Sequoyah

[Fermi2]

Thanks.  I took the POSS with TVA in 2002 straight out of college.  Unfortunately, I had accepted another job offer and already moved from Chattanooga when I got the invitation to interview with TVA.
Been trying to get back to this point for a while.

I have a friend that I graduated college with that is currently working on his RO license at Sequoyah.  He has always had good things to say about working there and the nuke field.  I am thankful to finally get my chance in the industry.

Who is your friend?

[ls75]

ls75,
If you don't mind me asking what kind of qualifications did you have for the position? (degree, etc.)  Just trying to figure out what they are really looking for.......

My degree is in Chemical Engineering.  I have had several different positions in manufacturing...project engineer, robotics engineer, maintenance engineer, etc.  Also picked up a  Master Electrician license and Six Sigma Black Belt certification along the way.  I am not sure exactly what in my resume they were  looking for....but I am sure thankful for the opportunity.


My friend that I graduated college with that works at Sequoyah is David (Dave) Smith.

[Fermi2]

David is a sharp guy. He was a very good AUO.

Mike

[dirtyspu]

Does anyone know when the round of hiring will be?  For OPS?  Thanks

[Fermi2]

For when? We just hired a new class. Odds are there won't be another for quite a few months. I wouldn't count on it for a year.

Mike

[dirtyspu]

Is there anyway to get my resume to HR so they can keep it on file?  Also does going to one of the TVA job fairs help?  Thanks for the input.

Tom

[Fermi2]

If you applied online it's always on file. We rarely go through the bank of resumes but when you apply for a job we check the one onfile.

[mlslstephens]

My friend that I graduated college with that works at Sequoyah is David (Dave) Smith.

David is a sharp guy. He was a very good AUO.

Mike

Mike is right about that.  David is a good AUO and currently in a license class.

I thought I might add some information to all the guys still proudly serving in the Navy and eagerly awaiting their EAOS so they can jump on the Nuclear Renaissance bandwagon.

This is really just a plug for some old Broadzilla guidance wrt interviews.  Not too long ago in a land a little north of me but south of most of you, several ex-Navy nukes who thought they were guaranteed spots in the civilian nuclear industry because of their vast Navy experience were turned away because their interviews did not go so well.  Moral of the story...don't rely on your past to get your future job.

Thanks again to all who post on this great website.

[Roll Tide]

Also does going to one of the TVA job fairs help?  Thanks for the input.

Tom

Absolutely. You have an opportunity to casually discuss jobs and what TVA is looking for with the people that will be interviewing and/or selecting candidates for interviews. I thought it was useful enough that I took my teenage sons, even though neither is ready to go to work. That way, they will be familiar with the process when the time comes.

[dirtyspu]

I read an article in the paper and it was talking about how the TVA has 1048 open position and when I look on the web site there is no where near that many (<100).  I am very eager to work at Sequoyah and I don't think that I am guaranteed a job, but I am good at my job and I will use the experience the navy has given me.  I am very willing to put the time in a learn the job.  This is just my number on pick so I am looking hear harder.  Thanks for the info.

[Fermi2]

Don't think your Navy Experience means anything because it in fact doesn't.  When you went to the website did you see how many openings there were for each position?

Mike

[lucky nuke]

How can you say that Navy experience means nothing.  I am being told by the people that are interviewing me that my navy experience does in fact mean something.  Should I not believe them and go with what you are saying?  Or is it that at your plant it does not mean anything?  If that is the case maybe he should just look else where and you could have put that much less hateful. After reading some of these posts I don't really think you can do that.  I am not sure why so many people in this industry are so willing to be mean and it does not have any thing to do with wanting them to do for themselves. Just stop being so hateful.

[Fermi2]

Not being hateful. Completely meaningless.

Mike

[mlslstephens]

Not being hateful. Completely meaningless.

Mike

I'm not taking sides or sticking up for Mike (Broadzilla) on this one mainly because he doesn't need me to but I will clarify something that I think he means when he says your navy experience is meaningless.

First, he isn't hateful.  If you knew him, you would understand that there probably isn't anyone else that is as helpful as him.

Second, he is direct with no sugar.  If you can't swallow the medicine, don't ask the doctor for help.   

Third, your navy experience ( mine too when I was looking ) doesn't help you get the job.  It might satisfy a requirement to enter a license class, but it surely won't get you the job. 

Finally, I've said it  before and I'll say it again.  BZ is here to help us Navy brothers out.  You just need to find out how to ask for help.

[Chimera]

Broadzilla wasn't being "hateful" - just merely stating the truth.  There is little to no comparison between a Navy plant and a commercial plant.  The theory is much the same - both physics and mechanical, but the beasties that utilize that theory are totally different.  It's like jumping from a Ferrari into a train locomotive.  Both use internal combustion engines, both have generators/alternators, and both go pretty fast.  The actual operation and components, however, are not comparable.

I'm an ex-Navy RO.  Speaking from my own experiences and those I've observed of other ex-Navy operators coming into the commmercial industry, there is a profound culture shock: pump motors bigger than the reactor on the submarine; dose-rates well above almost anything seen in the Navy; and a myriad of buildings and rooms.  While your Navy training will hold you in good stead, they just ain't the same beasties.

