from shipyard to doe/commercial

[nickelrodent]

Ive recently passed my 3 year mark as radcon in a shipyard and am ready to move to the doe or commercial world but am not having to much luck with even getting passed the applying process to get a call back/email back. Was wondering if anyone had any good contact information or advice to help me make the transition?

[Cycoticpenguin]

*deep breath*

We (the site) are going to need a little more information to help. Why did you have to work in the shipyard? Are you ex navy? If so, was there a reason you didnt go straight to commercial? And why do you want to leave shipyard instead of working your way up? What kind of commercial job do you want? etc etc

[Cycoticpenguin]

How so? pertinent questions people here need to know to help... if he wants ops, he needs ops people. If he wants RP he needs RP people. If he wants to be a contractor, he needs contractor people, etc etc. They also need to know his background to offer usable advice...

[nickelrodent]

*deep breath*

Why did you have to work in the shipyard?  And why do you want to leave shipyard instead of working your way up? What kind of commercial job do you want? etc etc

Why I chose the shipyard is because I chose the shipyard, not sure how that information would help anything, and why I want to leave instead of working my way up is not important either. All Im asking is for some helpful advice in moving into commercial/doe work as a radiation protection technician (sorry if the radcon part was confusing.)

[Cycoticpenguin]

I saw 'radcon' in his post, not 'ops'. Speaking of Ops, don't you have school tomorrow???

He said "move to commercial world". Its not uncommon for people to want to go to ops...

edit: "Herr Standartenfuhrer" really??? thats pretty offensive...

Why I chose the shipyard is because I chose the shipyard, not sure how that information would help anything, and why I want to leave instead of working my way up is not important either. All Im asking is for some helpful advice in moving into commercial/doe work as a radiation protection technician (sorry if the radcon part was confusing.)

Your goals and aspirations DO matter. I wasnt trying to intrude or be crass. Merely trying to get the right people to notice and offer you this "helpful" advice you desire. If you chose shipyard as your first job, thats not quite the same as ex navy joining shipyard... thats why I asked. Your level of experience will dictate what job you are qualified for.

[Higgs]

I read it as him wanting to get into commercial or doe radcon as well, hence, I had no reply.

I am all or people wanting to help new comers, but frankly, I think we should allow the experts in each discipline handle the candidate mining. IE, if someone is looking to be an NLO,  then by all means, chime in cm. If he wanted to be an sro, I would have chimed in. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Cycoticpenguin]

I read it as him wanting to get into commercial or doe radcon as well, hence, I had no reply.

I am all or people wanting to help new comers, but frankly, I think we should allow the experts in each discipline handle the candidate mining. IE, if someone is looking to be an NLO,  then by all means, chime in cm. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Well, I was merely trying to narrow it down for people. What if he took the shipyard job to wait for a good time to get an ops job? Not exactly improbable, is it not? Anyway, he specified, so now the right people will take a look.

[nickelrodent]

Actually i was just under my 3 years before and couldn't apply for jobs at that time, though the help and advice of the forum patrons was great and made me really appreciate this web site. Now i am past my 3 years with a little extra and am having a difficult time as i have applied for many of the jobs that have been posted but with no doe/commercial experience it isn't going well. And in my defence, in that previous post I did state a spring time transition. Sorry if anyone felt I was wasting their time before, I wasn't. If I could have moved 7 months ago I would have. Im not sure how you think this is a handout?

[nickelrodent]

Hey thanks for the advice. I did think there was a 3 year minimum. I have been keeping track of jobs and I have noticed a sharp decline in postings starting at about the beginning of this year. I am actually not at a Navy yard but at a private one that has, as far as I know, a good reputation for its techs' work ethics. Maybe the jobs will appear farther down the road. Not that that will stop me from continuing to apply, though from the replies it seems the competition will be fierce.

[Cycoticpenguin]

My interest is piqued. What "private shipyard" has radcon O.o

[JsonD13]

Northup Grunman is private./

[Gamecock]

Northup Grunman is private./

EB is also private.

[drayer54]

My interest is piqued. What "private shipyard" has radcon O.o

REALLY CM?!

Good Luck to you nickerodent, it seems like this site alone has a new job everyday that you could be applying for.......

[Marlin]

A little off topic, but does Ingalls still have a nuclear component or has all of that capability been removed.

[IPREGEN]

Not all shipyard experience is the same, so 3 years in the yards may not be the same elsewhere

Long ago two fellows from Bartlett (Hiatt and Barley) complied guidelines that are still pretty much standard today.
The bottom line is,
test the waters to see your real market value.

