News
March 4, 2025Auto Teacher Has More Than 20 Years of Experience as Teacher, Student at Capital Region BOCES
A little more than two decades ago, Randy Barber was a student at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center – Schoharie Campus.
Today, he is in the midst of his 20th year of teaching and 21 years of working in the same classroom and laboratory that he learned how to be an auto mechanic in.
Barber, who teaches Automotive Trades Technology, is an ASE Master Certified Technician with experience of working in a garage, as well as sharing his expertise with the next generation of mechanics.
He views his job as much more than teaching the ins and outs of repair. Rather, he said, he is in the business of preparing young adults for careers – whether that is a job under the hood of a car or behind a desk.
“I teach college and career readiness; I just teach it through a trade,” he said. “It’s really about getting these young adults ready for life.”
Time management, communicating properly, work ethic and more are all taught in the classroom, right alongside oil changes, brake changes and so much more.
“I enjoy seeing my students learn how to be adults, and I enjoy seeing them experience what I experienced when I was a student here,” Barber said.
Barber brings his own experiences as a student with him when he reports to work every day.
“I didn’t see the practicality of traditional high school. Why did I have to learn Shakespeare? Why did I have to learn how to write a haiku?” he said. “But when I came to BOCES, it was totally different. I could see the practicality of what I was learning, and I enjoyed it.”
Graduates and current students said they appreciate the breadth of the education they received from Barber.
“I learned a lot of communication skills at BOCES. I dealt with a lot of customers and had to gain an understanding of what they needed and learn how to relay that information,” said Class of 2019 graduate Alexander “Xander” Monroe. “That’s important in every job that exists.”
