Ben Kott '12 wants to be sure today's Onondaga Community College students who sit where he once sat are aware of all of the rewarding career options available to them. That's why he recently welcomed students in Professor Betsy Nicholas' Power System (ELT 285) class to National Grid's Power Distribution Control Center in the Town of Clay. And a week later he came to the OCC campus where he represented National Grid in the STEM Career Showcase. "Something I wanted to do once I started with National Grid was get more exposure for these jobs. I didn't know about them when I was graduating. There are a lot of great opportunities out there. I enjoy showing younger people what they can do."
Kott is Lead Shift Supervisor at National Grid's Power Distribution Control Center. His team of 19 Regional Operators monitor the area's energy grid 24/7. When the power goes out, they spring into action. One of his team members is Riley Wood, a 2023 Oswego High School and OCC graduate who is the youngest Regional Operator in National Grid's history.
Kott never thought he'd be doing what he is today when he graduated from Baldwinsville High School in 2010. He began his higher education journey at SUNY Albany majoring in Business. He realized pretty quickly it wasn't for him, but he did enjoy a calculus class and an environmental science class.
After a year at SUNY Albany, he decided to come home to OCC and major in Mathematics & Science. It didn't take long for him to see a difference in the learning environment at the two schools. "I really enjoyed the smaller class sizes and the engagement you could have with professors at OCC as opposed to 200-plus students in a class at Albany. There wasn't much one-on-one help you could pursue there."
The ability to connect with professors at OCC impacted him most in a Water Quality class with Professor Brian McAninch. "I took the class to see if I wanted to pursue a degree in Environmental Science. He was really engaged, he really cared about what he was teaching, and presented it in a way students could understand and relate to. He was one of the best professors I had in my entire college career."
His experience in that class carried over when he transferred to SUNY-ESF. He would earn a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Renewable Energy. After graduating, Kott worked at the Nine Mile Nuclear plant in Oswego County for five years before landing at National Grid's Power Distribution Control Center. He started as an Operator and worked his way up to Supervisor. "Something I try to show my employees is that I care. They're doing the job I did just four years ago. I think it means a lot to them that I did their job and I care about their success."
Kott sees a bright future for today's students with the projected growth in the Central New York region and technology-related career opportunities. "It's exciting to see all of the new programs here. It seems like the stigma around going to a community college that existed when I was in high school isn't there anymore. I drive by the high school in Baldwinsville and they display on the message board where kids are going to college. It's way more community colleges and trade schools than it used to see. You can do a lot with a two-year degree, especially with the specialties they're focusing on. OCC has a way of helping students find their passions."
