The third interviewer was noncommittal when he heard that. He flipped through Zhang Heng's resume.
"I appreciate your courage to try new things, but I noticed that you have no experience working in a nuclear power plant. This is a whole new field for you."
"I can learn," Zhang Heng replied. "I'm a strong learner."
"I know. I don't doubt that. I can also see it from your resume. After graduation, it only took you a short time to be promoted from assistant engineer to official engineer. You are very suitable to work in the thermal power plant. So, my suggestion is that you continue to work in the thermal power plant. To be honest, the salary we can offer you is not much higher than what you get in the thermal power plant. You don't have to give up what you are familiar with and start from scratch."
Zhang Heng didn't really care about the salary, but he wanted to play the role of a good candidate. The third interviewer wasn't targeting him. The salary of a nuclear power plant was indeed not much higher than that of a thermal power plant. However, if given a choice, many people would still jump ship to work in a nuclear power plant.
The main reason was that in the context of SL's vigorous promotion of nuclear power generation, the status of a nuclear power plant was higher than that of a thermal power plant. And it would be easier to get promoted in the future. Of course, this was only for the management. For the people below, working in a nuclear power plant was more prestigious and respected than working in a thermal power plant. Besides, the construction of a nuclear power plant was in full swing, and the demand for talents was high. Hence, they had a higher chance of being promoted.
However, this matter couldn't be brought up in public. Hence, Zhang Heng's answer of embracing the future. Obviously, this wasn't the first time the third interviewer had heard such an answer. So, he tried to persuade Zhang Heng to give up on the idea in a euphemistic tone.
Zhang Heng fell silent when he heard that.
Seemingly worried that Zhang Heng didn't understand, the third interviewer went straight to the point. "Work in a nuclear power plant isn't easy. I know what people say — peaceful atoms, clean energy. But in fact, the atoms in the reactor are not peaceful. We need experienced engineers to deal with all kinds of situations and prevent the worst from happening."
Zhang Heng still did not speak, but Fuming on the other side spoke first. He coughed twice, then said with his pleasant baritone voice, "Oleg, I think you are making a fuss over a minor issue. It has been more than thirty years since the first nuclear power plant was completed, and there has been no major accident. I think this is a good sign. Otherwise, the higher-ups would not keep pushing for the construction of nuclear power plants."
"We're just lucky. The nuclear leakage accident caused by the Americans on Three Mile Island will happen to us sooner or later," Oleg said worriedly.
"You are too pessimistic. The reactor designed by Academician Dolezali is very safe." "It's because of these nuclear power plants that we can export more oil and gas to our allies in Eastern Europe and those greedy guys in the Western world."
"Academician Dolezali also warned us not to build nuclear power plants in densely populated places. But look at Pripyat. It's only three kilometers away from us."
"This is the decision of the higher-ups. They may have their own considerations. Oleg, you know this is beyond our control. We just need to do our job well," Brehanov knocked on the table, looking a little helpless. "Gentlemen, can we focus on recruitment first? Reactor No. 3 is about to go into operation, and we need manpower."
"Yes, we need experienced nuclear power plant workers. Only such people can be competent for the job at the nuclear power plant," Oleg insisted.
"There is a Russian proverb that says we don't need God to burn pots. We just need a steam turbine engineer. And now you have a steam turbine engineer." Fuming pointed to Zhang Heng at the other end of the wooden table.
"What are you talking about? We are recruiting people for the nuclear power plant. Isn't the prerequisite for this job? What's wrong with that? "
"Not only does Ivan understand the job, but he is also very experienced. He used to work at a thermal power station. He knows high-power power generation systems, distribution systems, and transmission lines like the back of his hand. And as he said, he is very young. He has plenty of time to learn and grow," Fuming said. "I think he is the person we are looking for."
"Except for the reactor, he doesn't know anything about the reactor. And that is the most important thing about working at a nuclear power plant," Oleg insisted. Oleg insisted. "We need experts, nuclear experts, not amateurs who know nothing and start from scratch."
As soon as he said this, not only did Fuming's face turn cold, but Brehanov was also a little unhappy. "Fuming worked at a thermal power station before coming here, and I worked at the Slavyanskaya coal-fired power station before coming here. According to what you said, we are all laymen, but aren't we doing a good job now?"
"I didn't mean that, Brehanov." Oleg also knew that he was too anxious and said something wrong, so he quickly apologized.
Brehanov, the director, looked very kind most of the time, like a good old man, but he did have some taboos. What he hated most was the experts under him secretly saying that he didn't understand nuclear energy.
Later, as if in a fit of pique, he also promoted Fuming, who also worked at the thermal power station, to the head of the electrical department. It didn't take long for Fuming to be promoted to the deputy chief engineer in charge of the assembly department and the operation department. When the chief engineer left, Fuming was promoted to the chief engineer of the nuclear power plant.
Although the Ministry of Energy clearly opposed this appointment and preferred another candidate who had worked at the nuclear power plant, Buliuhanov then used his official contacts, and the Ukrainian side stood up and said that Fumin was the leader they really needed. He was tough and had extremely high standards for work, and he was more suitable for the Chernobyl nuclear power plant than the other candidate. In the end, Moscow gave in, and the Central Council of Nuclear Energy approved the appointment, and Buliuhanov also got his right-hand man.
"I respect your professionalism, Deputy Chief Engineer Oleg, and I can understand your concerns about safety," Brehanov softened his tone. "But when we recruit people, we also need to consider all aspects. Of course, it's good to understand nuclear energy, but it doesn't mean that other aspects are not important. And compared to skill proficiency, I think work attitude is more important. If a person's attitude is not right, no matter how good he is at work, it's useless. Do you think I'm right?"
"That's true, but …"
"No buts," Brehanov waved his hand to interrupt Oleg, then turned his eyes to Zhang Heng, "Ivan, how's your work attitude?"
"If I can work at the nuclear power plant, I will definitely study hard, and I will never slack off," Zhang Heng said.
"Very good." "That's the kind of working attitude you should have," Bruhanov said with satisfaction. "Next, Fuming will ask you a few professional questions to test you. You have to answer them well, but don't be nervous. Fuming's questions are related to your previous work."
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