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Offline Rennhack

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #25 on: Dec 23, 2014, 05:43 »
I guess I am determined to be one of the optimistic ones!

If you look at Content1's post history, you will he that he is a very negative person, with nothing good to say about nuclear careers. So, consider the source.

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #26 on: Dec 23, 2014, 06:54 »
If you look at Content1's post history, you will he that he is a very negative person, with nothing good to say about nuclear careers. So, consider the source.

Argumentum ad hominem against the messenger verses proving to me where my observations are wrong is the purpose of forums.  It doesn't help to have a series of cheerleader posts if reality is what is called for.   My eyes are open about the state of the business.  Some may thank me someday for the frank appraisal and make other career choices not based on "Nuke Hype."

Offline Rennhack

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #27 on: Dec 23, 2014, 07:34 »
Argumentum ad hominem against the messenger verses proving to me where my observations are wrong is the purpose of forums.  It doesn't help to have a series of cheerleader posts if reality is what is called for.   My eyes are open about the state of the business.  Some may thank me someday for the frank appraisal and make other career choices not based on "Nuke Hype."

I just get sick of all the negativity.  If you want to be anti nuke, go some where else.  This is a job site FOR nuke workers. Not a site AGAINST nuke work.

Offline HydroDave63

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #28 on: Dec 23, 2014, 09:06 »
Argumentum ad hominem against the messenger verses proving to me where my observations are wrong is the purpose of forums.  It doesn't help to have a series of cheerleader posts if reality is what is called for.   My eyes are open about the state of the business.  Some may thank me someday for the frank appraisal and make other career choices not based on "Nuke Hype."

Shift turnover at the last outage... ;)

« Last Edit: Dec 24, 2014, 01:31 by HydroDave63 »

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #29 on: Dec 23, 2014, 11:07 »
I just get sick of all the negativity.  If you want to be anti nuke, go some where else.  This is a job site FOR nuke workers. Not a site AGAINST nuke work.

You made the sale.  I will leave the nuke business, at least as a traveling tech, and I no longer have a reason to post.  Thanks for the encouragement.  My family thanks you too, Administrator.  They welcome me back, and I get to see my grandchild grow.  I am sure my recruiter will understand.

ski2313

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #30 on: Dec 24, 2014, 01:37 »
You are now coming into an industry that the wages have been stagnant for 10 years and people are working the 72 hour weeks not to thrive; no, we are back in the 1920s just getting by.

I assure you that there are individuals out there who would beg to make what you make. If you are just getting by, that is your own fault, not the company's.

The rental rates doubled and our per diem has not kept up.  Some employers like Excelon say they pay full mileage;  That is only if you drive. If you fly they only pay the ticket.

This one made me snort coffee out my nose.  +K

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #31 on: Dec 24, 2014, 05:24 »
If you refer to my original post, I did the math on a job I am turning down.  At home my rent, utility rates, food continues to rise while the pay doesn't.  I guess we'll let that begging RP get lucky; however, many will join me on sitting out outages when they make the same discovery and simply fade out of the business.  There is always somebody out there willing to do anything for the money, whatever the amount.  The quality of the tech will diminish with the wages; you get what you pay for.

Offline fiveeleven

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #32 on: Dec 24, 2014, 06:46 »
  and I get to see my grandchild grow. 
All right - more happy, positive people on the horizon. Great.

Offline RFaunt

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #33 on: Dec 24, 2014, 12:41 »
My respect and gratitude to everyone who has offered their advice, opinions, and wisdom on this topic. I had the pleasure of meeting the OP and making his acquaintance over the summer at the NEI forum, and I look forward to meeting up with him down the road as we navigate this world of RP. While some may find posters like Content1 discouraging, I welcome it. Though his views may not jibe with the vision of the Admin when he created this site, it does serve a purpose in giving a different perspective from his side of RP work and life. For those determined to still go forth, they do so knowing that there are those in the field who aren't happy with the situation and have legitimate gripes. Proceed at your own peril or risk. We may not want posters chasing away potential and future nukeworkers on the forum, but those posters are no different than the guys from the barracks who told me how much my time at a new unit would suck upon checking in. They'll be at every job site and every assignment. There are many situations we can't control in life; we do, however, have control over how we react to them. There's a positive to every situation. For Content1, it's spending more time at home with his family if he gets out of the nuclear business.

