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May 4, 2023Capital Region BOCES to Host National Signing Day
Area high school students will sign letters of intent with businesses on May 4 during the first annual Capital Region BOCES National Signing Day.
Chris Pinheiro, Director of Apprenticeship, New York State Department of Labor, will be joined by business, union and labor officials at the event. Remarks and other signing day activities will begin at 9 a.m. at the BOCES Career & Technical Education Center – Albany Campus which is located at 925B Watervliet-Shaker, Albany, NY 12205.
Business and union representatives on hand will include Cricket Thomas O’Dell, Statewide Pre-Apprentice Program Coordinator and Director of Community Engagement, Workforce Development Institute; Katie Newcombe, Chief Economic Development Officer, the Center for Economic Growth; and Todd G. Helfrich, President and CEO, Eastern Contractors Association.
Also scheduled to attend are officials from Destination Kia, J.H. Maloy, The Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 157, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Capitaland Motors, Union College, Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating Contractors, Inc., Lauren Elizabeth Salon, LeChase Construction Services, LLC., Piedmont Airlines, Greno Industries Inc., TCI of NY Inc., and the New York State Department of Transportation. Additionally scheduled to appear are representatives of UA Local 7 Plumbers and Steamfitters, United Road Services, AOW Associates, Destination Kia, AMC Contracting, Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local #2 New York, Little Scholars Learning Center Inc., MLB Construction Services, Package One, Inc., Eastern Heating & Cooling Inc., and Conestoga Builders.
“Capital Region BOCES and our business and industry partners are committed to working together to solve the national shortage of skilled workers,” said Capital Region BOCES Senior Executive Officer Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D. “Our graduates have gone on to be leaders of industry in a variety of trades, from welding to culinary, and from healthcare to manufacturing and this year’s class will be no different. They have forged strong futures in the workforce through their time at BOCES and their experiences with our business partners. National Signing Day will highlight the valuable roles they will serve in the growth of the local, regional, state and even national economies.”
The Capital Region BOCES National Signing Day is affiliated with the SkillsUSA National Signing Day, which mirrors the NCAA’s National Signing Day for athletes who commit to play sports in college.
SkillsUSA National Signing Day is designed to celebrate high school seniors and college/postsecondary students who have chosen to pursue a career as a professional in any of the skilled trades.
Students who will be signing letters of intent hail from 15 school districts, including Bethlehem, Berne-Knox-Westerlo, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Cobleskill-Richmondville,
Guilderland, Mohonasen, Niskayuna, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Schalmont, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sharon Springs, Shenendehowa, South Colonie and Voorheesville.
More than 1,200 high school juniors and seniors from at least six area counties attend approximately 40 different programs—ranging from Electrical Trades to Automobile Trades, Video Game Design, Nursing and Diesel Technology—at Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Schools. Working with more than 300 business, industry and education partners, these students gain valuable training and professional certifications, as well as work-based learning experiences that fuel their passion for success.
