Herkimer BOCES CTE Open House 6-8 p.m. March 8 with logo by Visual Communications student

The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES 2023 Career and Technical Education Open House will help introduce potential students and their families not only to Herkimer BOCES programs, but also to local college and career opportunities.

Open House attendees will be able to visit the 14 CTE programs at Herkimer BOCES and meet the teachers. They also will be able to visit booths from local unions, local businesses, local colleges, the U.S. Army, the state police and the Marcy Correctional Facility. There also will be raffle drawings, balloons, face painting and slushies.

“This year’s Open House is going to be a fun and informative family event,” Herkimer BOCES Principal of Technical Education Principal Dave Itzo said. “We want students to learn about the programs we offer and make various college and career connections at the same time. Some of their family members might also make some career connections with our guests that could lead to a job.”

The Herkimer BOCES CTE Open House takes place 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8, at the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex at 352 Gros Blvd. in Herkimer. Students who join Herkimer BOCES CTE programs attend for their junior and senior years of high school, so the primary audience for the Open House is current sophomores.

Raffle drawings at the Open House will feature prize giveaways from each CTE program – such as an oil change by students in the Automotive Technology program or a chess set made by students in the Advanced Manufacturing program.

The component school districts that can send students to Herkimer BOCES are Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, Mount Markham, Owen D. Young, Poland, Richfield Springs and West Canada Valley.

Herkimer BOCES offers the following 14 CTE programs:

  • Advanced Manufacturing

  • Automotive Technology

  • Building Construction

  • Child and Family Services

  • Conservation

  • Cosmetology

  • Criminal Justice

  • Culinary Hospitality

  • Health Science Careers

  • Heavy Equipment Operation

  • ITA - Network Administration

  • Outdoor Power Equipment

  • Visual Communications Media Arts

  • Welding and Metal Fabrication Technology

Visitors will also have a chance to visit the Herkimer BOCES Valley Pathways in Technology Early College High School (VP-TECH) and Real Experience and Designed Instruction in Technical Education Careers (READiTEC) programs.

VP-TECH focuses on technology, project-based learning and real-world work situations. Students join VP-TECH in ninth grade and can spend four to six years in the program to earn a Regents diploma, a certification in advanced manufacturing, connections with local businesses and a no-cost associate degree from Herkimer College in quality assurance, esports management, networking or electrical engineering technology.

READiTEC is a pre-vocational exploratory program for ninth and 10th grade students. READiTEC gives students access to all 14 CTE programs, the ability to learn trades jobs and the opportunity to then join one of the CTE programs for 11th and 12th grade if they choose to.

For more information on our CTE programs, click here.