Hello All, I'm in the process of training to become a junior RP tech with Westinghouse and would appreciate advice regarding reaching out and requesting work for outages in the fall, now that the fall 2026 outage schedule is available. Currently, I've been scheduled to take the FUN1 exam mid-May. My question is, when/how do I make the request to be scheduled for outages, and what should I expect? For instance, even though I'm not yet a jr RP tech, should I still proceed to request jr RP tech roles for the fall? Should I not expect to work RP this fall, given the timing, and simply request Decon roles for the time being, and then plan to request work in RP next spring? Or, should I hold off on requesting work at all until I have become task qualified (not sure about this last option, seems like a good way to miss work)? Additionally, when sending work requests to the recruiters, should I send one bulk email with all of my preferred outages and then CC all recruiters, or should I send a separate email for each outage preferences and only CC the recruiters assigned to that outage, per the outage list? Thank you in advance.

I tried to contact everyone on the Westinghouse list for any updates for entry level decon and couldnt get ahold of anyone. Scott from RSCS said they will try and have their schedule for fall by the end of this week or beginning of next week. Cora from DZ said they are not doing entry level at this time but to fill out your wish list on their portal in the mean time. These recruiters have to go through call backs for people who the plants want to work again, and then they will try and open up positions for entry level.

Just reached out to recruiters today for the 2026 fall outage schedule with Westinghouse. All recruiters just emailed me within 5 minutes today make sure we get the jump on this ASAP for those that didn't make spring!!!!

I’d like to share my experience getting started as an entry-level Decontamination Technician. So far, I’ve really been enjoying it. I’ve met a lot of great people and learned a ton about the nuclear industry in a short amount of time. I was able to get in touch with Tricia via email, which led to me getting onboarded with Westinghouse and brought on for this outage season. My first assignment was at Brunswick. Funny enough, Michael Cheng and Jonathan Vowles from this group were actually my roommates, so that made for a unique and solid experience. The schedule there was 6 days on, 1 day off, working 12-hour night shifts (6 PM – 6 AM) with a consistent off day each week. I was netting around $2K per week after taxes, which I consider pretty good starting out. Timeline-wise, I reported to Kings Mountain for training on 2/16, arrived at Brunswick on 2/26, and stayed there until 3/25. I’m currently at McGuire Nuclear Station, again working nights on the same 6-on, 1-off schedule, and earning about the same weekly net. For anyone trying to break into the industry, especially if your goal is to become an RP, my personal recommendation is to start as a Decon Tech. It’s one of the best ways to get your foot in the door. From there, you can have someone proctor your exam at a plant while gaining real, hands-on experience. I’ve heard this multiple times, and now I see why the best RPs in the industry often started as Decon Techs. While there’s nothing wrong with coming in directly as an RP, I’ve noticed some lack practical decon experience. Being a strong RP isn’t just about knowing procedures it’s about combining RP knowledge with real decontamination understanding. My biggest piece of advice: network as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, ask questions, and build relationships. That alone has opened doors for me and put me in positions I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Hope this helps someone coming in behind me. p.s. @Michael Cheng passed his Fun 1 at Brunswick so let’s all congratulate him and I am taking mine at my next plant so wish me luck.

https://radiationprotectiontech.com/ Practice tests for the Fun 1 & 2 inside.