Sharon Springs Student Putting Charge in Her Future at BOCES

SCHOHARIE — A Sharon Springs junior is getting wired for success at Capital Region BOCES.

Emily Gwozdz is in the first year of the Electrical Trades program at the Career and Technical Education Center – Schoharie Campus. 

The first person in her family to pursue a career in the electrical industry, Gwowdz said she chose the profession because she enjoys working with her hands and because she happened into a job working for a local electrician as a younger student.

“I needed a summer job, and [a family friend] had a business, so he hired me and I really liked the work,” Gwozdz said.

She said she learned the basics of the industry at Bello Electric and Excavating and is expanding that knowledge at Capital Region BOCES.

“I have learned a lot this year,” she said. “The class is great because I get to work with my hands and learn [skills] I can apply in the real world.”

Gwozdz is among more than 100 students from across the Capital Region enrolled in the Career and Technical Education Electrical Trades program that is offered on the Schoharie and Albany campuses. 

The program—which is adding additional sections next year in the still-under-construction CTE Extension Center in Albany to accommodate increased enrollment demands— teaches students the fundamental skills in electrical theory through classroom instruction and hands-on shop lessons. Through this training, students can become successful residential, commercial and industrial wiring professionals. 

For more information on the Electrical Trades program, visit https://www.capitalregionboces.org/career-technical-education/courses-programs/electrical-trades/.