More than 300 middle school students from 18 school districts had the opportunity to explore careers and meet industry professionals during today’s Construction Careers Day event, held at Madison-Oneida BOCES in Verona.
Seventh-grade students from three counties made their way through more than a dozen hands-on stations highlighting skills, equipment and daily work from a variety of construction industry fields. They also were able to talk with trade industry professionals and ask questions about job skills, required training, earning potential and the job market.
They also were able to talk with trade industry professionals and ask questions about job skills, required training, earning potential and the job market.
The regional event, presented in collaboration with Oneida BOCES in New Hartford and Herkimer BOCES in Herkimer, was designed to expose students to the construction field early so they can explore career options more in-depth before reaching high school. This is the third year these three BOCES centers have partnered on this event, and the first time it has been held at MOBOCES.
“Our region has a thriving construction and manufacturing industry, and employers routinely tell us they need more skilled labor. We want students to see the opportunities available to them in these fields at a young age, when they begin exploring careers, so they see construction and manufacturing as viable pathways,” said Erin Noto, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Principal at MOBOCES.
Interactive stations included masonry, residential construction, roofing, painting, wire stripping, welding, hammering, safety harness, green energy, heavy equipment operation, knot tying, pipe bending, project cost estimating, and drilling. Several of the stations were led by students and teachers from the Heavy Equipment Operation, Electrical/HVAC and Carpentry classes at MOBOCES, and Herkimer BOCES led a welding simulation.
“This ongoing collaborative partnership with the Herkimer-Fulton- Hamilton-Otsego BOCES School To Careers program, Madison-Oneida BOCES, Oneida-Herkimer- Madison BOCES has been invaluable to our Greater Mohawk Valley in providing exceptional opportunities for students,” said Christopher Groves, School to Careers Director at Herkimer BOCES. “If it weren’t for our business and industry partnerships, this event couldn’t have been so successful year after year.”
The organizers extend their appreciation to the businesses and industry representatives who participated in the event and helped make it a success. They include: Insulators Local 30, Putrelo Enterprises, Carpenters Local 277, IBEW Union Local 43, JC Smith, Laborers Local 35, Operating Engineers Local 158, Mohawk Valley Buildings Exchange/Home Builders and Remodelers of the Mohawk Valley, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 112, Roofers Local 195 and March Associates Architects and Planners.
In addition, several other programs from MOBOCES contributed to the success of the event. The Criminal Justice classes served as traffic control and chaperoned groups of seventh graders between stations. The Culinary Arts program prepared lunches for all the business, industry and vendor representatives. And the MOBOCES School Lunch program prepared more than 400 bagged lunches for participating students and staff.