More than 100 adults are looking to change their careers or bolster their employability this fall through the Capital Region BOCES adult Practical Nursing  program.

The adults range from those fresh out of high school to those looking to launch a new career, as well as those looking to climb the nursing career ladder, said Louise Bigando, director of Health Careers and Services. Additionally, the students hail from communities as far afield as Wallkill, Ulster County and Petersburgh, Rensselaer County.

“We are excited to welcome such a diverse and ambitious group of students to our program. We look forward to giving them the tools and knowledge they need to not only succeed, but excel in the nursing profession,” Bigando said.

Classes for the program began Sept. 8.

“I am looking forward to starting and learning new stuff. I am really excited for clinicals,” said Winter Durham, an Albany resident and 2026 graduate of Albany High School.

For Melissa Danielsson of East Greenbush, the program offers career advancement.

“I have been a (Certified Nurse Assistant) since 2017 and I want to move up in my profession,” she said. “I am looking forward to being able to help patients more (than I can now).”

As has been widely publicized, demand is high for nurses, and local institutions have renewed their efforts to work with schools, such as Capital Region BOCES, to meet their needs.

“We are always incredibly impressed with BOCES graduates. BOCES sets a high standard, and it shows,” said Olivia Fagan of Whitney M Young Jr Health Center.

The full-time Practical Nursing (PN) program at the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus continues into June when the program will graduate its students into the world of being a licensed practical nurse (LPN). The New York state-approved program encompasses 1,100 hours of classroom and clinical study and practice and prepares students to take the National Council Licensure Examination and apply to become a New York state LPN.

A part-time adult Practical Nursing program will begin in January. For more information on that program or any Adult Health Careers offerings, call 518-862-4709 or email healthcareers@neric.org.