Nearly 1,700 high school juniors and seniors got a jump-start on their professional careers on Sept. 10 as the 2026-27 school year took flight at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center. 

More than 1,600 students hailing from six counties across the Capital Region are enrolled this school year in programs as diverse as Welding and Metal Fabrication, Game Design and Implementation and Cosmetology. That is up from about 1,500 students who were enrolled during the last school year.

“I am ready to get hands-on, to get to know the trade, find out about it, learn it and do something new,” said Oliver Marra, a junior in the Electrical Trades program from Shenendehowa.

 “We are in the midst of an evolution of how career and technical education is viewed and Capital Region BOCES is at the forefront of this change,” said CTE Director Jeff Palmer. “We are seeing a change in the national attitude towards the skilled trades, and that is reflected in our enrollment, which has steadily risen in the last couple of years.” 

This has resulted in continued growth in programming and opportunities in recent years. Those include the opening in September 2025 of the CTE Extension Center at 886 Watervliet-Shaker Road in Albany, a renovation that expanded educational opportunities in 2024 at the CTE – Schoharie Campus and, in 2022, the opening of the CTE – Albany Campus. 

 “The word is out, and people are realizing that you don’t necessarily have to go to college to have a lucrative career. Good-paying jobs with benefits can be had in trades like welding, construction, engine repair and more,” said Nancy Liddle, Capital Region BOCES Managing Program Coordinator-Business & Community Partnerships.

New for this school year is the launching of an Emergency Medical Technician program on the Albany and Schoharie CTE campuses that will prepare approximately 30 high school students for careers in emergency medicine.

Palmer said BOCES expects the new program will address a critical state and national shortage of emergency medical technicians. 

“Capital Region BOCES is always ready to rise to the occasion to help with workforce development in industries that are suffering shortages of skilled workers. There may be no more critical shortage of workers than in emergency medicine, where virtually every provider is in need of skilled workers,” Palmer said.

Also new for the 2026-27 school year is the expansion of the Cosmetology Program.

A sixth Cosmetology program classroom is open,  allowing for two additional sections of students to enter the program. 

There are more than 100 high school juniors currently enrolled in the program along with 92 seniors.

Palmer said the additional classroom made sense as BOCES awaits final approval to offer a Barbering Program that is expected to launch in time for the 2027-28 school year.

“The addition of a new Cosmetology classroom this school year is made possible by the completion of the new salon-style instructional space at our Extension Center. While that space was intentionally designed to support the future launch of a Barbering program, it also provides us with a short-term opportunity to address the longstanding waitlist for Cosmetology,” he said.

Students returning to BOCES for their senior year are eager to advance themselves professionally and personally.

“I am looking forward to working more on people, learning new skills, and trying new things out and gaining new experiences,” said Janelle Whiteman, a Cosmetology senior from Schenectady.

Matthew Mulhern of Duanesburg is excited to expand his skill set in the world of welding.

“I am looking forward to coming back and earning my certifications and learning more about the business side of the industry,” he said.