Airduds

Just food for thought.

I unluckily (or luckily depending on your perspective) was unable to follow the type of career I wanted in aviation because I couldn't get a medical.

Long story short I became a Licensed Reactor Operator at a commercial nuclear power plant, a la Homer Simpson.

After doing the shiftwork and all that goes with it for ten years, I gravitated out of the control room and into Project Controls. I've been doing that for about 18 years now.

Truth be told I haven't worked all that hard (shift work can be tough though) and have gotten to the point that I make about $250K per year contracting through my own company to power companies.

For someone in their early 20s to early 40s (there are no age restrictions I just don't think many, although I have known some, would want to start this career path later) going into Operations at a nuke plant might be a good career decision.

Requirements for getting in are not too tough. Namely squeaky clean background for at least five years and the ability to pass initial (and then random) drug screens.

To come directly into the operating department you will have to pass a test that's heavy, but not overly so, in math and display a good mechanical aptitude.

Most plants around the U.S. are union and have a starting wage in the low $20s/hr range. If you get hired, after a short time you'll be sent to a school for approx. one year learning about how power plants work. After successfully completing "primary" (different utilities call it different things) training you will get a raise to the high $20s/hr and go on shift until seniority gets you into license school. Impossible to estimate how long that will take but in some locations (Turkey Point in Florida comes to mind) it will be as soon as you're able to digest it. On the other hand, it's not uncommon for guys (there are girls too) to forego license school and work up to around $100K/yr without the hassle of getting/maintaining a license.

Once you get your license you can expect to make in the high $100s/yr if you want it. Think of the $100s in thirds, lows if you avoid OT at all costs, mids with moderate OT, and highs if you're willing to work whenever they want you.

Most plants work a six-week rotating 12-hour shift scheme. I once worked where out of each six week period I spent one week in training (requal) and had two seven-day breaks. The remaining time was spent between day and night shift.

There are a lot of Reagan era ATCs in this business and of course ex-navy nukes. I have known a couple of ex-military pilots (B-52 and F-4) that went a simiar route but they both had engineering degrees and went straight to the Senior Reactor Operator level which is non-union, but may or may not pay more money long term as long as they remain in the Operations Department.