Help | Contact Us
NukeWorker.com
NukeWorker Menu Whats Reactor Operator traing like?

Author Topic: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?  (Read 34531 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline weatherby460

  • Light User
  • **
  • Posts: 30
  • Karma: 14
Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« on: Oct 11, 2011, 02:29 »
Please describe what reactor operator traing is like for the first 9months to a year.  Is it hard?  Do people drop out?  Thanks

Offline Higgs

  • SRO
  • Very Heavy User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1942
  • Karma: 1284
  • Gender: Male
  • Life has a melody...
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #1 on: Oct 11, 2011, 02:41 »
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operator-licensing.html

About 3 months of GFES.
About 6 months of systems.

Yes it is hard. Yes people get dropped or drop out.

Justin
"How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic.” - Ted Nugent

Offline HydroDave63

  • Retired
  • *
  • Posts: 6295
  • Karma: 6629
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #2 on: Oct 11, 2011, 03:40 »

About 3 months of GFES.

What is a GFES? Is it hard? How many do I have to get right on it? Should I guess on some of the questions?

MacGyver

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #3 on: Oct 11, 2011, 03:43 »
From what I've read of your posts you don't qualify.  Resume (re: education & experience) or physically (re: pacemaker; I don't think you can hold a medical or any company will take the risk of your condition).  And, YES it's 10 to the 10th harder than you can imagine (i.e. "traing", sic).  ;@)

thenuttyneutron

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #4 on: Oct 11, 2011, 03:43 »
What is Reactor Operator TRAING?   -K

Offline Contract SRO

  • Moderate User
  • ***
  • Posts: 80
  • Karma: 55
  • Gender: Male
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #5 on: Oct 11, 2011, 03:47 »
What is a GFES? Is it hard? How many do I have to get right on it? Should I guess on some of the questions?

Generic Fundamentals Exam given by the NRC.

Offline RDTroja

  • Site Heretic
  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4015
  • Karma: 4558
  • Gender: Male
  • I knew I got into IT for a reason!
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #6 on: Oct 11, 2011, 04:04 »
What is a GFES? Is it hard? How many do I have to get right on it? Should I guess on some of the questions?

Generic Fundamentals Exam given by the NRC.

Did that make a nice 'WHOOSH' noise as it flew by without you catching it?
"I won't eat anything that has intelligent life, but I'd gladly eat a network executive or a politician."

                                  -Marty Feldman

"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to understand that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
                                  -Ronald Reagan

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.

                                  - Voltaire

Offline RDTroja

  • Site Heretic
  • Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4015
  • Karma: 4558
  • Gender: Male
  • I knew I got into IT for a reason!
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #7 on: Oct 11, 2011, 04:06 »
What is a GFES? Is it hard? How many do I have to get right on it? Should I guess on some of the questions?

-5 for forgetting to ask if there was a study guide on line for free that had the actual questions on it.
"I won't eat anything that has intelligent life, but I'd gladly eat a network executive or a politician."

                                  -Marty Feldman

"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to understand that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
                                  -Ronald Reagan

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.

                                  - Voltaire

Offline Contract SRO

  • Moderate User
  • ***
  • Posts: 80
  • Karma: 55
  • Gender: Male
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #8 on: Oct 11, 2011, 04:10 »
Did that make a nice 'WHOOSH' noise as it flew by without you catching it?

Some days are just like that.....Sorry

Fermi2

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #9 on: Oct 11, 2011, 04:56 »
My head is physically deconstructing

Offline HydroDave63

  • Retired
  • *
  • Posts: 6295
  • Karma: 6629
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #10 on: Oct 11, 2011, 05:51 »
My head is physically deconstructing

I thnk that is called Bremsstralung  8)

Fermi2

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #11 on: Oct 11, 2011, 06:03 »
I thnk that is called Bremsstralung  8)

What is Bremsstralung? Is it hard? How long does it take? Do lots of people drop out? Without knowing anything about my background what are my chances of passing? Tomorrow i have a chance to get a free heat transplant or a job interview, which should I take? Do you have to pass the POSS to get into Bremsstralung, I heard the POSS is hard. I took it and finished 4 questions in each section, 3 of which I guessed, do you think I passed?

