BOCES Provides a Certifiably Good Education

SCHOHARIE — Whether operating a backhoe, caring for a patient or designing a logo, knowing the correct way to do something and having a professional certification to vouch for that knowledge is crucial to personal and professional success. 

Nearly all the 28 Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center programs provide students with professional certifications, many of which are recognized nationwide by contractors and employers. 

Students in the Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation program can earn a half dozen certifications, ranging from StormWater and Erosion Control to Bobcat Excavator Operator, while students in the Electrical Trades program can earn Dig Safe NY and First Aid certifications. Meanwhile, students aspiring to careers as technicians thanks to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) program can earn the EPA 608 Certification for Refrigerant Recovery and Reclamation. All of the construction industry programs also provide students with the opportunity to earn the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour certification that employees are required to have to work on most job sites.

Capital Region BOCES Managing Program Coordinator-Business & Community Partnerships Nancy Liddle said the certifications make CTE graduates highly sought after in the workforce.

“Employers—especially those in the construction industry—seek students and graduates with the professional skills and aptitude that the professional certifications we offer signify. Additionally, by earning these certifications, our students show an eagerness to learn and grow that makes them a valuable asset to employers,” Liddle said.

On the digital front, students in the Digital Media Design program can earn numerous Adobe professional certifications.

Senior Gavin Stacey earned two Adobe certifications during his junior year of the program—Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. He plans to continue adding certification to his resume this year. 

“Adobe certification signifies an expertise that colleges often award credits for and is used on resumes to get jobs,” said teacher Barb Gorbaty.

“It shows that I can do those skills at a professional level and am eager to learn,” Stacey said.

Cosmetology students earn certifications that show their professional skills with scissors and other tools of the trade, but also knowledge of issues one might not immediately think would be an issue for hairdressers and barbers.

During their junior year, students in the Cosmetology program earn Milady Certification for Human Trafficking Awareness, as well as for Domestic Abuse Awareness.

Rylee Kelly, who attends the program from Niskayuna, explained the value of the certification.

“In the profession we are going into, a lot of shady things can happen. People confide a lot, and because we are so close, we can see things that others might not see and hear and it’s important for us to know what to be on the lookout for,” she said.

No matter the program the students earn professional certifications in, the value is long-lasting.

“The skills BOCES graduates bring to the table helps to provide local union contractors with hard-working employees with a strong educational foundation to better their workforce,” said Josh Shaul, Business Manager/ Secretary Treasurer for The Laborers' International Union of North America Local 157.

“BOCES students have been taught a safety-minded approach and they come to us with the construction industry OSHA 10 certification as well as other training and certifications,” he added.