Handling the Practical Content of a Nuclear Operator Training Program
In the face of widespread and growing concerns about the effects of burning fossils fuels to generate electricity on the environment, the onus is on governments and private utility companies to evaluate and implement greener alternatives. While wind and solar generators offer some relief, these technologies are, as yet, unable to achieve sufficient output to satisfy consumer needs on their own. Atomic energy provides a cleaner solution that is already well established. However, more nuclear operator training programs will be necessary for a smooth transition by those currently employed in oil- or coal-fired plants and for personnel who are new to the power generation industry.
The combination of a classroom and a knowledgeable teacher has, traditionally, been the basis for instruction in fields ranging from archaeology to zoology. When studying power generation, it can be an excellent means to familiarise trainees with the theory relating to atomic fission or the design and operating principle of a pressurised- or boiling-water reactor. However, the practical content of a nuclear operator training program will require hands-on experience rather than diagrams and discussions if it is to be effective.
In many cases, practical instruction is conducted in the workplace where trainees watch as a more experienced staff member demonstrates various activities a few times and then invites the novices to have a go. This technique may work fine for bricklayers, painters, plumbers, and similar artisans, but imagine what might happen if an airline pilot were to hand over the controls in mid-flight to a trainee on his or her first day.
Like flight school, the nuclear operator training program must be able to develop practical skills without putting personnel and expensive equipment at risk. Before attempting to take over the controls, both types of trainees need to be confident that they can handle every aspect of the various routine operations involved. They also need to be competent to cope appropriately with any form of emergency that might arise. So how might it be possible for these trainees to achieve this?
The Digital Solution
The digital revolution has changed how we do many things, including providing the essential hands-on experience for a nuclear operator training program.The internet offers us access to information on every conceivable topic while allowing us to conduct video calls with distant relatives and even to share the musings of world leaders on Twitter. The web is also a source of entertainment and has become a haven for online gamers. Talented programmers create realistic virtual worlds in which one can experience the thrills and fears of mortal combat or driving a Formula 1 Ferrari to victory at Monza.
Borrowing from the gaming world has also created new possibilities for learning. Now, learners on a nuclear operator training program can gain hands-on experience of controlling a nuclear power station in a simulated but life-like environment.
There are few more effective lessons than those we learn from our mistakes. On the other hand, if you happen to be an airline pilot or a power plant operative, mistakes can be a two-edged sword. You may learn from them but at what cost? That is precisely why pilots spend hours in a simulator practising how to land a wide-bodied jet with only one functioning engine and similar life-threatening emergencies. Now, nuclear operator training programs can also leverage this technology to provide trainees with a realistic yet safe practical learning environment.
By engaging in a simulated activity, trainees can actually experience the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. They can repeat any task as often as necessary until they can perform it instinctively without a second thought. More importantly, any mistakes they do make will have no consequences in the real world while amounting to no more than the motivation to try again in the virtual one.
The simulated content of a nuclear operator training program is software generated. If required, a skilled programmer can reproduce the physical layout of any given plant in every last detail. The process is exacting and time-consuming, so, naturally, the finished product will be priced accordingly. However, there are also generic programs that some may find more affordable, and which can still prove an effective means to cover those practical tasks relevant to a given operative.
SimGenics is a leader in the field of simulated learning and offers a range of programs for both conventional and nuclear operator training.