Personally, coming to this business wasn't about the money. I came from the Marine Corps and we weren't the highest paid employees on the wage scale. I pursued the education and the business because it's something I honestly enjoyed -- the science behind it all, the opportunity to delve deeper and learn the answers to why instead of being content with how -- not because I wanted to be a millionaire. I've met a lot of very intelligent people, both on this board and in my personal interactions, who know more than I can ever hope to about RP because of unique experiences, and I want to be a sponge, absorbing as much as I can. I would never recommend money being the sole or most heavily weighted deciding factor. I do know that some of the wages being made by house, contract, and traveling road techs would turn a lot of hard-working American folks green with envy. No, not everyone is making 6 figures a year. Wages may not be what they used to when inflation and rising costs are factored in. Unless someone on this forum has been forced into poverty by the changing conditions, I don't think we'll see eye to eye on that matter. I've seen poverty firsthand. I've been homeless and slept in a car for weeks at a time. Any grass is greener than tan cloth interior in a cramped backseat and daily communal showers. There are a lot of people who would love to have the financial complaints that we're talking about here. While things may not be as good as what some of you were accustomed to before, it's infinitely better than some of the places I've been in my lifetime.

There are a lot of opportunities out there for people wishing to pursue the field. DOE, commercial, contract, and labs are all available. The education doesn't have to stop. If you want more opportunities, shoot for CHP. Branch into the business side of the house. Perhaps instructing and teaching are desirable. The point is that a person with drive and ambition can still find a successful living in this field. If that individual doesn't want to be a traveling tech for 30 years, then there are other options. Content1's postings provide pretty solid reasons for not going that route, so they had benefit. I wish you well going forward and thank you for all the hard work you've put into this industry. Merry Christmas to all of you, and thank you for taking the time to answer questions and lend your wisdom.
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." ~ Isaac Newton

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #34 on: Dec 24, 2014, 03:12 »
I've great respect for Marines, they saved us during WWII and the less popular wars; they are the cream of the crop.  I was ex-navy and didn't play with guns.  Good luck and know if you ever want a change there are places to go.

nuke88

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #35 on: Dec 26, 2014, 12:02 »
My respect and gratitude to everyone who has offered their advice, opinions, and wisdom on this topic. I had the pleasure of meeting the OP and making his acquaintance over the summer at the NEI forum, and I look forward to meeting up with him down the road as we navigate this world of RP. While some may find posters like Content1 discouraging, I welcome it. Though his views may not jibe with the vision of the Admin when he created this site, it does serve a purpose in giving a different perspective from his side of RP work and life. For those determined to still go forth, they do so knowing that there are those in the field who aren't happy with the situation and have legitimate gripes. Proceed at your own peril or risk. We may not want posters chasing away potential and future nukeworkers on the forum, but those posters are no different than the guys from the barracks who told me how much my time at a new unit would suck upon checking in. They'll be at every job site and every assignment. There are many situations we can't control in life; we do, however, have control over how we react to them. There's a positive to every situation. For Content1, it's spending more time at home with his family if he gets out of the nuclear business.

Personally, coming to this business wasn't about the money. I came from the Marine Corps and we weren't the highest paid employees on the wage scale. I pursued the education and the business because it's something I honestly enjoyed -- the science behind it all, the opportunity to delve deeper and learn the answers to why instead of being content with how -- not because I wanted to be a millionaire. I've met a lot of very intelligent people, both on this board and in my personal interactions, who know more than I can ever hope to about RP because of unique experiences, and I want to be a sponge, absorbing as much as I can. I would never recommend money being the sole or most heavily weighted deciding factor. I do know that some of the wages being made by house, contract, and traveling road techs would turn a lot of hard-working American folks green with envy. No, not everyone is making 6 figures a year. Wages may not be what they used to when inflation and rising costs are factored in. Unless someone on this forum has been forced into poverty by the changing conditions, I don't think we'll see eye to eye on that matter. I've seen poverty firsthand. I've been homeless and slept in a car for weeks at a time. Any grass is greener than tan cloth interior in a cramped backseat and daily communal showers. There are a lot of people who would love to have the financial complaints that we're talking about here. While things may not be as good as what some of you were accustomed to before, it's infinitely better than some of the places I've been in my lifetime.

There are a lot of opportunities out there for people wishing to pursue the field. DOE, commercial, contract, and labs are all available. The education doesn't have to stop. If you want more opportunities, shoot for CHP. Branch into the business side of the house. Perhaps instructing and teaching are desirable. The point is that a person with drive and ambition can still find a successful living in this field. If that individual doesn't want to be a traveling tech for 30 years, then there are other options. Content1's postings provide pretty solid reasons for not going that route, so they had benefit. I wish you well going forward and thank you for all the hard work you've put into this industry. Merry Christmas to all of you, and thank you for taking the time to answer questions and lend your wisdom.

