Random general questions about becoming a Nuclear Power School Instructor

[Texas]

Okay, here goes...

My husband is interested in becoming a power school instructor.  We have both been doing all the research trying to find out as much about the program as possible until he can apply (hopefully after this semester is over).  I have general questions about getting in and the instructor position itself.

1.) My husband will need an age waiver (he is 29), so I'm not sure how much that will hurt his chances.  His cumulative G.P.A. is only 3.3 and I know the requirements state that it needs to be >3.5.  Is that just the competitive G.P.A.?  His major G.P.A. is 4.0.  Will that help?  He has taken Cal I and II and Phys I and II and made A's in all four.  Not sure what else would help a noncompetitive G.P.A., but he works 40 hours, takes 15 hours a semester for Mechanical Engineering, is a volunteer for the Texas State Guard and has recommendations from a Major in the Army, retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, physics prof, cal prof and electrical engr prof.

2.) He met with an OR last semester to get more information about the program and the OR was extremely uninterested.  He talked mostly about himself.  Was this because is wasn't time for my husband to apply yet?  Or was it the recruiter?  He contacted this particular OR through email and then met with him.  If he walks into the recruiting office would he have a chance at meeting with another OR? I'm just wondering how many officer recruiters are located in Texas or is there just one for the Dallas area and one for the Houston area?

3.) One of the bad things about reading through the other posts on here is I have read some things that aren't favorable.  One post, from a few years back, mentioned that the instructors weren't respected...really?  That was a little disappointing to read since everything else about it sounds great.  I know he really wants to become an instructor and would make a good one (he tutors a lot of the other students in  his classes), but obviously doesn't want to be looked down upon.  He has been a mechanic since graduating tech school and decided to go back to school in hopes of getting a job where he was paid a little more respect than being just the guy who fixes stuff. 

Thanks for any advice anyone has to give me.  I am just as excited about my husband joining the Navy as he is.  After May he will definitely meet with a recruiter again, but until then these were just some things I was curious about.

[Duchess]

1)  He will get an age waiver.  The waiver is routinely given up to age 35 for instructor applicants.
2)  His grades are competitive.  How many grades are less than a "B"?  All of the recommendations are good but his academic record will be the most important part of his application.
3)  Every recruiter is different.  It sounds like your husband is pretty competitive academically.  Don't take the recruiters disinterest as a bad sign.
4)  I don't think instructors are really looked down upon necessarily.  Instructors don't go to sea and have a good deal.  Guys that go to sea tend to talk a little trash about the officers that don't but I don't think they are really disrespected.  It's more inter community rivalry than anything.  Personally, I think they get a good deal and it's a pretty sweet gig.  For the most part they are very good at their job and fill a useful purpose.

If you PM me your email address I will forward it to a good nuclear recruiter in Texas.  Also, you can take a look at www.nukewarriors.com it is a little more focused on NUPOC and might be a good supplement to the information you are finding on this site.

[Gamecock]

4)  I don't think instructors are really looked down upon necessarily.  Instructors don't go to sea and have a good deal.  Guys that go to sea tend to talk a little trash about the officers that don't but I don't think they are really disrespected.  It's more inter community rivalry than anything.  Personally, I think they get a good deal and it's a pretty sweet gig.  For the most part they are very good at their job and fill a useful purpose.

Having been a sea-returnee instructor at NNPTC, I can tell you that the DIO's are definitely looked down on, especially by the SWO students.  That being said, I had several good ones work for me in Officer-Electrical Engineering.   The good ones end up in the officer department.

Break......


3.3 GPA really isn't that competitive for selection, regardless of your extra activities. 

Cheers,
GC

[Texas]

The 3.3 G.P.A. is a real bummer!  When he first started college he was one of the freshmen that didn't do so well.  Now that he is older, married and has two kids he realized that it doesn't help to make bad grades, so he has made straight A's in his technical classes and 2 B's since he has started on his B.S.  Oh well, all he can do is submit his application after May and if it doesn't work out this semester then try again in December.

Thanks for all the info!

[pm79]

Skip the Navy route and go commercial.  Now is a good time to get in and start building a career, a pension and an employer matched 401(k) account.  The Navy is a great way to go for young enlisted guys and unrestricted line officers who have the potential to go beyond the 4 or 5 years a DIO can serve.  Unless the Navy has drastically raised their payscale, you'll start out making more going the system/design engineering route or even starting as an equipment operator and moving up in the operations department (our last 2 classes of equipment operators have consisted of about 2 college graduate engineers to every one ex-navy.  EO IS A SIX FIGURE JOB ONCE OUT ON SHIFT. ).  Unless you guys have outrageous, and I mean ridiculous, student loans, don't go the DIO route.  Think about being 55 years old and kicking yourselves for not having that 4-5 extra years of employer pension/medical benefits.  I suppose you could ease your regret by taking a look at the dusty dress whites with the National Defense medal in the back of the closet.  Just something to consider.

[zyrxy]

Just in case you are wondering what other instructor applicants are like.

A "friend" of mine recently got the job as an instructor and "friend" got cum laude so ~3.7 with bachelors in math, only had prior high school teaching experience.  And I dont know of any reference my friend would have had (I highly doubt it is as good as your husbands).  My friend is a few years younger than your husband.

[rlbinc]

I also recommend the commercial power industry.
Plants are hiring for Operations positions. This is due to the perfect storm presented by the NRC Fatigue Rule (which limits overtime), the aging workforce (the utilities didn't hire in the 90s - they merged), and new build project staffing.
New build projects are mostly overseas right now - but they will sap a bunch of US talent as they ramp up.
I have recently worked as a Project Manager on a new build. The numbers and projected lack of experienced people are staggering.

My three suggestions:
1) Get into commercial plant operations.
2) Get an SRO license.
3) Get some experience.