What interests the NDT practitioner?

I was in a meeting recently where we were discussing what interests the NDT practitioner. Our thoughts were that rates of pay and job security would be high on the list. The contracting NDT practitioner has the potential to earn more in a shorter period of time than a direct employee, but the direct employee will consistently bring home a steady pay packet.

There are some practitioners who embrace technology and will jump on every new piece of equipment that is purchased and have it working in a short period of time, whereas other practitioners would prefer to stick with their older familiar equipment.

Some practitioners will accept risk relating to their work location, while others are very comfortable to work at the same factory day in, day out. Others think radiography is much better than ultrasonics, and vice versa.

We concluded that, as with most things, there is not one specific answer but that financial reward and security are probably the stronger interests for the NDT practitioner.

john.moody@bindt.org

Comments by members

Comment by Robert Mitchell
Mooroolbark, Australia

Date 07/06/2017

Hi John, Yes you are correct the first motivation in any career is the pay packet. I personally have never thought about job security since the end of the miners strike and jobs were no longer said to be "I have a job until I retire" those days will never be seen again. So in my eyes I have strove to gain financially and as you say in the short term projects, then move from project to project, country to country, yes I would call my self an industrial NDT gypsy but sadly yes I did come from a solid background in the mining industry pre Margaret Thatcher, (Thanks Maggie for not only taking my job but also for crippling the nation), where I could say I had a job for life. But I learnt very quickly even in NDT that it was a dog eat dog world out there, they call it an economic climate (if you could only see my face laughing). Even your best friend would stand on your neck to get to the top as such and yes, "IN NDT".

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