I also want to thank everyone for your insight, wisdom, and advice on my questions.  As my good friend RFaunt stated, the purpose of the post was to gain an understanding of all positive and negative outcomes of of jumping full throttle into the industry.  During the Radiation Protection forum, as well as discussing with various friends and acquaintances currently employed in commercial nuke power , I have heard mostly success stories.  I am highly determined to achieve that level of success in nuke power regardless of the negative perspectives, primarily because I have a genuine interest in the industry and what I have learned and seen thus far. RFaunt and I are very determined individuals, and I am sure we both will find our own level of success in Radiation Protection.   

Offline Cecelia

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #36 on: Dec 31, 2014, 11:05 »
No one wants to discourage a new HP from being the best in their field. But as another old HP and also being one of the first few women who came in to the field, my ideals were shattered and reset often enough. It became personal to change the status quo from a field void of respected women to being one that who could stand for her ideals.

That being said, year 34 is nearly over. The Old HP may not have said things to your liking but it was said in honesty. Greed and poor economy go hand in hand.  Yes the power plants have learned to be efficient. Yes they purposely under staff and cut corners today to save money and time. HP work means time to them.

But here is my short list of things to consider.

Outage schedules are not staggered such that you work six months a year. And though some do when you speak to them about where they live it will make sense as to why it could be possible. They live close to several plants usually. As a rule its one outage in spring and one in fall.  Two months to five months of work per year. So better have plan B.

A junior will be kept a jr as long as the contracting company can get away with it.  They dont care about your goals or education. They want experience doing job coverage and they are not wanting to spend money on you to train you.

I would say 6-9 years working part time is the real time it will take. So consider your age and add 9 and try to imagine how you will live on part time work until then. This is reality.

Persistence and diligence always moves things. One reason I still fight for change and make reports to the regulators and dont play politics. I am a lifetime learner. I am not bored with nuclear, I am disgusted with the position nuclear is now faced with.  We are going from a nuclear family to a dysfunctional family where greed rules.  And those with jobs wont jeopardize their jobs to help you. They will remain silent. But that is not my profile. I work as hard to make changes in this field as I do managing my career.

Lots of sage advice has been given to you. I strongly advise you to consider what you have been told. You have not lived on the road the way we do. Have not been cheated or lied to by employers, faced the long hours, the life and come home to find that home changed while you worked hard. Home is where you are even if working on the road. Otherwise you are working and putting life on hold. Hard to even that one out. And spouses rarely will travel, home school kids, keep the hours and most importantly understand your work schedule as well as the consumed person you become working the outage hours. It is all consuming. You wont hold up better than others. All suffer during outages. Its hard work and it gets harder to keep the pace.

On a final word, the cut back on job coverage at power plants is the new trend. Do the work of what 3 techs use to do, job coverage is not done, avoid posting with ideas of "open controls", survey reports go unwritten. They hurry every job, cram training, cut every corner they imagine. Right now they have taken things over the cliff. So new juniors are being groomed to accept their new way of radiation protection. You will be groomed.

I would say if you are willing to do what is right against all odds, you will find something you seek. Otherwise becoming just another new age drone is a position you cant pay me to take. Our job is to protect people, not make money for the plant by by passing the safety of others.   I wont compromise human safeguards. Consequently I have to do the hard business of reporting to the NRC and push back hard at every turn.

Its a sacrifice I make, have made and will make again. Staying true to what is right is harder than you know. So the respect that needs to be given to those sharing with you should be given. It is advice from hard experience.

Good Luck Grasshopper

 

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #37 on: Jan 01, 2015, 03:06 »
No one wants to discourage a new HP from being the best in their field. But as another old HP and also being one of the first few women who came in to the field, my ideals were shattered and reset often enough. It became personal to change the status quo from a field void of respected women to being one that who could stand for her ideals.

That being said, year 34 is nearly over. The Old HP may not have said things to your liking but it was said in honesty. Greed and poor economy go hand in hand.  Yes the power plants have learned to be efficient. Yes they purposely under staff and cut corners today to save money and time. HP work means time to them.

But here is my short list of things to consider.

Outage schedules are not staggered such that you work six months a year. And though some do when you speak to them about where they live it will make sense as to why it could be possible. They live close to several plants usually. As a rule its one outage in spring and one in fall.  Two months to five months of work per year. So better have plan B.

