Posted on 05/10/2010 2:55:41 PM PDT by throwback
There's no denying the value of a college education: According to recent U.S. Census surveys, the median salary for college grads is more than $20,000 higher than that of people with only a high school diploma. And the unemployment rate for people with bachelor's degrees is almost half the rate for people without.
But some degrees are worth more than others, as PayScale.com shows in its 2010 report on the earning power of bachelor's degrees.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotjobs.yahoo.com ...
Have you ever noticed that Columbia is the leader in all of the wussiest academic areas?
Social work, journalism, education...
Knows what to do with something like this:
I worked a couple quarters as a co-op engineering student in what was at the time the world's largest coal-fired powerplant. An experienced operator knows all the equipment behind all those gauges and switches, and what do do when things to wrong.
Dear Lord Man!
What I noticed that was interesting were the professional certifications that are becoming more important. For example, I'm an HR manager for my company. I took and passed the exam called a PHR (professional human resource), it tested me on the body of knowledge that an HR person could reasonably expect to know to keep her boss from getting sued by doing something stupid in violation of the labor laws. I do not have a bachelor's degree in HR (actually you have to get a masters - shudders in horror).
But by passing it, I prove to prospective employers (not that I'm looking boss!) I actually know what I'm talking about. In Houston, having that certification in more important than having the degree.
The first think one is taught in the control room is "Don't Touch ANYTHING"! That looks so typical of the plants I've been in, but I'd be hard-pressed to describe the function of all of the controls. I suppose it would help if I could read the labels. I recall that in some places, the steam control room was separate from the electrical control room. Others had the entire unit control consolidated into one room. Different philosophy at the time of construction, I guess.
Looks to be 1960's to 1970's era equipment.
The steam flows through the turbine much like air blows through a pinwheel, until nearly all of the energy is used up in the steam and the cool steam is converted back to water, where the process starts all over again.
The entire point of spinning the tubine is to turn the generator which is attached to the same shaft as the turbine.
This is obviously a gross over-simplification of an elaborate and complex process. To answer your question, Power Plant Operators operate the hundreds of pieces of equipment associated with generating electricity, 24-7.
She's a go getter...
She's been graduated from her school now since Jan. She's wowing the salon she's started at...and cutting hair for some big "name" people, in L.A.
She's been published ( as the hair stylist..) in at least one magazine...and won quite a few awards. I am very proud of her...but would have never envisioned this as her profession.
She likes to hunt and fish..with me. LOL!!
Thanks-
Virtually every plant has removed these old panel boards and replaced them with DCS systems (distributive control system, which is basically a computer controlled system where the operator uses a mouse instead of all of the controls in the picture).
You are correct sir. In the 70's, plants went to a single contol room design instead of a seperate switchboard/fireroom design.
I think I could pass the final exam for a master’s degree in “Antiquated Agricultural Practices”. Where do I go to get my sheepskin?
A few years ago I read a report in a business magazine saying that the ability to communicate clearly was the single most sought after skill and the hardest to find. That probably means you don’t learn that in communications classes.
I don’t know how much truth there was in that report but I am certain that the ability to communicate clearly is indeed rare. I suspect that it is something that you are born with rather than something that is learned in school.
Gee, what is the difference between a degree in Fine Arts and Wine FArts? Answer: One letter and the location of the F.
I have studied women for over sixty years, I didn’t realize you needed to go to school for it though.
BS wasn’t good enough for her. She had to master it.
Glad to see philosophy didn’t make the list. I didn’t try to make a career of it, settled on nuclear weapons effects instead. I mean, physics is just being able to do some math, sheesh how tough is that?
Hands on experience beats theoretical knowledge in a lot of fields.
That change is illustrated in the Eastlake Power Plant in Eastlake, Ohio. Units 1 through 4 were built in the 1950's and 1960's, while Unit 5 was added in 1973 or so. Units 1-4 have a single electric control room, which also controls the high voltage switchyard. Plus, there are IIRC 2 steam control rooms on the other side of the turbine floor, with controls for 2 units in each. Unit 5 has a consolidated control room.
Last time I was in the plant, Unit 5 had some sophisticated (for the time) computerized control system installed (Network 90, I think was the name of the system). It was quite a machine.
Actually, he’s probably headed into writing books supporting whatever theories he thinks works in the classroom- and that means citing loads of statistical studies and repeating “the mean” over and over. None of which will be of any use in the classroom to guys like me.
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