Career Path > Getting in

Newbie Questions

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jamesd:
Sorry, if this isn't the right place for this thread, but it seems like the home of everything that doesn't belong somewhere else.

I am new to the field with one outage under my belt and have a few questions that I would like to run past you guys:
(Just think of me as your favorite little brother, or as the guy who is going to take of your favorite sister so that she and the dozen kids don't have to come live off of you. 8))
 

01)  In your opinion, what is the best position/job class to try to get into, why and how.
   01a)  BTW, is turbine work a good place to be?  (My next job is as a laborer on the turbine crew)

02)  What companies would you suggest trying to work for, and which to avoid and why.

03) Starting out from scratch today, where/what do you recommend that I try to get into, how and why.


If it sounds a little of to you for me to be asking . . . sorry, but nothing ventured, nothing gained and so on.

Thanks

 

shayne:
Welcome to nukeworker.com. 

Keep reading the Career Section of the Forum.  You will find that some of these questions have been asked and answered.  Continue to ask your questions.  Plenty of people here with different backgrounds and experience to help.

It sounds like you do have your foot in the door which is a good start.  As a Laborer, you will see many different jobs.  Try to find what interests you and make some contacts.

RDTroja:
In addition to Shayne's suggestions, which are right on target, I would add that the next logical step from laborer is to try to get a job as a deconner. No matter where you end up, the experience you gain doing decon work will serve you well. It is a 'technical laborer' position. I know I will get some grief for saying that but here is the reasoning: As a laborer you will be doing whatever it is that needs to get done and does not require any specific qualifications. As a deconner you will still do a lot of work that is similar to what laborers do, but you will also be trained to do work that involves specific skills and acquire valuable technical knowledge in the process. Some decon technicians move on to be HP techs after acquiring the experience necessary, some remain as deconners throughout their career. Any HP will tell you that a good crew of deconners is worth its collective weight in gold.

Even if you don't become a career deconner or move into the HP ranks, the experience of being a deconner will be invaluable. Operators, chemistry techs, I&C techs, mechanics, and even planners that understand the things you learn as a deconner will do their job better and gain a better understanding of what it takes to make a power plant function. And as a deconner, you will get to see a lot of those folks doing their job (well, probably not the planners) and can get a better idea of what it is you might want to do.

One last thing -- keep your eyes and ears open, ask questions, prove you are not afraid to work and show an interest in doing your job right (OK, that is more than one thing). And do your best not to get stuck in the same job over and over. The Turbine is not a bad place to get started, but if you are working in a PWR, try to get a job in the auxiliary building or contaiment next... there is much more to be learned in those places if you plan on sticking to nuclear. If you are in a BWR, try to get in the reactor building or drywell -- roughly the equivalent to the PWR aux building and containment.

The fact that you care enough to ask bodes well for your future. Good luck to you.

jamesd:
Thanks guys.  BTW, are there any special requirements for beng a welder beyond PAT/RWT?  I guess what I'm really asking is whether or not getting a welder certification in the off-season as part of a plan to finance future education would do any good.

spongerob:
Being a deconner/Jr. HP I think that is great advice to statrt at decon. We do little of everything and some times and some places are greatly appreciated. You will begin to get noticed by the HP's and they can help you out alot learning the finer points of nuclear power which could take you anywhere. Good luck

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