News
November 19, 2018Business and Higher Education Leaders Share Expertise with Capital Region BOCES
Approximately 50 area business and higher education leaders met with a couple dozen Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School educators and administrators on Wednesday as they
shared knowledge, expertise and the latest industry trends.
The business leaders, members of Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School advisory committees, met in small groups based on their expertise to share input on the various programs — from diesel technology to internet applications and the like.
Among the topics discussed were:
- Work-based learning opportunities for students
- Career and Technical School program approvals/accreditations
- Current trends in the industries
- Guest speakers/demonstrations and field trips
For example, in the machining and manufacturing trades room, leaders spoke about the demands in their industry and the shortage of skilled worker. Meanwhile, in the electrical trades meeting instructor Jeff Hayes spoke with Rich Porter, professor of electrical trades at Hudson Valley Community College, and Kerry Chesterfield, training director of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) about training and the pool of candidates seeking employment.
“We have a pool of candidates of about 50 to 60 people a year, but we’d like to see a much bigger pool,” Chesterfield said.
Meanwhile Roger Cusano of Universal Plastics of Howes Cave said he is consistently looking for new workers for his manufacturing operation.
“I need workers than can come in, set up and make changes on the fly,” he told Charlene Vice, machining and manufacturing teacher.
Following the meeting, the business representatives and faculty members sampled fine dining samples prepared by the students in the Capital Region BOCES culinary program.
“These meetings are a great opportunity to arrange new opportunities for our students, hear employer needs and to network,” said Charlene Vice, machining and manufacturing teacher.
During the dinner, BOCES administrators thanked the impassioned business and education partners on hand – which was a representative panel of the more than 300 organizations BOCES partners with – for volunteering their time and expertise.
“If we didn’t have your partnerships, your effort, we can’t do the work that we do,” said Capital Region BOCES Senior Executive Officer Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D.
