Lydia Waage
ALBANY/SCHOHARIE – They may not be able to legally drive a car, but that doesn’t stop area teenagers from shifting their learning into high gear by operating backhoes, dump trucks and graders.
High school juniors and seniors enrolled in the Capital Region BOCES Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation program learn how to operate and maintain large construction-related equipment, such as backhoes, dozers, front end loaders and excavators. Students also learn how to diagnose and repair common issues with diesel engines and heavy machines.
“By going to BOCES, I have been able to learn a lot of things and gain a lot of experiences with heavy equipment that I wouldn’t have otherwise,” said Devohn Boehkle, a senior who attends the program from Berne-Knox-Westerlo.
The program was expanded from the Schoharie Campus to the Albany area and is also offered now at the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Extension Center.
Students completing the program are prepared for careers in construction, as well as operating and repairing heavy equipment.
“I plan to get a job in the industry when I graduate. I like that I can get into a trade and have a good paying career after I complete high school,” said Brody Adair, a Schalmont student enrolled in the program.
Through the program, the approximately 70 students learning the trade work with businesses and labor unions and prepare for careers in the industry.
In recent years, students have joined local unions and been hired by businesses ranging from Callanan Industries and Carver to MLB Construction Services and Murnane Building Contractors Inc.
Class of 2024 graduate Samantha Herzog joined the Laborers’ Local 157 and was hired by Murnane Building Contractors Inc.
“From the moment I climbed into a Bobcat at 6 years old, I knew I had found something special. That excitement turned into a passion—and thanks to the HERO program, it’s become a career,” she said.
Cobleskill senior Tyler Regan aspires to a similar career path and in the meantime is enjoying his education at BOCES.
“I like being able to come here, run equipment, learn new things and have fun,” he said.
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