(Continued on Page 28) March 2015 25 here to Charleston,” Blake recalled. Actually, it was Vought that was looking for people to hire at its new factory. Three years ago, Blake was finishing her master’s in industrial engineering at Clemson University in South Carolina when she visited a job fair and talked with the Boeing representative. She was told to “apply and keep applying.” Blake did. After two interviews, she was hired a few weeks after she graduated from Clemson. “To find a job in my field so soon, most people can’t say that. It’s been so exciting,” Blake said. “But I had no background in aviation. It was a learning experience. It still is. Every day is a learning experience.” She spends a lot of her time coordinating with mechanics and others to prepare each Dreamliner for delivery to the customer. It starts when the newly built 787 is fueled for the first time on the flight line and up until it’s ready for delivery. That delivery process has greatly improved during the time she has been at Boeing South Carolina, Blake said. “But we can do even better,” she said, a big smile flashing across her face. Cindy Blodgett, a Quality specialist, understands that feeling and attitude of wanting to be even better—and what it’s like to start out with no aviation or aerospace experience. She was in the first group of two dozen employees hired by Vought for the North Charleston plant. They became known as the “alpha class.” Blodgett had been a special education teacher in her hometown of Haleyville, Ala., when her U.S. Navy husband was transferred Photos: (Far left) Automated drill machines, like the one shown at far right, help to drill approximately 10,000 holes into each aft-body fuselage section. The machine also applies fasteners and seals them into place. (Above) Antonio Nelson, Interiors Responsibility Center South Carolina team lead, works on a 787 interior end cap. Bob Ferguson | Boeing
Frontiers March 2015 Issue
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