Physics Degree & Entry level Operator

[Fermi2]

I actually TRIED helping him at first!

[SpaceJustice]

The thing that gets me is that with a high gpa he can probably get picked up for Nuke officer, put in five years making some good money and getting good experience, then get out and have a really good shot at getting into the industry.

[RadRooster]

I never said that and so far as being welcoming. I told you how the system worked . Most nukes know it's a tough industry. No one here is your momma or daddy nor will you get it in the industry. It's most populated by hard a**  people who don't have time for whiners like you. I did it for 30 years and had a great time then again I wasn't a whiner, my advice grow up get a thicker skin and try another industry. If you expect coddling in an industry dominated by ex military people who weren't coddled you need to try something else. What you found here is common in the industry. You got a lot of good advice but it wasn't what you wanted to hear. Now go try something else nub

It is not necessary to have been in the military or have a college degree (although either or both might help) I have neither and have been in the nuke industry for 11 years. I have worked D.O.E. and commercial, union and non union. With minor differences, all were comparable when it comes to wages and benefits. What is truly needed is thick skin and willingness to learn and get off your @$$ and work. If one was truly willing to take an entry level position I suspect they would jump some outages as a decon tech or start as a laborer. There are always postings for those jobs.  Less of an entitlement attitude also goes a long way. 

P.S. I am also the first in my family in this industry so it wasn't a favor to my uncle or anyone to hire me. 

[xobxdoc]

This kid is a product of the parenting model that never corrects, always pats on head, and says "everyone is a winner." He is also a product of the college industry lie that everyone should go to college, and that everyone will have a job waiting for them afterwards.

In short, the "me" generation.

In his mind, he is entitled to everything on a golden platter. He reminds me of a couple of the "me" generation that slipped through the hiring process in our most recent NLO classes. They expect to be paid to show up to work, but if you want them to work, that's something extra.

We, as an industry, have to be on our guard with our hiring these days.


As a small aneqdote, one of these "me'ers" was on a 12 hour double day..., getting paid nearly 90/hr. I called him down for some minor clearance work and he responds "I knew you were going to do this!"

I said "Do what?"

He says "Cut into my a$$ time."

I had to count to 10 before I said "You expect me to pay you 90/hr to sit on your a$$ all f*&kin day? Go home, I'll call someone else."

He says "I was just kidding."

"Right."

 

Me'ers..., avoid them like the plague when hiring.

Justin

Sounds like they know which buttons to press with you. Lighten up, you'll get an ulcer.

[Higgs]

No, that isn't it.

Justin

[Fermi2]

Bottom line he should never say anything like that to his supervisor

[xobxdoc]

I would expect maybe an Ops manager to say something like " We here at Maui Yankee Nuclear pay you blah, blah, blah. This guy is an SRO saying " I pay you". I would kid around with that senior.

[Higgs]

You don't know me, the guy, or my rapport with the guys to make assumptions.

You're wrong about this one.

Justin

[mars88]

M.I.T. has an opening, and they'll train you.

[Fermi2]

I would expect maybe an Ops manager to say something like " We here at Maui Yankee Nuclear pay you blah, blah, blah. This guy is an SRO saying " I pay you". I would kid around with that senior.

The SRO is my representative so I would expect him to say that...

[Willy]

I agree, you don't joke around about stuff like that.  It only makes you look bad.   

[Fizziks1021]

I could sympathize with this guy, until he continually began beating his head against the wall with the complaints.  I have a physics degree, about a year of HP tech exp, have passed the POSS and BMST batteries, interviewed a handful of times, and am still trying to get my foot in the door.  I am 31, trying to change careers (I teach high school science), and am looking for a little guidance.  I am too old for the navy, so what's my best bet to find a key to a door?  Any advice would be appreciated.  And Broadzilla? I can take tough love, so please feel free to be brutally honest.  I am at the point where if I am spinning my wheels, I would rather move on if there is no hope.

Thanks all!

[GLW]

I could sympathize with this guy, until he continually began beating his head against the wall with the complaints.  I have a physics degree, about a year of HP tech exp, have passed the POSS and BMST batteries, interviewed a handful of times, and am still trying to get my foot in the door.  I am 31, trying to change careers (I teach high school science), and am looking for a little guidance.  I am too old for the navy, so what's my best bet to find a key to a door?  Any advice would be appreciated.  And Broadzilla? I can take tough love, so please feel free to be brutally honest.  I am at the point where if I am spinning my wheels, I would rather move on if there is no hope.

Thanks all!

check your PMs,...

[Fermi2]

I could sympathize with this guy, until he continually began beating his head against the wall with the complaints.  I have a physics degree, about a year of HP tech exp, have passed the POSS and BMST batteries, interviewed a handful of times, and am still trying to get my foot in the door.  I am 31, trying to change careers (I teach high school science), and am looking for a little guidance.  I am too old for the navy, so what's my best bet to find a key to a door?  Any advice would be appreciated.  And Broadzilla? I can take tough love, so please feel free to be brutally honest.  I am at the point where if I am spinning my wheels, I would rather move on if there is no hope.

Thanks all!

Either PM or email me. I'll see if I can help.

[jams723]

I thought so. Let me guess your hpi pumps need to piggyback above 1600 pounds?

If you need any help let me know!

Wrong, at least for the B&W Plant I licensed on.....

[Fermi2]

Wrong, at least for the B&W Plant I licensed on.....

Yours is an outlier. TMI has to piggy back. So does The Bess.

