re: How does one go about getting a plant operator job?

I have a P Tech degree and I am an operator and will tell you straight up that it wasn’t necessary. What I know now was learned mainly on the job. Sure, learning how distillation works and other P Tech school stuff is great as lagniappe, but not completely vitally necessary. Some of the guys we have who were pipe fitters and millwrights were actually further along than I was when brand new.