Challenges in an Early Radiation Protection Career
Becky Varns , RGG Committee Member , discusses what delegates got out of attending a soft skills event organised by SRP ' s Rising Generation Group ( RGG )
In November 2023 , the RGG held its first oneday event on “ Challenges in an Early Radiation Protection Career ” in Birmingham . It had a number of speakers from across the UK nuclear enterprise covering a breadth of Radiological Protection ( RP ) topics , with presenters ranging from those early in their careers to experienced professionals . It provided a safe space for people openly to discuss a number of challenging topics .
The morning session , “ Early Radiation Protection Career and Imposter Syndrome ”, opened with a presentation by the Society ' s President , Jennifer Humphries , who covered supporting early career development and highlighted the commitment of the Society to increase the diversity of its membership . Jennifer also outlined the many benefits to early career professionals of joining the RGG , including mentoring , opportunities to present outside of the Annual Conference and how to build your RP network . Jennifer ' s introduction was followed by two presentations on Imposter Syndrome which focussed on the challenging time between qualifying as a graduate and qualifying as an RPA . Both considered how to gain confidence in your knowledge and experience when working with more learned colleagues . It was clear from discussions in the audience that Imposter Syndrome affects a wide spectrum of people , both early and late in their careers . There were active conversations about reverse mentoring , and how supporting both learned colleagues and newly qualified personnel is important for everyone ' s development .
topics including working whilst having a family , diversity including neurodiversity , physical disability , and working in different cultures . The speakers conveyed their experiences and outlined some personal topics both graciously and openly . The talks opened the floor to discussion about reasonable adjustments in the workplace , and how individuals should be encouraged to make requests for adjustments to work effectively due to diversity or to accommodate family arrangements . Speakers gave some clear advice on what processes may look like , and what research individuals can do prepare themselves for the adjustment processes in their organisations .
There were some very useful presentations such as “ How to … - tools and tips to support new Radiation Protection Professionals ”, which covered soft skills topics from “ How to get the best out of a conversation ” using the “ Frame > Name > Explain > Explore ” concept . The next presentation “ How to beta the rest and be the best ” had the most ingenious title of the conference . This talk highlighted how undertaking an effective gap analysis is helpful to understand how one piece of work can carry you a long way in your career .
A talk on “ Personal Experiences in a Radiation Protection Career ” followed , addressing
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