Watervliet students explore career and educational opportunities at Capital Region BOCES CTE

A student kneels on the tile floor and pets a black dog A student wearing a red chef's smock stirs a bowl of ingredients an instructor holding a measuring cup stands nearby A student wearing protective eye gear feeds a piece of lumber into a machine

Approximately 30 Watervliet Jr.-Sr. High School students recently learned about the variety of careers they can prepare for at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center’s Albany campus.

During a Feb. 6 tour of the school, several students tried their hands at bread making, while others tried wiring or machining. All had an opportunity to meet current students and faculty to gain insight into the benefits of a career and technical education (CTE).

Some of the prospective students were there simply to check out career options while others know what path they want to follow and are seeking the certifications, skills and competitive edge a CTE education can provide.

WJSHS junior Malaki Chestnut hopes to turn his love of cooking with family into a career through an education at Capital Region BOCES.

“I have helped in the kitchen around the holidays, and I really enjoy it, so I thought this might be good job for me,” he said.

Several students expressed an interest in exploring the Electrical Trades program. “Electrical seems to offer useful skills to have,” observed Tyler McVeigh, a WJSHS sophomore.

Manufacturing & Machine Tech I appeals to WJSHS junior Abdulla Mazhar. “I want to go into business or machining when I am older, and this looks like a useful course,” he said.

A group of four students observes another student with headphones who is seated at a computer A students wearing a red smock and red chef's hat rolls dough into balls to place on two baking sheets on an adjacent table

Enrollment is currently underway for the 2024-25 school year. Learn more about Capital Region BOCES career and technical education programs