Well, the shortage is a myth. Most contract Radiation Protection Technicians (other than those working long-term government cotracts) are unemployed for at least half of every year.
What really exists is a scheduling conflict. A large percentage of nuclear plants schedule their outages simultaneously because of the effect of seasonal climate changes on electric power demand.
If the outages were spread out evenly, the demand for RP technicians would be so low that nobody could afford to stay in the business. There would be about four to ten weeks of work per year for most contractors. As it is now, all availabel techs are employed at some times, but for only very short periods each spring and autumn. For the rest of the year, there are always some techs without work.
If you can get work in Canada, go there. Although Canada and the USA are each other's largest trading partners, there is essentially ZERO exchange of RP's between the two countries. We simply cannot find employment there (even though we import large amounts of electricity from Canada). NAFTA turns out to be a joke since we have to get in line behind the Swedes, Brits, and (now aparently) South Africans.
As long as that is the case, I have no problem with you standing in line behind the Mexicans to obtain work here. You say that you don't want to take work away from Americans, but the fact is that the Mexicans have more right to work here than you do, just as we Americans have more right to work in Canada than you do. But that doesn't seem to matter. Perhaps we should arrange for South Africa and Canada to exchange continents. I'm sure that SA would be more fair in hiring American RP's than Canada is.
Anyway, if Bartlett is not interested, you have practically no other opportunities. They hold a near monopoly on contract RP's, other than government work which mostly requires a security clearance that you won't get.