This is from the page that shows how experience counts

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,4395.0.html


Shipyard and Tender RadCon Personnel

Several "RadCon" job categories, both civilian and military, involve substantial health physics experience. The civilian categories consist primarily of RadCon Monitors at the naval shipyards, while the Navy qualifications include RadCon Shift Supervisors (ELTs) and RadCon Monitors (various rates) on submarine and destroyer tenders with nuclear support facilities. By the very nature of the work involved -nuclear plant overhaul and repair -- shipyard and tender RadCon jobs may be accepted on a one-for-one basis with no limit, but subject to review to determine that the actual duties and job coverage provided are acceptable towards senior health physics technician status. In the case of tender personnel, the time spent in the home port and on rotation should be evaluated in the same manner as for ELTs -- non-overhaul time should be limited to one year of acceptance but there should be no limit for times of major radiological support activities.

[Gamecock]

A little off topic, but does Ingalls still have a nuclear component or has all of that capability been removed.

They no longer have a nuclear component.  The following is the current listing

Electric Boat                                    Groton, CT (Private)
Norfolk Naval Shipyard                       Portsmouth, VA (Public)
Northrop Grumman Newport News        Newport News, VA (Private)
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard                Pearl Harbor, HI (Public)
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard                 Kittery, ME (Public)
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard      Bremerton, WA (Public)

[MacGyver]

My interest is piqued. What "private shipyard" has radcon O.o

Who builds the The US Navy's Nuclear Ships'?  

Survey says:

Northup Grunman is private./

EB is also private.

You just had to show your "youth and inexperience"    didn't you?      

[IPREGEN]

From the NewPort News website
http://www.huntingtoningalls.com/nns/index.html

"Welcome to the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) website. NNS is a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries. We are the nation's sole-industrial designer, builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of the only two companies capable of designing and building nuclear-powered submarines. "

So you may say Ingalls builds nukes, but it's not the old Ingalls most people think about.

[Cycoticpenguin]

Lol I didnt ask that properly.... I was under the impression that the contract shipyard workers, albeit working for a private company were still under DOE jurisdiction.  Doesnt really apply to me in the least, so I dont know how to ask what Im trying to ask .

Im also well aware civies build the nuke stuff for the navy that whole "a4W" thing we get taught about...

[Brett LaVigne]

Congratulations on getting your time in, passing the 108 course, and making the smart decision to part company with the yard for more prosperous opportunities.

I started traveling after a couple of years at Newport News Shipbuilding back in 91'. I have found the 108 training to be an asset throughout the years. I would think Bartlett would be able to get you going pretty quickly. I also found that all of my time in the yard counted toward commercial, may have changed since then but I can't imagine why it would. I am thinking you have a fine career ahead of you.

[HydroDave63]

Lol I didnt ask that properly.... I was under the impression that the contract shipyard workers, albeit working for a private company were still under DOE jurisdiction.  Doesnt really apply to me in the least, so I dont know how to ask what Im trying to ask .

Im also well aware civies build the nuke stuff for the navy that whole "a4W" thing we get taught about...

*sigh*

-5 GCE. Shipyard working on Naval vessels= NAVSEA 0288 Article 108
               DOE sites=10CFR835
               NRC jurisdiction =10CFR20

               Now I'm curious what site offered you a Rad Tech job.....


               

[OldHP]

Why I chose the shipyard is because I chose the shipyard, not sure how that information would help anything, and why I want to leave instead of working my way up is not important either. All Im asking is for some helpful advice in moving into commercial/doe work as a radiation protection technician (sorry if the radcon part was confusing. 

Do I detect an attitude?

However:

In a heavier demand time the transition is pretty easy.  A lot of folks from EB and NNNS (HII) moved out in the '70's and '80's (and I'm sure '90's & '200's).  Right now is not a high demand time.  Watch the postings for the fall outage season if you want to go commercial (NPP) and watch daily for DOE or other interium (D&D, etc) possibilities.

If you are fully 108 qualified most folks will count the full time; however, you will still have to pass the exam that the site/location uses as their screening exam!

Just a note: CM replies to every post, even if he doesn't know beans about the subject!   

[Cycoticpenguin]

*sigh*

-5 GCE. Shipyard working on Naval vessels= NAVSEA 0288 Article 108
               DOE sites=10CFR835
               NRC jurisdiction =10CFR20

               Now I'm curious what site offered you a Rad Tech job.....


               

Huh?

http://www.westinghouse.com/
http://www.ge.com/


Im not understanding.

Just a note: CM replies to every post, even if he doesn't know beans about the subject!   

Its how I learn and get corrected when I think Im correct. I decided long ago, far better here on a forum then in real life.  With every smite and smart ass response, you guys always manage to correct my knowledge deficiencies. Ive learned more doing this then anything else I've done in a while...

[Brett LaVigne]

When I worked at Newport News, DOD granted my clearance, not DOE.