MacGyver

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #12 on: Oct 11, 2011, 06:35 »
To be clear ($1 to Justin), even with a background (or a previous license on like equipment) in commercial nuclear power (i.e. Non-Licensed Operator at that particular plant) it is not an easy task to get your RO License.  Though their chances of success should be high.  A good number fail to get a license.  Also, you would have to qualify for an initial license class.  In addition you have to pass on going medical requirements.  You continue to have a tough time understanding this industry without actually performing some work at one (i.e. a nuclear plant) in a less lofty position first.  You don't have a track record to point to in industrial energy production.  So, you will have to start at the bottom.  Look for facility jobs & get badged first.  Establish a past in the industry & bid on promotions.  Peace ($1 to Marssim .. ;) )

thenuttyneutron

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #13 on: Oct 11, 2011, 06:36 »
What is Bremsstralung? Is it hard? How long does it take? Do lots of people drop out? Without knowing anything about my background what are my chances of passing? Tomorrow i have a chance to get a free heat transplant or a job interview, which should I take? Do you have to pass the POSS to get into Bremsstralung, I heard the POSS is hard. I took it and finished 4 questions in each section, 3 of which I guessed, do you think I passed?

Sounds like your head is "braking" over this test.  I can assure you that it is a very hard exam.  The dreaded Cherenkov exam from the MRO is what you need to worry about.  I saw plenty of it today while unloading the core.
« Last Edit: Oct 11, 2011, 06:42 by Nutty Neutron »

Offline weatherby460

  • Light User
  • **
  • Posts: 30
  • Karma: 14
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #14 on: Oct 11, 2011, 07:32 »
thanks for the positve comments...you guys are the best!

sounds like you guys got alot of hugs as a children

fyi...i already told the hr lady about my pacemaker...she said it shouldnt be an issue.....i was just curious if thats really the case...she said at worse, i would need a doctors letter stating i am in good health...which i am

plus...im just taking the test to take it again next year when i really want a job to get in electrical maintenance......long story short...its complicated why and what i am doing


Fermi2

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #15 on: Oct 11, 2011, 07:41 »
No we all are successful in a very demanding world and know the worst thing to do is coddle children.

And to be clear I wasn't making fun of your pacemaker, that would be extremely low and classless and I am neither. I was expanding on what another NUB posted.

Offline Starkist

  • Very Heavy User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1220
  • Karma: 166
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #16 on: Oct 11, 2011, 10:43 »



plus...im just taking the test to take it again next year when i really want a job to get in electrical maintenance......long story short...its complicated why and what i am doing
very relevant to reactor operator training...
« Last Edit: Oct 11, 2011, 10:45 by Starkist »

rlbinc

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #17 on: Oct 12, 2011, 12:25 »
1. ) Hard
2.) Yes
3.) Yes

Offline Creeker

  • Moderate User
  • ***
  • Posts: 112
  • Karma: 607
  • Gender: Male
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #18 on: Oct 12, 2011, 01:08 »
Let's assume you're past GFES, which some plants count as part of License Class, and some do not.  Counting it not, Systems is the first part of Reactor Operator License Class, which will have not only Reactor Operators, but also Senior Reactor Operators.  Yes, they are in the same classroom, and take the same exams.  (Until the very end)