[Fermi2]

Actually you'll go past your Navy training in the first week of GFES. The Navy has nothing equivalent to AOP/EOP Training and the amount of systems knowledge and integration you're required to know in the Navy is miniscule compared to the commercial world. Fact: Our NLOs are more knowledgeable about how a Nuke plant works than any Naval person I've ever known, the ROs are an order of magnitude better than the ROs in the Navy and there's nothing in the Navy that's anywhere near a good SRO. I've used the analogy of someone showing up to the World Series Champion's front office saying they just coached a T Ball team to an undefeated season so they're ready for the majors.
And if you go from the Navy to a BWR you might as well just chunk out the book.

Mike

[Fermi2]

By the way, Congrats to Gary, Tim, Bruce and Jim (RollTide) on passing their SRO, RO, SRO, and SRO exams respectively. Good job guys!

Mike

[chevy29]

Good evening all.  I am new to this site and currently I am a navy nuke machinist mate and have been for 4 1/2 years now.  Lately I have been really thinking about getting out of the navy and going civilian when my time is up (about 3 1/2 years left) on account that I want to actually be able to raise a family without having to leave all the time.  I have read pretty much this entire forum (along with the watts bar plant) in hopes to find information on them.  As of right now if I get out I want to move to Tennessee, so thats why I am so interested. Currently I am thinking about going AO, but also not entirely certain what all is out there. Unfortunately I do have a few questions (some of which have been answered all ready but in very vague answers).
1)  What kind of jobs are available (nuke related), what do they do, and how does "advancement" work (for lack of a better word)?
2)  I understand that it is shiftwork so:  How long are the days and what is the cycle like for each shift?
3)  How much on average do people get paid, does qualifying EWS or getting a degree help get more?
4)  What are the benefits like, including say medical, dental, and retirement?
5)  Since I have a little bit of time left:  When should I officially apply for a job and take my POSS test (I would like to know that I have a job as soon as I get out)

Thank you everybody and sorry its such a lengthy first post

[Fermi2]

1: None really, and whatever position you get hired in at is where you'll end up at.
2: 6 On Six Off just like the Navy.
3: Somewhere above minimum wage and your EWS and Degree will get you a 6 figure signing bonus with a 5 figure retention rider. EWS is a hugely respected qual in the civilian world.
4: Your primary benefit is your pay check. Don't get sick
5: 11 Days before you get out, with a target POSS of 6 days prior to getting out.

Mike

[retired nuke]

1: None really, and whatever position you get hired in at is where you'll end up at.
2: 6 On Six Off just like the Navy.
3: Somewhere above minimum wage and your EWS and Degree will get you a 6 figure signing bonus with a 5 figure retention rider. EWS is a hugely respected qual in the civilian world.
4: Your primary benefit is your pay check. Don't get sick
5: 11 Days before you get out, with a target POSS of 6 days prior to getting out.

Mike

That is worth the mental picture of some poor MM sitting in front of hte computer with a stunned look on his face......

[Fermi2]

LMAO!

[DSO]

Good evening all.  I am new to this site and currently I am a navy nuke machinist mate and have been for 4 1/2 years now.  Lately I have been really thinking about getting out of the navy and going civilian when my time is up (about 3 1/2 years left) on account that I want to actually be able to raise a family without having to leave all the time.  I have read pretty much this entire forum (along with the watts bar plant) in hopes to find information on them.  As of right now if I get out I want to move to Tennessee, so thats why I am so interested. Currently I am thinking about going AO, but also not entirely certain what all is out there. Unfortunately I do have a few questions (some of which have been answered all ready but in very vague answers).
1)  What kind of jobs are available (nuke related), what do they do, and how does "advancement" work (for lack of a better word)?
2)  I understand that it is shiftwork so:  How long are the days and what is the cycle like for each shift?
3)  How much on average do people get paid, does qualifying EWS or getting a degree help get more?
4)  What are the benefits like, including say medical, dental, and retirement?
5)  Since I have a little bit of time left:  When should I officially apply for a job and take my POSS test (I would like to know that I have a job as soon as I get out)

Thank you everybody and sorry its such a lengthy first post

1) Posted jobs are the ones usually available
2) Days are 24 hrs longs and the cycles length for each shift varies
3) People on average get paid the following: total number of plant employees divided by the total yearly pay of the total number of plant employees--EWS or/and a degree may or may not help you "get more".
4) Benefits are usually beneficial in direct relationship to the name of the benefit
5) You should start applying and take the POSS test immediately as 3 1/2 years of practice should sharpen your job-hunting skills to put you right on target of having all the nuclear Tennessee power plant employers begging for your services

[LOKI RAD]

I understand there are new job posting for RP techs @ SQN, how many are you going to hire?

I heard you were gonna get 7, but that is just a rumor so far. It's hard to believe that you have to hire 7 techs just to replace one that resigned recently!

Thanks for any clarification.

Loki

[shehane]

You are probably refering to the RP jobs that were posted.  True we had one tech retire in Janurary but we lost 8 more in the last month.  In our field operations group one quit, 6 moved to other positions and 1 is assigned to the instrumentation group.  We have a few contractors for now but that is not near enough.  Senior management is allowing us to bring in 5 new techs but that process could take 6 months or more based on the last couple of hirings.  (We don't care about ops and thier openings.)  This is compounded by the fact that in the next 2 or 3 years we will lose over 50% of the total RP staff to retirement.  It's going to be tight around here for awhile.

[techtoolong]

I did not see any posts on TVA website.  How do I find them ?