4 ms·

What you found for RO/SRO positions is pretty much spot on, and there are other "experience-in-lieu-of-degree" types of jobs that pay exceptionally well. Regar

What you found for RO/SRO positions is pretty much spot on, and there are other "experience-in-lieu-of-degree" types of jobs that pay exceptionally well. Regarding the naval experience aspect, the utilities that hire navy veterans look for certain qualifications obtained while in the navy (EWS for enlisted folks in lieu of a degree).

toomuchtodo 9y ago
My concern with reactor operators is that it's a dying industry due to the challenges in getting a commercial reactor permitted and constructed, along with the costs of renewables driving nuclear out of commercial viability. With that said, I think there'd be great value in an organization advocating and enabled students to get into these "experience-in-lieu-of-degree" types of jobs you mention. Mike Rowe is doing this [1] as part of his mikeroweWORKS Foundation/"Profoundly Disconnected", but my opinion is this needs to be performed at scale nationwide (such as getting involved with school counselors at the high school level). [1] http://profoundlydisconnected.com/ http://profoundlydisconnected.com/
- Caveman_Coder 9y ago
  > "My concern with reactor operators is that it's a dying industry due to the challenges in getting a commercial reactor permitted and constructed, along with the costs of renewables driving nuclear out of commercial viability." When nuclear power plants shut down, the ROs/SROs will not be too hard pressed to find new opportunities. The renewable energy plants that are replacing nuclear will still need to have their control rooms staffed, and operators will simply move into new roles with those utilities, or they'll get out of the generation business altogether and find a cushy transmission/distribution operator role, which isn't really dependent on the political climate with regards to generation technology.
  - toomuchtodo 9y ago
    I agree that the best transition strategy would be for grid/network operators to acquire these people as reactors reach their end of life and are decommissioned.
    - Caveman_Coder 9y ago
      Plus, the TSO/Dispatcher role is a lot less bureaucratic than being an RO/SRO. I think most current RO/SROs would enjoy the job immensely more. You still get to operate a pretty large, intricate, and intellectually interesting system but without all the fuss of dealing with the NRC.

toomuchtodo 9y ago

My concern with reactor operators is that it's a dying industry due to the challenges in getting a commercial reactor permitted and constructed, along with the costs of renewables driving nuclear out of commercial viability. With that said, I think there'd be great value in an organization advocating and enabled students to get into these "experience-in-lieu-of-degree" types of jobs you mention. Mike Rowe is doing this [1] as part of his mikeroweWORKS Foundation/"Profoundly Disconnected", but my opinion is this needs to be performed at scale nationwide (such as getting involved with school counselors at the high school level). [1] http://profoundlydisconnected.com/ http://profoundlydisconnected.com/

Caveman_Coder 9y ago
> "My concern with reactor operators is that it's a dying industry due to the challenges in getting a commercial reactor permitted and constructed, along with the costs of renewables driving nuclear out of commercial viability." When nuclear power plants shut down, the ROs/SROs will not be too hard pressed to find new opportunities. The renewable energy plants that are replacing nuclear will still need to have their control rooms staffed, and operators will simply move into new roles with those utilities, or they'll get out of the generation business altogether and find a cushy transmission/distribution operator role, which isn't really dependent on the political climate with regards to generation technology.
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  I agree that the best transition strategy would be for grid/network operators to acquire these people as reactors reach their end of life and are decommissioned.
  - Caveman_Coder 9y ago
    Plus, the TSO/Dispatcher role is a lot less bureaucratic than being an RO/SRO. I think most current RO/SROs would enjoy the job immensely more. You still get to operate a pretty large, intricate, and intellectually interesting system but without all the fuss of dealing with the NRC.