A junior will be kept a jr as long as the contracting company can get away with it.  They dont care about your goals or education. They want experience doing job coverage and they are not wanting to spend money on you to train you.

I would say 6-9 years working part time is the real time it will take. So consider your age and add 9 and try to imagine how you will live on part time work until then. This is reality.

Persistence and diligence always moves things. One reason I still fight for change and make reports to the regulators and dont play politics. I am a lifetime learner. I am not bored with nuclear, I am disgusted with the position nuclear is now faced with.  We are going from a nuclear family to a dysfunctional family where greed rules.  And those with jobs wont jeopardize their jobs to help you. They will remain silent. But that is not my profile. I work as hard to make changes in this field as I do managing my career.

Lots of sage advice has been given to you. I strongly advise you to consider what you have been told. You have not lived on the road the way we do. Have not been cheated or lied to by employers, faced the long hours, the life and come home to find that home changed while you worked hard. Home is where you are even if working on the road. Otherwise you are working and putting life on hold. Hard to even that one out. And spouses rarely will travel, home school kids, keep the hours and most importantly understand your work schedule as well as the consumed person you become working the outage hours. It is all consuming. You wont hold up better than others. All suffer during outages. Its hard work and it gets harder to keep the pace.

On a final word, the cut back on job coverage at power plants is the new trend. Do the work of what 3 techs use to do, job coverage is not done, avoid posting with ideas of "open controls", survey reports go unwritten. They hurry every job, cram training, cut every corner they imagine. Right now they have taken things over the cliff. So new juniors are being groomed to accept their new way of radiation protection. You will be groomed.

I would say if you are willing to do what is right against all odds, you will find something you seek. Otherwise becoming just another new age drone is a position you cant pay me to take. Our job is to protect people, not make money for the plant by by passing the safety of others.   I wont compromise human safeguards. Consequently I have to do the hard business of reporting to the NRC and push back hard at every turn.

Its a sacrifice I make, have made and will make again. Staying true to what is right is harder than you know. So the respect that needs to be given to those sharing with you should be given. It is advice from hard experience.

Good Luck Grasshopper

 

Very good exposition on the state of the business.  I am a little farther down the road, I found myself being congratulated for having a questioning attitude at jobs, then seeing shifting the work to other RP's techs who aren't as vocal about the rules.  I will give one safety example of many.  We all have had confined space training and know when you are in a confined space you are supposed to have had the space air checked, a monitor at the entrance logging people in and out, and ventilation if you aren't continuously monitoring the space.   At Duane Arnold, day shift, I was an RP in the turbine building.  I noticed a big group of new techs were about to enter the condenser and I had to ask:  Where is the outside monitor, how are you in communication to those inside, where is the personnel log, and the sign either saying non-permitted or permitted confined space.  None of this was being done and I was a pain to them (They were not directly in my work area), but I couldn't live with myself if someone died.  They eventually stopped the work long enough to follow the rules while I was around.  I was made to feel I was the nervous nelly for simply wanting to enforce OSHA laws, such as "Mind your own business RP!"  People who  enforce safety. let alone RP practices, are fought.  I don't see any documentation of free releases, breaches of contaminated systems etc.  It is just production, production and cross your fingers nobody gets hurt.

Offline Rennhack

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #38 on: Jan 01, 2015, 11:16 »
Interesting, I've been an RP and Safety for over 25 years, and I've NEVER had a problem with people following the rules.  Maybe it's just you.

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #39 on: Jan 01, 2015, 03:21 »
Interesting, I've been an RP and Safety for over 25 years, and I've NEVER had a problem with people following the rules.  Maybe it's just you.

If you studied my posts over the years, you would I may be zealous as I once was with fusion, but I have no need to fabricate stories; there are enough incidents I have seen to testify truthfully.  If you have no evidence of the cutting of personnel, slacking in safety practices all in the name of production, you must have never worked for Excelon.  At the age of 59 I have no reason nor desire lie.  I added my warnings because I care what happens to people.

Offline HydroDave63

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #40 on: Jan 01, 2015, 03:56 »
If you studied my posts over the years, you would I may be zealous as I once was with fusion, but I have no need to fabricate stories; there are enough incidents I have seen to testify truthfully.  If you have no evidence of the cutting of personnel, slacking in safety practices all in the name of production, you must have never worked for Excelon.  At the age of 59 I have no reason nor desire lie.  I added my warnings because I care what happens to people.

