So there is a possibility I'll be starting in a class for auxiliary equipment operators for FirstEnergy. There were 14 open positions available, and they e-mailed me asking for more information not on the original application after I applied* (including salary requirments [40-50k was the lowest option

]), but we'll see. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone could shed some insight on the training involved (timeframe, difficulty, etc). Specifically, assuming everything goes well, will I get a job offer before training begins? I read that many power stations have annual classes, is there a relationship between outages and the classes?
When I was considering joining the nuke field out of high-school my recruiter said I would have to get a top secret check, which i know takes a long time, is the private sector more expedient?
*I'm 4 years out of high-school with a 2 year technical degree in chemistry and 3/4ths of a 2 year degree in general studies do I stand a chance?
I've only just scratched the surface on nukeworker, so any links to reading materials that I should check or advice on getting a job in the nuclear power industry would be appreciated.