Approximately 130 adults were matched with potential employers on Wednesday during the Capital Region BOCES Health Careers Jobs Fair for students in the Adult Health Careers program.
Healthcare providers from across the spectrum of services recruited students as they sought to address the impacts of the national nursing shortage.
Employers on hand ranged from Albany Medical Center and Ellis Medicine to Ingersoll Place and even the Berkshire County Jail and House of Corrections.
“There are a lot of opportunities, even for someone like myself who lives so far away,” said adult Practical Nursing student Christina Leal as she made her way through the litany of recruiters.
New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities recruiter Mark Kingsley said he was impressed with the group of potential nurses and healthcare providers.
“We have collected a lot of applications. It’s a very strong student body,” he said.
Michelle Rearic, a representative of Ingersoll Place, agreed.
“We have met some very interested and excited students,” she said.
Albany resident Natahja Epps was among those students. 
“This has been a great experience. I got to learn about a lot of different organizations,” she said.
Classmate Myrian Blaise agreed.
“This has been very helpful. There are a lot of places I didn’t know about here. I have been able to get my name out there,” the Schenectady resident said.
Offered on the Career and Technical education Center – Albany Campus, the adult Practical Nursing program encompasses 1,100 hours of classroom and clinical study and prepares students to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and then apply to become a New York State Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
Classes began in September and students will graduate on June 24.