Re: Technician Crosstrain

[Eric Schmidt <gaws@ao.net>]

At 10:39 AM 3/5/98 -0600, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-03-05 10:48:39 EST, you write:
>
><<  That said, have any of ya'll experienced the same or similar
> problem and if so how have you tackled it?  >>
>
>Sounds like the Navy Nuclear program. I like to say to my commercial co-
>workers that as an ELT we did almost every job at a nuc plant... ops,
>chemistry, HP, maint, B&G, painter, security, yada yada yada.
>
> It surprised me just how compartmentalized I found the commercial biz after
>my Navy experience. Three HP departments? We had three _guys_ that did all
>that stuff and more (granted, smaller scale, different environment.) But, I
>have never worked 52 hours in a row without sleeping in the commercial biz,
>either!  
>
>I agree that the price for all that diversity is skill dilution. If I were in
>the enviable position of having a full-time house position at a utility,
>though, I would welcome the opportunity to set myself apart from the rest by
>diversifying my skills. The best kind of job security- increasing your skills
>to make yourself a more valuable employee. Maybe they should have initiated
>the crosstraining before the layoff and layed off  those who could not do it. 
>
>You can always become a road tech!
>
>Charles Migliore
>Chasmig@aol.com
>

As a current Lead ELT and Instructor soon to get out of the Navy, I agree
with many aspects of C Migliore message.  It is always a plus to diversify
your employee skill base(ie x-training, extra education).  And yes, there
are times that we Navy nukes have gone 36hrs, 48hrs without sleeping.  Makes
falling asleep on a half inch mattress a little easier.

Eric M. Schmidt, USN, RRPT