Tiny Home Project Leaves Solid Foundation of Knowledge at BOCES

SCHOHARIE – Students in the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Building Trades and Electrical Trades programs are creating a solid foundation of educational knowledge last school year with the construction of tiny homes.

Students in Matt Hitchcock’s Building Trades program on the Schoharie Campus were joined by their peers in teacher Curtis Van Steele’s Electrical Trades program in developing the blueprints, framing, roofing, building, plumbing and electrical wiring for a 24-foot, by nearly 12-foot house. 

Earlier this year they completed construction of the first home and started work on their second home while the sale of the first home to a local business is being finalized.

“The project is a perfect project for students to test their skills and put the knowledge they have learned to the test,” said Hitchcock. 

Students concurred. 

“I have learned how to frame a house, do a roof and floor supports, frame a shed, basically I have learned everything I need to know to build a house,” said Building Trades senior Nick Hyatt.  

“You feel proud that you have built something that someone will live in one day,” the Schoharie student added. 

Classmate Dalton Porter said the project not only allows you test skills, but also solidifies the knowledge.

“Being able to be hands-on with a real project and learning how to fix all types of problems. There’s no better way to learn something than to have to fix a problem,” the Middleburgh student said.

Meanwhile, Electrical Trades students said the work put a charge in their learning.

“It’s also a good test of our skills because we learned about codes and how to wire residential construction. It’s also closer to what I want to do when I graduate and closer to the reality of a worksite,” said William Hausler, a Guilderland senior.

Offered on the Albany and Schoharie campuses, the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Electrical Trades program teaches students the fundamental skills in electrical theory through classroom instruction and hands-on shop lessons. Through this training, they can become successful residential, commercial and industrial wiring professionals.