Marshall Wade, Training Supervisor at MIT's Nuclear Reactor Lab, presented at the 2019 TRTR Annual Meeting about the NRL's Initial Operator Training Program. The comprehensive program prepares new hires for the NRC licensing examination each year. 5 to 10 new operators are in each training cycle with backgrounds ranging from commercial and Navy nuclear veterans to college freshman with no prior nuclear education.

The NRL training program is based on a military-style qualification process in which trainees self-study specific knowledge modules and then demonstrate their understanding of these topics through oral and written checkouts. Trainees also receive hands-on training with practical factors, including reactor startups and shutdowns, operational checklists, instrument calibrations, and refueling.