Andrew Blodgett '22 decided at a very young age where he would work one day. "I remember being 8 or 10 years old and we were driving down Route 104 (in the Oswego County town of Scriba). I pointed at the cooling tower and said, 'What's that?' My parents said, 'That's the cloud factory.' I said, 'I want to work at the cloud factory one day!'"
The cooling tower is part of the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, and it's where Blodgett works today as an Equipment Operator. "It took a lot of work, and I got presented with the right opportunities every step of the way. The stars really aligned for me to be in the spot that I am today."
Blodgett's fascination with science grew as he learned what was really happening inside the "cloud factory." By the time he was in 8th grade in the Hannibal School District, he was ready to pursue that interest seriously. He enrolled in the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program, which is more commonly known as P-TECH. The program provides high school students the opportunity to work toward their high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously, and ultimately a pathway to an in-demand job.
As a P-TECH student, Blodgett took classes at CitiBOCES in Mexico during 9th and 10th grade, then came to the Onondaga Community College campus in 11th and 12th grade. "I met some really good friends in P-TECH that I'm still friends with to this day. I really liked the professors here and the bond I built with them. They were always ready and willing to help. I looked forward to going to class every day. There's a freedom that college gives you to be responsible for yourself and your classwork. That was something I enjoyed, and I was thankful for that experience."
Blodgett's dedication paid off in 2022. He was named Valedictorian of his graduating class at Hannibal High School, was featured in a story on WSYR TV Newschannel 9, and received his associate degree in Electrical Engineering from OCC. He spent his summer doing a paid internship at Novelis in Oswego, a global supplier of aluminum to the automotive industry. When he turned 18 later that year, he was hired at Nine Mile Point Unit 1, which is owned by Constellation Nuclear.
One year later, at age 19, he became what is believed to be the youngest Equipment Operator in plant history. "I think it's pretty incredible! I'm still learning to live on my own as a 21-year-old, and at work I'm surrounded by people who are in the middle of their careers. I'm very thankful. And I know at Constellation I can go up from here. There's a lot of verticality. There's a lot I'm looking forward to."
Blodgett continues to build toward that future. With financial support from Constellation, he's working toward his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, and plans to complete an 18-month training at Nine Mile that will result in him being licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In between work and studying, Blodgett enjoys speaking with students who sit where he once sat, as he's doing this week at Oswego High School. He likes to let students know there are limitless opportunities in the nuclear industry. "You don't have to be a nuclear engineer to work in a power plant. We have welders, mechanics, pump technicians, contractors, scaffold builders - we have every single STEM position you can think of at a nuclear power plant in some form. If you're willing to put in the work to find one of those niches you're interested in, there's a pretty good chance you can make it as long as you keep putting in the work."
