Visits to BOCES Leave Lasting Impressions for High School Students

SCHOHARIE/ALBANY – Sometimes, all it takes for a high school student to know what he or she wants to do in the future is to see it happen in front of their eyes,

That is especially the case for students who visit the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center (CTE) campuses during open houses and school tours that take place each winter.

Numerous current students and graduates report that their career interests were sparked by a visit to CTE.

“I went on the field trip to BOCES last year and they let me try welding when I was there and I just fell in love with it,” said Aaden Dennis, a Welding and Metal Fabrication junior from Sharon Springs.

This year’s open houses begin Jan. 24 with the New Visions: Health Careers open house at the BOCES Administration Building located at 900 Watervliet-Shaker Road in Albany. The event begins at 9 a.m. in the Schoharie Conference Room.

Other open houses are as follows:

Feb. 4 at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady. An open house for the Entertainment Tech program. Event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the theatre, located at 432 State Street in Poughkeepsie.

March 6, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., on the Albany Campus, located at 925B Watervliet-Shaker Road in Albany.

Additionally, many school districts will schedule school day visits to the campuses where interested sophomores and sometimes juniors can visit with students and teachers in any of the more than two dozen programs offered by Capital Region BOCES. Students interested in in doing so should contact their home school district counselors to find out more.

Among current students thankful for taking a tour of BOCES through their school is Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) program junior Akeem Ali.

“My cousin owns his own HVAC/R company and I saw him and what he does and I came here last year on a tour and the program looked like something I would want to do, so I signed-up,” said Ali, a Schenectady High School junior.

Class of 2024 graduate Logan Paluch had a similar experience.

“I worked with a family friend in the business, but I wasn’t sure if it was for me. When I visited BOCES, it looked really cool and I am glad I did it,” said the Duanesburg graduate.

During the 2025-26 school year, Capital Region BOCES will offer 29 programs ranging from Plumbing Technology to Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology and Game Design and Implementation. To learn more about Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education programs, visit https://www.capitalregionboces.org/career-technical-education/courses-programs/.