BOCES Students Receive Tools as they Prepare for a Hot Career

SCHOHARIE – An out-of-state non-profit organization is helping aspiring welders prepare for their professional futures.

Welding and Metal Fabrication students at the Capital Region BOCES received an assortment of tools and a bucket to carry them this year courtesy of the Jenifer Road Charitable Fund and a Career Readiness Tool Bucket Project grant.

The $3,000 grant ensured each student had essential basic welding tools and supplies, in addition to the bucket, said teacher Christopher Johnson.

Twenty-six students received the tools and buckets.

“The idea is to not only ensure that every student is outfitted for their career aspirations, but also to build the pride, ownership, and professionalism they will need in the workplace when they enter a career,” he said.

Through the Capital Region BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication program, students are prepared to enter the workforce or go on for more advanced training at specialized technical schools or colleges. Students learn skills ranging from plasma arc cutting to shielded metal arc welding and earn a host of industry certifications.

For students who complete the program, the payoff can be rich. Demand for skilled workers is high in the industry, according to the American Welding Society, which is projecting a need for 90,000 new welders each year through 2027.