vogtle is actually actively constructing AP1000's in the US, and they're doing very preliminary work without a COL.  Although more utilities have expressed interest in the AP1000,  you'll find through some research that expressing interest means nothing in the US Nuclear Industry at this point.  Also, if you went to work for Westinghouse you would be more likely to work on a non-AP-1000 plant (60 something of them globally) than an AP-1000 (4-6 orders) - even if you take an AP1000 job.  When the AP1000 work dries up, as it does every year when the funding runs out, work is redistributed throughout the company.

That being said, working for a reactor vendor is a good way to gain a relatively focused view of the nuclear industry.  More than likely you will work on a specific area of a specific type of plant, and not gain very much exposure to how the rest of the plant works.  If you want to work in plant management, you would be better off trying to work directly for a utility at a plant.

I worked for Westinghouse as an engineer for 4 years before changing jobs to go work at a plant in order to get an SRO license FYI.  Westinghouse is a great company to work for, but SRO is not an option there because they don't operate any plants.  From what I've heard, Commanche is serious about the APWR, and I'm sure there is a ton of work to be done to secure the NRC final design approval over the next couple years so you really can't go wrong, especially if you're looking for a stepping stone job.

Question 2: An SRO would help you greatly get into a consulting position at a nuclear-focused company, however, SROs aren't all over begging for jobs, so companies can't expect applicants to have a license...

Just a quick note, which I'm sure you'll get ALOT more of in upcoming posts - If you ever intend to get a license, don't ever refer to it as "punching a ticket."  A utility invests alot of time and money in training a license candidate.  Unless they hire you for a non-shift / ops job with the intention getting you an SRO Cert (Different from a license), they will not want to pay to send you to class so that you can do a year on shift and then leave - its not worth it to them and there are many people who want that job for that job, not for the next one.

Question 3) I know people who have gone from a utility to the NRC, but I don't know anyone who has done the opposite.  This in now way means that it can't be done, or even that it is uncommon.

I hope this helps, if you want any more info feel free to PM me

[mark.phillips]

Fellas,
Thanks for the insight.  Didnt think of the APWR vs AP1000 argument in the terms that you put it.  In my mind I was thinking of it as if all this construction is happening in the near future, which I know is not the case. 

One more questions.  I do have the opportunity to enter an SRO class and then turn around to become an instructor.  My concern is that in the Navy my training experience was best used when I was training on something I had done (driving subs, standing the watch, etc).  How credible will I be as an instructor if I never actually got any OPS experience? 

[retired nuke]

Fellas,
Thanks for the insight.  Didnt think of the APWR vs AP1000 argument in the terms that you put it.  In my mind I was thinking of it as if all this construction is happening in the near future, which I know is not the case. 

One more questions.  I do have the opportunity to enter an SRO class and then turn around to become an instructor.  My concern is that in the Navy my training experience was best used when I was training on something I had done (driving subs, standing the watch, etc).  How credible will I be as an instructor if I never actually got any OPS experience? 

I'd suggest a PM to Broadzilla - his reply may be scathing, but it will give you an idea of what you may face in the real world...

[HydroDave63]

One more questions.  I do have the opportunity to enter an SRO class and then turn around to become an instructor.  My concern is that in the Navy my training experience was best used when I was training on something I had done (driving subs, standing the watch, etc).  How credible will I be as an instructor if I never actually got any OPS experience? 

With an instant SRO and instructor, my guess would be that you'd be teaching NLO classes and/or GFES.

[co60slr]

With an instant SRO and instructor, my guess would be that you'd be teaching NLO classes and/or GFES.

I think it depends on the utility.  We have several new "instant SRO certs" teaching anything/everything (except SRO Requal).

[JustinHEMI05]

Fellas,
Thanks for the insight.  Didnt think of the APWR vs AP1000 argument in the terms that you put it.  In my mind I was thinking of it as if all this construction is happening in the near future, which I know is not the case.  

One more questions.  I do have the opportunity to enter an SRO class and then turn around to become an instructor.  My concern is that in the Navy my training experience was best used when I was training on something I had done (driving subs, standing the watch, etc).  How credible will I be as an instructor if I never actually got any OPS experience?  

When I got into the industry out of the Navy, I was first hired to go be an ops instructor at Palo Verde. 6 months later, I quit to take an SRO job at Peach Bottom. There are three main reasons I quit;

1) Major family health issues on the East coast.
2) Being a navy nuke with no background in commercial power with a cert was going to be a sh***y job. Why? I was told on a DAILY basis "he had a license, shut up and know your place." Or "your class mates are getting licenses, they take priority." The nail in the coffin was when the then brand new ops VP came to me and the other 2 guys hired into the same position and said, "My ops instructors come from ops, period." And he walked away. I decided my career as a navy nuke with a cert as an instructor wasn't going to be fun there, and probably wasn't going anywhere. I gave them a chance to allow me to get a license, they said no.
3) I hate the desert.

So, although some utilities may treat their ex navy nuke certified ops instructors differently, my one experience with it sucked. Hopefully you will get something better.

Good luck!

Justin

[number41]

Ditto what the others said about being an SRO-cert instructor with no commercial experience.  The guys that hired here with me to be SRO cert instructors are teaching NLO classes & GFES at this point, and they have opined their position several times with regard to the "you haven't been here long enough to have an opinion" matter.  If you think Navy nukes were a tough crowd to instruct when you had an actual lawful position to control their behavior, you should see what happens when you try to teach a license requal class full of guys with 25+ years experience and no regard for shake & bake instructors.  I felt really awkward watching that happen......it was reminiscent of a special olympics bus crash.  I wanted to look away in disgust, but I just couldn't.   Further, I'm definitely feeling the heat as an Instant SRO, but they at least give me a little credit for actually getting a license (or attempting to.)  Many of the, how should I put this, more "seasoned" operators display open disdain for any instant candidate, let alone one who doesn't have an actual license who is attempting to teach people about the plant and how to operate it.

[Fermi2]

I'd suggest a PM to Broadzilla - his reply may be scathing, but it will give you an idea of what you may face in the real world...

No more job advice.

Mike

[mark.phillips]

Thanks for the info.  The stigma associated with the SRO Cert is definitely what I was wary of.  I was pretty clear with my recruiter that I wasnt interested in merely obtaining a cert, and my offer is to get an actual license prior to instructing.  I guess that way if the teaching situation is that bad, I could probably make the jump to ops on shift. 

Again, thanks to everyone for the info.  Ill keep the forum posted on my final decision (if anyone cares). 

Mark

[Preciousblue1965]

No more job advice.

Mike

But Mike, How will I know if I am qualified enough to be a janitor or not if you don't tell me??