Our last class had exams every other week, while the class before had exams every week.  80% was a minimal passing score, but anything below an 85%, or two standard deviations out from the pack, and you were in a remedial program.  There's a lot of classtime, not so much self study time.  A lot of classes run right next to each other.. So, you may have 4 hours of Power Block AC, followed after lunch by 4 hours of Reactor Coolant System.  When do you study for exams, you may be wondering?  You might think that you'll just pick up what you need to know while sitting in class, and indeed, there are occasional individuals who do learn that way.  But the other 95% of us spent nights and weekends reading through lesson plans, the USAR, tech specs, system drawings and prints, and taking field trips to the plant to walk things down.  There is occasional time when you'll visit the simulator, so you can see how things work on the boards, and start to become accustomed to component locations on the boards.  Systems at my plant runs about 13 weeks.  There is a final at the end.
   Students rarely quit license class..  but they do leave.  You get to the end of systems with your 81% average, and it might be time to cull you from the herd, depending upon site needs. 
   After systems, normal ops, which is a 3 or 4 week period where you learn more about... Normal ops.  Lots of control board time in the simulator, running GENs to take the plant up and down, and this culminates with a reward of performing a simulated startup, from pulling rods to power reaching the power range.  This is a graded exercise, and counts as a reactivity manipulation, of which you'll need about 5 on your qual card.  Once you get through normal ops, the class might split into two sections.  One will remain in class, while the other joins a crew on shift with their new qual card.  Stand watches, take logs, get check outs, perform evolutions, and learn about what happens in the plant.  The other half of the class will remain in the classroom, and begin Off Normal Procedures (name may vary).  Because requal owns the simulator during the day, guess when you get to practice?  Right!  From 4-8, or 8-12, or even 12-4 AM.  So, during this period, you'll sit through several hours of lecture, then head to the simulator to reinforce the lessons learned.  After a month or so, you'll switch, head to the plant, and the other group will come back for classroom/Sim phase.  You can kill the first year getting through Systems, Normal Ops, and Abnormal Ops.  You may have an outage in there.. We stopped class and participated in the outage my class..  Last class, we taught straight through the outage. (Less $$$) 
   Along the way, there may be oral boards, mini audits, simulator evaluations, and lots and lots of tests.  You'll learn to hate those tests, as they can be pretty stressful.

   We had an analogy for how difficult it was in systems, how much info,and how fast its presented.  Imagine you're driving through a town.  You go on the main street past 15 side streets, and then, once on the other side of town, I ask you... 3rd street, 5th house from the corner, left side.. What was the house number?  It's difficult, somefolks who have never failed at anything they've tried don't make it through.

   Hope that gives you a flavor of a year of class.

   

LaFeet

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #19 on: Oct 12, 2011, 02:51 »
Cool   sign me up

LaFeet

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #20 on: Oct 12, 2011, 02:52 »
Wait  I do not want to sit at a panel again... Ill just sit at my desk  8)

ski2313

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #21 on: Oct 12, 2011, 03:58 »
I've never been through license class.. but at my plant they just finished up a mixed class of RO's and SRO's. The class began with 14 students, and they spit out 6 licensed individuals on the other side (just to give you an idea of the difficulty). From what I've heard.. the biggest hang-ups are the tech-spec and I&C modules.

hungryg

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #22 on: Oct 19, 2011, 05:18 »
im in NLO training and im about to fail out only 2 months into it!!  its very hard!!

Offline HydroDave63

  • Retired
  • *
  • Posts: 6295
  • Karma: 6629
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #23 on: Oct 19, 2011, 05:27 »
I've never been through license class.. but at my plant they just finished up a mixed class of RO's and SRO's. The class began with 14 students, and they spit out 6 licensed individuals on the other side (just to give you an idea of the difficulty). From what I've heard.. the biggest hang-ups are the tech-spec and I&C modules.

im in NLO training and im about to fail out only 2 months into it!!  its very hard!!

Thermal non-leakage probability approaching equilibrium?

hungryg

  • Guest
Re: Whats Reactor Operator traing like?
« Reply #24 on: Oct 19, 2011, 05:50 »
something like that

 


NukeWorker ™ is a registered trademark of NukeWorker.com ™, LLC © 1996-2024 All rights reserved.
All material on this Web Site, including text, photographs, graphics, code and/or software, are protected by international copyright/trademark laws and treaties. Unauthorized use is not permitted. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute, in any manner, the material on this web site or any portion of it. Doing so will result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.
Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Code of Conduct | Spam Policy | Advertising Info | Contact Us | Forum Rules | Password Problem?