How do I become a Nuclear Reactor Service Technician?

[Wannabe]

I'm a college student now, studying business.  I recently talked with a Level II Nuke Reactor Service Tech.  He travels around from Nuke Reactors all across the world.  He says his main duties are refueling and inspecting.  What is the best route to go after this job for a young man like myself?  I'm extremely interested in a position like this.  Thanks in Advance

[Roll Tide]

My gut feeling is to get on with a utility and qualify through SRO (or at least RCO). While it will take time to get there, you would then be at that place in your career to make a jump over to reactor service tech. Of course, you might compare the money first; licensed (RCO) and senior licensed (SRO) personnel make pretty good money in this business.

[atomicarcheologist]

Call the companies that do the reactor servicing.  They are all hiring.

[Wannabe]

Thanks for the replies, are there any Reactor Service Techs on this board?  If so, what sort of degree do you have or what kind of degree are they looking for?  Thanks in Advance

[vikingfan]

Wannabe,
if your main interest is in reactor disasembly/reasembly refueling of reactors and inspection you might want to contact areva,masterlee,westinghouse or GE and talk with their recruiting or HR departments and let them know what your interests are. hope this helps you BTW i work for masterlee if you need some additional info I may be able to help you so feel free to email me or PM me.

vikngfn1@netzero.com

James

[snowman]

Run, don't walk, from this idea as fast as you can. Scratching out a living working a few weeks here and a few weeks there is no way to earn a livelihood. They're tearing down reactors, not building them, bro! I wouldn't recommend this industry to my worst enemy. Well, maybe to one guy. P. S. Don't look back.

[PWHoppe]

Run, don't walk, from this idea as fast as you can. Scratching out a living working a few weeks here and a few weeks there is no way to earn a livelihood. They're tearing down reactors, not building them, bro! I wouldn't recommend this industry to my worst enemy. Well, maybe to one guy. P. S. Don't look back.

Hardly what I would call positive reinforcement for someone coming to a site of Nuclear workers looking for advice on how to get started in our business

I will grant you no power plants have been built recently but if you look at any of the recent posts here and in the news you'll see that is only a matter of time before they will be.

That, coupled with the aging work force, and the need to replace them, I think holds a fairly good future for young people looking to get into "our" industry.

So, Wannabe let me say Welcome Aboard and Good Luck in your career whatever it may be

[SloGlo]

wannabe... although a lot of people would tell you to finish your education first, that's something that only you can determine.  that said, contact the companies listed previously on posts here on this thread.  they are the main players in the fueling business.  i would also add combustion engineering to the list, along with their subsidiary companies.  but it's a good way to see the country and even the world, once you get your feet wet (so to speak, not literally). 
as far as no new plants being built, snowman better get his reading glasses on.  the last list i saw had 15-20 plants to be built domestically in the next 20 years.  these were only the ones listed for cols and such.  there will be more.  it's a great time to break into the business, especially as the esteemed pwhoppe pointed out the current work force is graying rapidly.  so if you can do old-speak, you'll go far.