More than 500 students from three BOCES and 10 school districts learned about potential trades jobs and participated in hands-on experiences during the recent Greater Mohawk Valley Construction Career Day.
Students were able to talk to industry professionals and try activities such as hammering, sawing, welding and operating heavy machinery.
“We love being able to expose students to all of the wonderful construction career opportunities throughout the greater Mohawk Valley region and connect them with people working in those jobs now,” Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES School to Careers liaisons MaryBeth Napolitano and Sarah Crowe said in a joint statement on the event. “Some day, the students might look back on this day as an experience that helped them find their career path, and that’s what we do this for.”
Greater Mohawk Valley Construction Career Day took place on Thursday, May 8, at the Oneida County Department of Public Works in Oriskany. The Herkimer BOCES School to Careers team organized the event and coordinated with Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, Madison-Oneida BOCES, the Mohawk Valley Builders Exchange through the Syracuse Builders Exchange, local construction businesses and event sponsors.
“So many people helped make this event possible and a great experience for our students, and we thank all of them,” Napolitano and Crowe said.
Students who attended the event received event-themed construction hats, safety vests, safety glasses, string backpacks and lunch.
The attendees for the event included students directly from 10 school districts (Holland Patent, Brookfield, Rome, Oneida, Utica, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, Richfield Springs, Herkimer, Little Falls and Westmoreland), and from many more school districts through various trades and Career and Technical Education programs from Herkimer BOCES, OHM BOCES and Madison-Oneida BOCES, as well as career groups from the Arc.
Adam Spatto, teacher of the Herkimer BOCES Pathways Academy Trade classes, said the event helps show students about job possibilities that don’t necessarily require going to college after high school because they can receive on-the- job training. It also introduces students to career possibilities they might not be aware of, he said.
“They don’t know everything that’s out there as far as job opportunities,” Spatoo said. “It’s a good experience for the students.”
Herkimer BOCES Pathways Academy freshmen Jisela Velazquez and Aryanna Gonzalez, both from Central Valley, said they found the event interesting and enjoyed seeing other students there that they know. They both took the Trade class at Pathways Academy and said they are interested in construction careers.
“It’s a good event,” Aryanna said. “Do it next year.”
Michael Conley, a recent Herkimer Central School District graduate who spent time in the Herkimer BOCES Valley Pathways in Technology Early College High School (VP-TECH) program and the Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications and Media Arts program, was a presenter at the event in his job as a creative associate for the Expertise Project. The Expertise Project works with various companies and the New York State Department of Transportation on virtual reality training experiences.
Conley said he found out about the Expertise Project during a high school field trip, so to be presenting to students at a career event and helping them find out more about jobs is a big moment for him.
“It’s really enlightening for me,” Conley said. “I was one of those students.”
During the event, students visited construction job sites through 360-degree virtual reality videos with guidance from officials from the Expertise Project and the state DOT.
Conley said he feels he can help “bridge the gap” between experienced professionals and students looking to find careers.
Herkimer BOCES READiTEC students Dekon Elthorp and Aedan Green, both from Herkimer Central School District, said they plan to attend Herkimer BOCES CTE programs and go on to hands-on careers in the trades.
Aedan, a 10th grader, said he enjoyed the event.
“It’s fun,” Aedan said. “Something new.”
Dekon, a ninth grader, said just from walking around, he saw multiple jobs of interest in areas such as welding and excavation.
“There are a lot of opportunities,” Dekon said.
More than 500 students attended Greater Mohawk Valley Construction Career Day on Thursday, May 8, at the Oneida County Department of Public Works in Oriskany.
More than 500 students attended Greater Mohawk Valley Construction Career Day on Thursday, May 8, at the Oneida County Department of Public Works in Oriskany.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Pathways Academy freshmen Jisela Velazquez (in front) and Aryanna Gonzalez (in back), both from Central Valley, practice hammering nails during Greater Mohawk Valley Construction Career Day on Thursday, May 8, at the Oneida County Department of Public Works in Oriskany.