Comments on: So You Want My Job: Nuclear Engineer

By: Nuke ET

Nuke ET — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 03:02:19 +0000

Great Article, lots of pros and cons for nuclear energy. I’m a Navy Nuke with ten years of experience and it sounds like the civilian side of the nuclear industry is very similar to the military program. I wanted to work in the nuclear field when I get out but now I’m starting to rethink that decision.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:16:49 +0000

Small world daniel. I too am going to Texas A&M for nuclear engieering.

By: daniel

daniel — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:16:00 +0000

I mentioned the cost side of nuclear plants to an ex-navy nuke guy and his buddy. They thought this argument against nuclear engineering was very ironic, since over half the cost and the long delays are due to lawsuits and stalling by the likes of Greenpeace. I have also been accepted into a nuclear engineering program at Texas A&M.
BTW I am a libertarian, I hated Bush b/c of how loose he was with money. Obama is giving me a heart attack at 18.
Personally I think if the government got out of the way with the overly burdensome/excessive regulation nuclear power would be one of the premier sources of energy in the country today.
Despite Obama’s support for loans for the nuclear industry, I still can’t believe he pulled the plug on the Nevada waste depository. It makes you wonder about his true intentions

By: What About Now?

What About Now? — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:34:48 +0000

TooExpensive:

I am glad that you are driving the numbers and not just your liberal bias. But those who replied to you were effectively able to draw out your true liberal bend. Hence, I would like you to revisit your position now that Mr. Libertarian Obama has approved new construction on Nuclear Power Plants. Can you still defend this position with the numbers with your daddy going that direction, or is he just placating Republican pressure and trying to create jobs the Republican way because none of his pre-election rhetoric panned out? Is he showing that only Republican plans demonstrate PRACTICAL returns? And while you are at it, please address the $700 BILLION debt to China that libertarians poured into the economy like water into sand that our children will have to pay back with no return…as in the return of energy production. At least Nuclear Energy has a myriad of returns. It is far more important that the USA stay at the forefront of all areas of nuclear development on a global stage. The country that owns the most nuclear knowledge wins…not the country that gives away the most money to its citizens (or illegal guests) with zero show of return (i.e. willingness to WORK for their handouts.)

I do agree that it is best to have an industry that can stand on its own and not be forever in the red. And since you have identified the problem, what is your solution to the global energy crisis? You apparently have one…and it IS science based, right? The world is anxiously awaiting another libertarian savior to walk on water and solve our energy crisis…and YOU’RE IT obviously. Or is all your talk just more highlighting of Republican faults as seen through liberal eyes? Don’t we get enough of that kind of yellow journalism noise thru Michael Moore and Jon Stewart? What is your PRACTICAL solution to the energy dilemma? (I don’t expect a liberal to have a solution, just more finger pointing at Republicans. But give it your best shot.)

Thanks. I’m going for the Nuke master’s degree. You helped solidify that.

By: TooExpensive

TooExpensive — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:08:24 +0000

An another note, my purpose is not to instigate protests but disuade people from pursuing dead end careers in the nuclear industry. The jobs outlook is probably similar to that of people with computer science degrees during the dot com bubble. We couldn’t push them out of college fast enough and now look at them. They’re probably serving your coffee at Starbucks.

You’re better off getting a construction management degree so you can be involved with the building of it (if that ever happens) and to have something to fall back on. Face it, there aren’t many jobs to go around when it comes to operating a nuclear plant. What are the odds you will beat the next guy for the job when we have millions of people out of work (granted they may not be trained) and overseas talent who have actual experience designing/building/running a plant instead of you coming right out of school.

If it’s your dream, by all means go for it. Just keep in mind that it’s not a video game and the whole thing isn’t rigged for a happy ending no matter what you choose.