Exelon operates power plants and sells electricity.

Novartis makes a patch called Exelon for the treatment of Alzheimer's (like spelling the name of Exelon)

For nuclear safety concerns, there is always the NRC SCWE page

http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/safety-culture/scwe.html

Enjoy!

Content1

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #41 on: Jan 01, 2015, 06:21 »
That is what the forum staff does, all argumentum ad hominem and never, short of simply denying there is a problem in our industry (It must be you).  Maybe such methods of argumentation and bullying feels good, but it convinces nobody.  All you desire is to drive opposition away.  Maybe that is your intention.

Offline RDTroja

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #42 on: Jan 01, 2015, 07:51 »
That is what the forum staff does, all argumentum ad hominem and never, short of simply denying there is a problem in our industry (It must be you).  Maybe such methods of argumentation and bullying feels good, but it convinces nobody.  All you desire is to drive opposition away.  Maybe that is your intention.

Only from the perspective of people that continuously think they are being picked on.

Of course that is only from the perspective of a non-Forum Staff member.

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Offline Bonds 25

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #43 on: Jan 02, 2015, 11:11 »
I love saving humans from the DEADLY effects of ionizing radiation. Following the LNT model I figure I've saved 100's of lives over the years keeping worker's dose ALARA.  ;)

I do it for the money
I do it for the benefits
I do it because I'm Pro-Nuke!!

I'm an HP...........because that's the path I was offered.

I'm a house tech......because I made a VERY good decision 7 years ago
"But I Dont Wanna Be A Pirate" - Jerry Seinfeld

Offline GLW

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #44 on: Jan 02, 2015, 02:48 »
Very good exposition on the state of the business.  I am a little farther down the road, I found myself being congratulated for having a questioning attitude at jobs, then seeing shifting the work to other RP's techs who aren't as vocal about the rules.  I will give one safety example of many.  We all have had confined space training and know when you are in a confined space you are supposed to have had the space air checked, a monitor at the entrance logging people in and out, and ventilation if you aren't continuously monitoring the space.   At Duane Arnold, day shift, I was an RP in the turbine building.  I noticed a big group of new techs were about to enter the condenser and I had to ask:  Where is the outside monitor, how are you in communication to those inside, where is the personnel log, and the sign either saying non-permitted or permitted confined space.  None of this was being done and I was a pain to them (They were not directly in my work area), but I couldn't live with myself if someone died.  They eventually stopped the work long enough to follow the rules while I was around.  I was made to feel I was the nervous nelly for simply wanting to enforce OSHA laws, such as "Mind your own business RP!"  People who  enforce safety. let alone RP practices, are fought.  I don't see any documentation of free releases, breaches of contaminated systems etc.  It is just production, production and cross your fingers nobody gets hurt.

For the OP and his ilk; a different perspective and personal career history:

I have rarely been congratulated for having a questioning attitude,...

I have been recognized for identifying a demonstrable challenge, researching the fiducial technical points and documents which assure it is a demonstrable challenge, and providing one or more plausible solutions to the challenge,...

My methods for stopping jobs or identifying challenges have never resulted in other colleagues having to shoulder more burden to keep me out of the mix up, indeed, I have ended up with additional collateral duties foisted upon me because I have a good eye for detail and an appreciation for constructive ways to keep things moving as opposed to shutting them down,...

And I embraced those collateral duties even when my compensation rate remained static, because I enjoy most every facet of my vocation and I like to gain better skills and different skills all the time,...

I refrain from embarrassing any group of guys with multiple questions about what they should have been doing and what they know better than to try and do, and to impress them with what I know about what they're doing, because we've all been through GET and CBT and CST and we all know what we should do,.... ergo, the multiple questions interrogation routine is never really a good team builder,...

Stop a job because it's wrong, get the cog supervisor on the floor to fix the job then move on to your job as quickly, drama free and "just business" like as possible,...

The "I couldn't live with myself should someone have died" histrionics are transparent to everybody involved, and nobody likes it, or likes that a person does it,... ergo, other people avoid it (the histrionics),...

20% of most work groups are a problem for everybody else for everything else, if your job is compliance monitoring and intervention (e.g. job coverage RP), that 20% will focus on you as the bane of all things productive and progressive,...

If you can't hack that 20% challenging your very existence on the work site (and they do) you're in the wrong line of work, or at least the wrong aspect of RP work when that aspect includes interaction and intervention on the deck plate level,...

