Nearly 70 counselors from two dozen school districts gathered at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center – Albany Campus on Dec. 11 to hear what’s on tap for workforce development and career and technical education in the 2026-27 school year.
During a daylong event, counselors learned about the new Emergency Medical Technician [EMT] program and received updates about the New Visions: Emerging Technologies program, which launched this school year, as well as the Manufacturing and Machining Technology program.
“It’s an exciting time for CTE as we meet the needs of our students while preparing them for the jobs of now and the future,” said CTE Director Jeff Palmer.
Counselors spent part of the day shadowing students in a myriad of programs, from Welding and Metal Fabrication to Digital Media. And they heard from representatives of some of Capital Region BOCES’ 400-plus business partners, who spoke about the wide-ranging value of a career and technical education and how it fuels the regional, state and national economies.
Maria Kotary and Richard Conley of SUNY Schenectady County Community College [SCCC] spoke about the new EMT program while Matt Grattan of Plug Power joined teacher Brian Conway in speaking about the New Visions: Emerging Technologies program. Also, Patrisia Sheremeta of Greno Industries and Joel Lape of Package One joined teacher Joshua Vadney in highlighting the Manufacturing and Machining Technology program.
“A lot of what [New Visions: Emerging Technologies] students learn are the core foundational skills the technicians need to know when they are out in the field,” Grattan said, noting graduates of the program qualify for an apprenticeship with the renewable energy company.
Conley, a nearly 40-year first responder and instructor at SCCC, spoke about the need for EMTs that the program seeks to address, as well as the doors it can open for graduates.
“I have had students who are paramedics, physician’s assistants and career firefighters,” he said.
Held each December, the annual counselor meeting serves as the unofficial kick-off to the recruiting season for the Capital Region BOCES CTE center.
Palmer reminded counselors that a CTE education is for everyone.
“CTE is for everybody. The CTE experience opens pathways for students; it doesn’t close any. You can be an honors student, attend CTE and then go on to a great college with fantastic skills,” he said, noting that graduates have gone on to such esteemed institutions as the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Culinary Institute of America.
School district representatives said they appreciated the opportunity to get a first-hand look at CTE.
“I love the interaction with the students and hearing them express to me what they are learning and what they like about coming here,” said David Olszewki, a counselor from Watervliet.
CTE Extension Center
Located across from the BOCES Administrative Offices on Watervliet-Shaker Road, the CTE Extension Center houses seven programs, including the new Plumbing Technology and New Visions: Emerging Technology program. The center also houses the expanded Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation, Building Trades, Cosmetology and Electrical Trades programs. And, the center is the new home of the relocated Manufacturing and Machining Technology and Digital Media Design programs, which were given double the space they previously had.
New Program
The new EMT program is being offered at the request of BOCES community partners that state there is a major need for EMTs locally, across the state and even nationally.
The one-year course will be offered on the Albany and Schoharie CTE campuses starting with the 2026-27 school year.
Through a hands-on, fast-paced program that combines classroom instruction, laboratory skill practice, and real-world scenarios, students will develop the knowledge and competencies required for pre-hospital emergency care.