For generations, Eastern Kentuckians have worked in industries that demand skill, precision, toughness, and an unwavering commitment to safety.
Coal mining. Manufacturing. Utilities. Construction. Automotive and diesel technology. Heavy equipment. Welding. Industrial maintenance. Power generation.
Now, some of those same skills could open doors into another industry: nuclear energy.
On October 7, WECTEC Staffing Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Company, is partnering with SOAR for a regional hiring event connecting Eastern Kentuckians with skilled technical opportunities in the nuclear and broader energy industries.
But before you decide these jobs aren’t for you, we want you to do something: Take a closer look.
You may be more qualified than you think.
You Don’t Have to Come From the Nuclear Industry
Seeing the word nuclear can create an immediate assumption that these jobs are only for people who have already worked at a nuclear facility.
That’s not necessarily the case.
Some of the positions WECTEC is recruiting for do require specialized nuclear experience or credentials. Others create opportunities to look at candidates differently, based on their transferable skills, technical aptitude, safety mindset, and ability to learn.
WECTEC is recruiting for positions including:
- Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Technician
- General Valve Technician
- As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) Technician
- Senior Radiation Protection Technician
- Dosimetry Technician
- Traveling Wind Technician
Instead of simply asking whether you’ve worked in nuclear, consider some different questions.
- Have you maintained or repaired equipment?
- Can you troubleshoot a mechanical or electrical problem?
- Have you worked with pumps, valves, gauges, sensors, controls, hydraulics, or industrial machinery?
- Can you use hand and power tools safely?
- Can you read a blueprint, schematic, diagram, or technical procedure?
- Have you worked somewhere that safety procedures weren’t suggestions—they were requirements?
- And perhaps most importantly: Can you learn?
If you’re answering yes, we want you to take a serious look at these opportunities.
From Martin County High School to WECTEC
There’s already an Eastern Kentucky example of what this can look like.
Ryan Hunter Moore graduated from Martin County High School in May. While in high school, he attended the Martin County Area Technology Center.
Weeks before graduation, Ryan interviewed with WECTEC at a hiring event in Ashland.
By early August, he was training to become a Valve Technician. Now, he is scheduled for his first assignment performing outage work.
Ryan’s story matters because it challenges what many of us might picture when we think about someone entering the nuclear industry.
He wasn’t coming from years of nuclear experience.
He was a recent Eastern Kentucky high school and Area Technology Center graduate with technical education, aptitude, and an opportunity to put what he had learned to work in an entirely new industry.
That’s exactly why recent graduates shouldn’t automatically count themselves out, and neither should experienced workers whose résumés don’t contain the word nuclear.
Think About the Skills Eastern Kentucky Already Has
Consider the people you know.
- The coal miner who has spent years working safely around complex equipment.
- The manufacturing employee who troubleshoots machinery when production goes down.
- The industrial maintenance technician who can diagnose a mechanical problem.
- The electrician who understands controls and electrical systems.
- The diesel technician who can tear into a piece of equipment, determine what’s wrong, and fix it.
- The welder or fabricator accustomed to precision.
- The recent community and technical college or Area Technology Center graduate who understands the fundamentals but needs someone to give them an opportunity.
- The veteran who returned home with mechanical, electrical, or technical experience.
These may not sound like traditional “nuclear workers.”
That’s the point.
The question isn’t only where you’ve worked. It’s also what you know how to do.
These Careers Can Allow Eastern Kentucky to Remain Home
There’s another important part of these opportunities that candidates need to understand.
These are travel-based positions with great pay and benefits throughout the year.
Outage work happens when power plants temporarily shut down for refueling, inspection, maintenance, and other work. That creates a need for skilled workers who can travel to assignments as they occur.
That means these aren’t necessarily jobs where you’ll report to the same Eastern Kentucky workplace every morning.
For the right candidate, however, the model offers something significant: You can call Eastern Kentucky home while building a career that takes you to assignments across the country.
That distinction is important. Candidates should carefully consider the travel requirements before applying, but for people who are comfortable traveling for work, these opportunities deserve a serious look.
Learn about the positions, requirements, and October 7 hiring opportunity
What If You’re Interested but Aren’t Ready Yet?
Maybe you look at these opportunities and think: I can see myself doing this, but I need more training.
We want to hear from you, too.
SOAR is working with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and its six colleges serving the SOAR region to create a training pathway for Eastern Kentuckians interested in nuclear and energy careers.
Training is FREE for eligible candidates and is made possible through funding provided by the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority and the GitLab Foundation.
The goal is straightforward: help Eastern Kentuckians build skills that can prepare them to compete for opportunities in a growing industry.
So there are really two questions:
- Are you ready for one of these opportunities now? Apply.
- Interested in this industry but need additional skills or training? Explore the training pathway.
Either way, don’t dismiss the opportunity simply because nuclear energy hasn’t previously been part of your career plan.
The Hiring Event Is in Hazard. The Opportunity Is Regional.
The October 7 hiring event will take place in Hazard, but this is not a Hazard-only recruitment effort.
This opportunity is for Appalachia Kentucky.
Candidates throughout all 54 Appalachian Kentucky counties served by SOAR are encouraged to explore the available positions.
Whether you’re in Ashland or Middlesboro, Morehead or Somerset, Pikeville or London — or anywhere in between — we want you to take a look.
Don’t let the location of the hiring event cause you to assume the opportunity isn’t for you.
And If It’s Not for You, Who Do You Know?
This is where we need Appalachia Kentucky’s help.
Maybe you’re happy in your current career.
Maybe travel isn’t right for your family.
Maybe these particular jobs don’t align with your skills.
That’s okay.
But you probably know someone.
Instead of asking, “Do I know someone looking for a job?” ask a different question: “Who do I know who is good with tools, understands equipment, works safely, can solve problems, and might be willing to travel for a strong career opportunity?”
Think about former coworkers.
Think about your children or grandchildren.
Think about someone who recently graduated from an Area Technology Center or community and technical college.
Think about the person who moved away from Eastern Kentucky because they couldn’t find the right career opportunity here.
Think about the miner, mechanic, electrician, welder, manufacturing employee, veteran, or skilled tradesperson in your life.
Then send this article to them.
Apply. Train. Or Share.
Appalachia Kentucky has spent generations supplying the talent that powers industries across America.
The industries are changing. The talent isn’t.
We have people who know how to work. We have people who understand equipment. We have people who value safety, solve problems, learn quickly, and aren’t afraid of demanding work.
Now we need to connect that talent with new opportunities.
If you’re ready, apply.
If you’re interested but need additional preparation, explore the training.
And if these opportunities aren’t for you, share them with someone who should see them.
Because the next Ryan Hunter Moore may already be sitting in an Eastern Kentucky classroom, working in a mine, repairing equipment, troubleshooting a production line, or wondering whether the skills they already have can lead somewhere new.
They can. The first step is taking a look.