Advice on future (Still in School)

[Sadawg04]

Hey guys I'm in my last semester of school. I recently took the Poss / Mass test which was I did okay in considering I didn't study hardly at all. I passed Mass but did not qualify for Poss. I'm okay with that considering I only wanted to go into maintenance anyways. My school is partnered with Southern Company so I may try to go to Plant Vogtle or Hatch once I graduate. I just have a couple of questions that someone I'm sure can help me with.

1) Since I passed Mass, does that qualify for all commercial plants or does each plant have different passing score? I was told by Southern I was "Mass Qualified at the SNC Level" so I was just wondering if other commercial facilities had different scores.

2) I graduate in May and Southern will not be hiring again until July. Should I go ahead and start looking for a job maybe with Duke or another commercial facility? Im aware I may have to move and I am okay with that. I'm just not sure if I should start looking now or should I wait for Southern.

My biggest thing is I don't want to get out college and not have a place to go. I would rather get hired and know I'm gonna graduate and be reporting to work shortly after. Are these goals realistic? Any Career advice I will take to heart and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my post and give me feedback.

[TVA]

Usually it only applies at the utility that gave it but you would have to ask HR whereever you apply

[MMM]

I can't speak about MASS, but I took the POSS 4 years ago with Exelon. When I applied for a position with Dominion last year, they were able to get the results so I didn't need to take it again. The same may apply for MASS, but it may also depend on the company.

[TVA]

DTE wouldnt and still won’t release them. TVA does. I always figured it’s because they are government even though they don’t get any money from the government.

[tolstoy]

Hi Sad - I would work as hard as possible to get into something with SC if your school is connected in some way. Hiring in from outside is difficult to impossible now unless you have the one thing that a utility needs and can't find from within.

Duke has almost entirely stopped hiring from outside and is shuffling internal employees to fill spots. Or just doing without. I'm guessing that all other utilities are doing the same. Does your school have any connections with contract companies?

Good luck!

[TVA]

Hi Sad - I would work as hard as possible to get into something with SC if your school is connected in some way. Hiring in from outside is difficult to impossible now unless you have the one thing that a utility needs and can't find from within.

Duke has almost entirely stopped hiring from outside and is shuffling internal employees to fill spots. Or just doing without. I'm guessing that all other utilities are doing the same. Does your school have any connections with contract companies?

Good luck!

Uh how do you know this?

[Nuclear NASCAR]

Hi Sad - I would work as hard as possible to get into something with SC if your school is connected in some way. Hiring in from outside is difficult to impossible now unless you have the one thing that a utility needs and can't find from within.

Duke has almost entirely stopped hiring from outside and is shuffling internal employees to fill spots. Or just doing without. I'm guessing that all other utilities are doing the same. Does your school have any connections with contract companies?

Good luck!

I can only speak for my company experience but we have hired several off the street over the the last few years.  Operations, maintenance, and RP are all internally bid and then if they aren't filled internally it goes to the street.  All of the above non-management jobs are Union jobs and that may be the difference, I don't know.  All of those jobs do require a degree or verifiable experience for external hires. 

[tolstoy]

Uh how do you know this?

Know what? That it's a lot tougher to get a nuclear job today than it was in 1985? Hiring practices at Duke and SC? Isn't it self-evident from reading industry news? And from going to work every day?

[TVA]

So my are you a Duke employee?