Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Overview Nature of Work Knowledge Areas Skills Utilized Job Activities Abilities Job Conditions Work Satisfaction Education/Training

Educational Attainment Breakdown for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators College or Higher 12.2% Some College 45.7% High School or Less 42.1%

Most Significant Source of Postsecondary Education or Training
Long-term on-the-job training
Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Power plant operators, dispatchers, and distributors generally need a combination of education, on-the-job training, and experience. Candidates with strong computer and technical skills are generally preferred.

Education and training. Employers often seek recent high school graduates for entry-level operator, distributor, and dispatcher positions. Workers with college or vocational school degrees will have more advancement opportunities, especially in nuclear power plants. Although it is not a prerequisite, many senior reactor operators have a bachelor's degree in engineering or the physical sciences.

Workers selected for training as power plant operators or distributors undergo extensive on-the-job and classroom instruction. Several years of training and experience are required for a worker to become a fully qualified control room operator or power plant distributor.

In addition to receiving initial training to become fully qualified as a power plant operator, distributor, or dispatcher, most workers are given periodic refresher training—especially the nuclear power plant operators. Refresher training usually is taken on plant simulators designed specifically to replicate procedures and situations that might be encountered at the trainee's plant.

Licensure. Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers may need licenses depending on jurisdiction and specific job function. Requirements vary greatly from place to place and may be administered by State, county, or local governments.

Extensive training and experience are necessary to pass the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examinations required for nuclear reactor operators and senior nuclear reactor operators. Before beginning training, a nuclear power plant worker must have 3 years of power plant experience. At least 6 months of this must be on-site at the nuclear power plant where the operator is to be licensed. Training generally takes at least 1 year, after which the worker must take an NRC-administered examination. To maintain their licenses, reactor operators must pass an annual practical plant operation exam and a biennial written exam administered by their employers. Reactor operators can upgrade their licenses to the senior reactor operator level after a year of licensed experience at the plant by taking another examination given by the NRC. Training may include simulator and on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and individual study. Experience in other power plants or with Navy nuclear propulsion plants also is helpful.

Advancement. Most entry-level workers start as helpers or laborers and advance to more responsible positions as they become comfortable in the plant. In many cases, there are mandatory waiting times between starting a position and advancing to the next level due to licensing requirements. With sufficient training and experience, workers can become shift supervisors or, in nuclear power plants, senior reactor operators.

Because power plants have different systems and safety mechanisms, it is often very difficult to advance by changing companies or plants. Most utilities promote from within; most workers advance within a particular plant or by moving to another plant owned by the same utility.

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