ALBANY — More than 40 students from the Bethlehem Central School District, interested in careers ranging from welding to culinary arts, visited the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus on Jan. 10 to learn how BOCES can help them build successful futures.
Some students aimed to explore career options, while others had clear goals and sought a competitive edge by exploring various programs offered on campus.
“I’ve always liked cooking, and my grandpa owned a bunch of diners, so it makes sense to me,” said Alex Koutelis as he watched current CTE students dice vegetables.
Fellow Bethlehem sophomore Macalya Farrell plans to forge a bright future at BOCES.
“I really want a hands-on job, and I know people who do this, and what they do interests me,” said Farrell as she and other prospective students toured the Welding and Metal Fabrication lab.
Once viewed solely as a path for students seeking vocational skills, career and technical education now serves as a pathway for students to build career skills, jump-start their college education, or learn practical life skills to help pay for college.
At the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center, more than 70% of high school students pursue higher education, while many others enter the workforce directly with highly technical skills such as cooking, network cabling, or operating heavy equipment.
Students in nearly all of Capital Region BOCES’ 27 programs earn certifications and valuable skills while gaining real-world experience through local business partnerships.