For the OP and his ilk;

The best job coverage RPs follow the Andy Griffith archetype,...

The worst job coverage RPs think they are SWAT,...

If you need me to elaborate,...PM me,...

for the record; do not get into the habit of associating place names with compliance issues on social media outlets,...

If you need me to elaborate,...PM me,...

your friendly neighborhood cheerleader for all things RP (except those ALARA freaks  :P ),...

ETD!!!!!!   :P ;) :) 8)

almost forgot,...

[4beercourt - (sic)]

plus edits for removing absolute(s) - absolutes should not be used blithely - my bad
« Last Edit: Jan 02, 2015, 05:24 by GLW »

been there, dun that,... the doormat to hell does not read "welcome", the doormat to hell reads "it's just business"

Offline OldHP

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #45 on: Jan 02, 2015, 05:46 »
I also want to thank everyone for your insight, wisdom, and advice on my questions.  As my good friend RFaunt stated, the purpose of the post was to gain an understanding of all positive and negative outcomes of of jumping full throttle into the industry.  During the Radiation Protection forum, as well as discussing with various friends and acquaintances currently employed in commercial nuke power , I have heard mostly success stories.  I am highly determined to achieve that level of success in nuke power regardless of the negative perspectives, primarily because I have a genuine interest in the industry and what I have learned and seen thus far. RFaunt and I are very determined individuals, and I am sure we both will find our own level of success in Radiation Protection.   

I think we've slipped a little away from the OP's question, but not unusual.  [oops] [whistle]

However, keep in mind a questioning attitude (always welcomed) and a negative attitude (never welcomed), are not one and the same!  [train]

Interesting, I've been an RP and Safety for over 25 years, and I've NEVER had a problem with people following the rules.  Maybe it's just you.

I've been in the RP/HP/Safety field for twice+ the time Mike has, but have had the same experience, sometimes you have to explain the rules a couple of times, but then you don't have the problem again.  (That would be GLW's 20%!)

For the OP:  Again, PM me if you want to contact very successful graduates of your program (it didn't take them 9 years to make Sr., I know several!

your friendly neighborhood cheerleader for all things RP (except those ALARA freaks  :P ),...

I agree, except I'd call it the ALAP freaks, ALARA is good, it's what we always have done, even when it didn't have a name!  :old:
Humor is a wonderful way to prevent hardening of the attitudes! unknown
The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. Regan

Offline GLW

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #46 on: Jan 02, 2015, 06:10 »
............I agree, except I'd call it the ALAP freaks, ALARA is good, it's what we always have done, even when it didn't have a name!  :old:

agreed,...

been there, dun that,... the doormat to hell does not read "welcome", the doormat to hell reads "it's just business"

nuke88

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #47 on: Jan 27, 2015, 08:48 »
I wanted to thank everyone for giving me all of this information.  Although I did not expect the question to start such heated debates and differences of opinions, it was exactly what I needed to hear in terms of different perspectives.  This thread has allowed me to get in touch with some specific individuals which have elaborated on what they stated in the thread, and has also allowed me to get a much better understanding on the state of the industry.  Every one of you was a great help to answering my original question!

radrat

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #48 on: Jan 27, 2015, 10:29 »
keep in mind that some people will use any means necessary to get their point across. Negative or positive.


That being said, there are opportunities out there that if you give it an honest go, will allow you to reap the rewards. Not only monetary, but also self satisfaction. The practical nature will now comes into play as you gain some confidence in the real world. Really you have some choices,
work as a road tech- Takes a long time now to get to Sr RP status due to length of outages and market flooding from various schools
Apply for a house position Power generation or DOE/DOD- Good time to get in as they will want to mold you into the tech they want you to be at their facility
your not only marketable for RP but you could try Operations, Chemistry or some other associated field.

After traveling for the last 27 years; if I were in your shoes, would try to settle down at a facility and see how it fits. There is a lot of compition out there for positions, however you now have a degree and that will look favorable on you.. Good Luck!!!!

nuke88

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Re: Radiation Protection Technician Graduate Advice !
« Reply #49 on: Jan 30, 2015, 02:59 »
I certainly want to be as flexible as possible and do the road tech thing for as long as I need to, however an in house job also sounds appealing. I feel as though the house jobs will be very difficult to impossible to get in at the beginning, but that is ok with me.  Bottom line, I am just ready to start working in a field that seems very exciting and pays well.  I current job situation is cube life, and I am itching to become a technician ASAP!  From there, I will see what the future holds.

 


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