HP a Profession?

["RONALD L. SHEPHERD" <SHEPHRL@GWSMTP.NU.COM>]

I must respond to Ms Gawarecki's comments on HP techs.
I am curious as to whether the HP's you encountered were Site tech's or
contractor techs?
Most contractor tech's (road trash) that I know would have been there when YOU
wanted them there.
They would have been bugging you to work 7 twelve hour days instead of what you
were working.
If the site procedures allow they would be working with you not shutting your
jobs down.

As far as this profession goes, it is dying a fairly rapid death for the
following reasons:
Power plants shutting down for good
Reluctance to hire junior HP techs (save money?)
Increased emphasis on education vs experience ( the only thing more dangerous
than an engineer in a rad area is a Health Physist in a rad area )
JUST KIDDINGGGGGGGGGGGG

I think we must make a distinction here because we seem to be getting confused
about Health Physicists and HP Techs.

They are separate professions and should be handled accordingly.  You don't
need a college educated 'rocket scientist' to go into the field and perform HP
technician duties.  What you need is a person that is experienced at working
with people, can take a survey and understand what it means, a person that can
be a:
cop...politician...jr scientist...weight lifter...EMT...auditor...instrument
tech...baby sitter...author...counselor...judge of character..

etc   etc

But I keep seeing job listings on this list that are increasingly requiring a
degree for performing HP tech duties and that has me concerned because you
don't learn to be a HP tech in a classroom.  You learn to be a junior HP tech
in a classroom.

Ron Shepherd
shephrl@gwsmtp.nu.com
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