Shift control personnel of nuclear power plants - ensuring psychic competence at recruitment and maintaining competence at work

Problems associated with the recruitment of nuclear power plant operators and with keeping their professional qualification at the required level are discussed. At the Dukovany nuclear power plant, only about 45% out of all contacted workers enter operator training. This is due to stringent admittance conditions on the one side and to the applicants being not interested in employment associated with shift work, the necessity to steadily improve ones' qualification, high professional responsibility, etc. Nearly 95% of admitted operators are fresh graduates. They have little problems in learning; on the other hand, they lack experience in work with people, intrinsic feeling of legal responsibility, and ability to guide the psychosomatic life regimen of their subordinates. For optimization of the process of nuclear power plant personnel training and education, it is recommended to build up a feedback system between the nuclear power plant management, training and education institutions, and examinators. (Z.M.). 2 figs., 5 refs