[ATLNuke]

I could sympathize with this guy, until he continually began beating his head against the wall with the complaints.  I have a physics degree, about a year of HP tech exp, have passed the POSS and BMST batteries, interviewed a handful of times, and am still trying to get my foot in the door.  I am 31, trying to change careers (I teach high school science), and am looking for a little guidance.  I am too old for the navy, so what's my best bet to find a key to a door?  Any advice would be appreciated.  And Broadzilla? I can take tough love, so please feel free to be brutally honest.  I am at the point where if I am spinning my wheels, I would rather move on if there is no hope.

Thanks all!

That's how I felt too. I agree with him that I think companies should cut it out by listing "entry level" jobs that require 5-10 years experience. But this dude sounded like a total prick that no one wants to work for or with.

Keep your head up and keep trying. I got hired on to a plant as an NLO with no other experience than an engineering degree, and I know there are many many other NLOs who were the same. I know a few guys who got hired straight out of a tech school with 2 year degrees. They could barely drink (legally)! And most of the guys like that were hired on recently, last 5 years or so. So it's definitely possible.

I think one of the main reasons I got hired on was because I talked about how much I wanted to get into a license class as soon as possible. Show them that you've done your research about the industry, and that not only do you really want the job that you're applying for, but that you know what it entails and why you want it. Give them reasons to believe that you'll stay on for years to come and possibly go to a license class when you can. Training operators is really expensive and takes the company a long time to recoup that investment, so they don't want people who will flee the second another job somewhere else opens up.

[jams723]

Yours is an outlier. TMI has to piggy back. So does The Bess.

Are you sure you are not thinking of LPI in piggyback mode?

[UncaBuffalo]

I never said that and so far as being welcoming. I told you how the system worked . Most nukes know it's a tough industry. No one here is your momma or daddy nor will you get it in the industry. It's most populated by hard a**  people who don't have time for whiners like you. I did it for 30 years and had a great time then again I wasn't a whiner, my advice grow up get a thicker skin and try another industry. If you expect coddling in an industry dominated by ex military people who weren't coddled you need to try something else. What you found here is common in the industry. You got a lot of good advice but it wasn't what you wanted to hear. Now go try something else nub

I have to throw a flag on the idea that the industry as a whole is a bunch of "hard a**" jerks...or is "tough".  While that may have been viewed as acceptable, and still is the norm at some plants, I think the industry as a whole has made great strides at fixing the bullying & other BS that this post seems to say is accepted and acceptable.

For most of us, the nuclear industry is a great place where we can just come in and do our jobs and never worry about the trollish attitude that this whole thread has espoused.

JMO - YMMV.

Have a great day!  







modified for grammar

[Ksheed]

I have to throw a flag on the idea that the industry as a whole is a bunch of "hard a**" jerks...or is "tough".  While that may have been viewed as acceptable, and still is the norm at some plants, I think the industry as a whole has made great strides at fixing the bullying & other BS that this post seems to say is accepted and acceptable.

For most of us, the nuclear industry is a great place where we can just come in and do our jobs and never worry about the trollish attitude that this whole thread has espoused.

JMO - YMMV.

Have a great day! 







modified for grammar

I would have to agree with both of you.  People are more then willing to help you find an answer to a legitimate question, especially concerning safety, procedural adherence, or technical specifications. However, if you show an unwillingness to seek out knowledge and learn how things work and you spend your time whining about how things should be, you will not make it long in the industry.

You do need to have thick skin and check your feelings at the gate when you come in to work.

I also think that this forum could us a BS Flag Smiley. Lately it seems like it would come in handy.

[Marlin]

I also think that this forum could us a BS Flag Smiley. Lately it seems like it would come in handy.

Gold members do  

   and    

[UncaBuffalo]

You do need to have thick skin and check your feelings at the gate when you come in to work.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  Although (as I noted in my original post) there are a few outlier plants where a thick skin is needed, I still feel that most of the industry no longer tolerates the abusive types that would make a thick skin necessary.

[Fermi2]

When did I ever say abusive? Or be a jerk. I have always avoided that and yes I am a hard ass. Do it right or you will hear from me. I don't care what your excuses are and will tell you right off. Leave the butt hurt at the door. At the end of the year when they say award everyone 3% and I award you 1 because you didn't cut the snuff, don't whine. Go out and meet expectations.

[UncaBuffalo]

When did I ever say abusive? Or be a jerk. I have always avoided that and yes I am a hard ass. Do it right or you will hear from me. I don't care what your excuses are and will tell you right off. Leave the butt hurt at the door. At the end of the year when they say award everyone 3% and I award you 1 because you didn't cut the snuff, don't whine. Go out and meet expectations.

No.  Those were my words...from how I interpret what you did say...

I do understand that different parts of the country have different social norms...and that being a 'hard-a**' may not come across as 'jerk' or 'abusive' to certain people in certain plants (usually in the NE or northern MidWest.)

However, I do feel that 'hard-a**' does come across as jerk AND abusive in most of the country...and on this website.  And your playing the lots-of-us-used-to-be-military card makes me think that you realize that fact and are just trying rationalize abusive behavior.

I prefer a more professional working atmosphere where people can just go about their jobs without worrying about some 'hard-a**' harassing them...and a more professional website where new posters can ask questions without being hounded away in the first week.

[Marlin]

No.  Those were my words...from how I interpret what you did say...

BZ lost his flyswatter a long time ago, his tool box is full of ball peen hammers and baby sledge hammers now.  

BZ has provided a lot of very good guidance but it takes more than a spoon full of sugar to make it go down.