POWER April 2014 - 54

NUCLEAR POWER
Thriving Through Job Transitions
I feel fortunate to have worked in several different capacities
throughout my power career-mostly by choice. I began in the
trenches-turning wrenches and taking logs-and worked my way
up to management positions at commercial nuclear, biomass, and
coal facilities. Although the fuels changed, in my experience, there
have been more similarities than differences between the various
plants. A short history of my career may suggest paths forward for
those facing involuntary career shifts.
Training for Success
My career began in the U.S. Navy's nuclear power program, where
my training included 13 weeks of Machinist Mate " A " School and
26 weeks of Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Fla. Once completed,
I moved on to another 26 weeks of instruction at the S1C nuclear
prototype unit located near Windsor, Conn. That intense training
really set the stage for my power generation career. As in any field,
training and a desire to learn are essential to advancement and
career options.
My first shipboard assignment was in Machinery division aboard
the USS Enterprise, which was homeported in Alameda, Calif., at
the time. Working in the engine room afforded me the opportunity
to learn both maintenance skills and operational proficiencies.
The Navy forces young sailors to learn quickly and take on new
responsibilities rapidly, because there is always a steady flow of
personnel through the organization. The majority of " new hires "
will only be with the organization for four years, and even those
who reenlist typically remain at their first duty station no more
than five years before transferring to a shore command. There are
always experienced workers leaving and junior people stepping up
to fill their roles.
Although there was competition for advancement opportunities,
a person could move up quickly by showing initiative and being reliable.
If you completed your qualifications, demonstrated technical
competence, were dependable, and met performance standards,
you could slowly but surely rise to the top of your department's
roster. That was one of the biggest differences that I noticed when
I transferred to the civilian power industry.
The Civilian Establishment
The commercial power plant pecking order was filled with a long
list of employees whose seniority, in some cases, went all the way
back to plant construction. At my first commercial plant, the workers
were unionized, so there was generally little chance of a worker
jumping over someone else with more seniority. I certainly respect
and understand the benefits of being union represented, but at the
same time, I know that it can limit opportunities for some of the
more capable young employees.
I entered the civilian nuclear world on the management side,
which was non-union. When I joined the Quad Cities staff, there
had been a lot of management turnover through the years. I was
initiated by the union folks who told me stories about " Black Monday, "
when the entire supervisory staff received the proverbial pink
slip. One worker claimed to have kept a tally of all the supervisors
he had worked for over the years. I was number 104, if I remember
54
correctly. Another worker once told me, " I was here long before
you came, and I will be here long after you're gone! " In the end,
I guess he was right. However, while he enjoyed the security of a
stable career, I've enjoyed the freedom of knowing I could thrive
in a less-stable career by being flexible.
For the most part, unlike the Navy, when folks got a job at a
civilian plant in previous eras, they were likely to remain with
that company for the rest of their working life. The jobs paid
well and included excellent benefits. Once employees established
themselves in their positions, it was unlikely that they
would need, or even want, to leave. The system made for a
very experienced and capable workforce. However, when business
changes lead to a plant closure, workers who excelled in
one niche may need to develop new skills and habits to thrive
in a new niche.
The Contractor's Role
Unlike most people in my situation, I voluntarily left my nuclear
plant job to return to my hometown and other opportunities,
but I kept my foot in the door by continuing to work outages.
Because Quad Cities had two units with outages in alternating
years, I left my home state seasonally every year to work on one
unit or the other.
The work was similar to what I had done as a full-time supervisor,
with the exception that I frequently managed other contract
workers with little direct knowledge of the plant layout. The arrangement
was beneficial for the plant, because I could use my experience
and knowledge of processes and procedures to lead skilled
workers who were not familiar with the facility.
Companies have always relied on contract help during outages,
and that trend is unlikely to end anytime soon. The benefits are
obvious: The company avoids providing health insurance, retirement
benefits, or long-term pay, as it would for permanent staff.
For the contract worker, the benefit of having a well-paying
job, if only for a short period, is a plus. The work also allows flexibility.
Although a person can't control when a plant schedules its
outages, the individual can choose whether or not to participate.
When outage season slows down, some workers can collect unemployment
while they take the summer off. During spring and fall
outage periods, many workers are able to jump from one outage
to the next, with few days off during the period. In essence, they
have full-time work, even if they have to travel and sleep in hotels
for the duration of the job.
Creating Structure
My situation changed again seven years ago, when I was hired
to be the operations and maintenance manager at a brand new
biomass plant. The transition was a great experience for me. I was
coming from the highly structured world of nuclear power, with its
detailed procedures and " by the book " mentality, to a facility that
was owned by a startup company beginning with virtually a blank
sheet of paper.
I arrived as the fourth employee while the plant was still under
construction. Soon after, the original plant manager resigned, and
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POWER April 2014

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