The P-TECH program gave Riley Wood the opportunity to do something that had never been done before. In May of 2023 he completed work toward his Electrical Technology degree at Onondaga Community College. One month later he graduated from Oswego High School. And 3 days after that, he began working at National Grid. After 6 months of training, at age 18, he became the youngest Regional Operator in the 88 year history of National Grid. "It's a privilege to be where I am. My co-workers really enjoy helping me. Everyone has been very accepting. As long as you are able to take control of a situation and show you are capable of doing your job, no one has an issue with my age."
Wood grew up dreaming of becoming a nuclear engineer one day. He was inspired by his father who worked as a reactor operator and electrician at the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in nearby Scriba. His plans changed when he attended an information session about P-TECH. "When I heard about the Electrical program, I figured I'd at least go there, get that degree, and it would give me a head start toward becoming a nuclear engineer. But once I was in P-TECH, I got too many job offers!"
P-TECH stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School. It provides high school students the opportunity to work toward their high school diploma and associate degree (free of charge) simultaneously, and ultimately a pathway to an in-demand job.
Wood chose the Electrical Technology degree program, and during his junior year of high school began taking classes at OCC. Professor Betsy Nicholas would have Riley in her class in three of his four semesters on campus. Their first class together was in a course titled Circuits 1. "It's a tough class. I always notice the students who excel. He knew how to work, could manage his time and expectations, and incorporated feedback into his work," said Professor Nicholas.
One of the hallmarks of P-TECH at OCC is the sense of comradery among the students. As the weeks passed, Professor Nicholas noticed Wood becoming one of the leaders in the group. "He was always flexible to work with others. He would re-arrange his lab schedule whenever I asked for help with other students, or to accommodate special labs or events. He was respected by all of his classmates. There was a very active and vocal study group that would always compare their work with Riley's when they couldn't figure something out. He would always accommodate their requests."
During the spring 2023 semester, which was Wood's final semester at OCC, the job opportunities came streaming in. Around that same time, National Grid contacted Professor Nicholas regarding open positions at their Power Distribution Control Center in Liverpool. She organized a tour of the facility with a dozen Electrical Technology students. Wood was one of them, and from that tour came an interview and a job offer.
Six months after graduating from high school, he is the youngest Regional Operator in National Grid history. He works in the Central Region Control Center in the Town of Clay. Wood's position requires him to understand the capability of every device they are operating, how to isolate systems of the grid for planned maintenance or emergencies, and strategize the best way to deal with reported outages. "It feels great to be in the position I'm in. It's also very stressful. I'm always thinking about 'if something goes wrong, how we will respond to it.'"
Thanks to the P-TECH program, Wood has completed his first two years of college tuition-free. And he's planning to continue his education. "They (National Grid) offer to pay for college, so next year I might begin pursuing my bachelor's in Electrical Engineering. There's a lot of room to grow here. It's going to take time and a lot more experience."
