Electricity and gas utility company National Grid is awarding our BOCES a $100,000 Workforce Development Grant that will directly benefit dozens of Career & Technical Education students from the Capital Region to the Schoharie Valley.
Specifically, the funds will be used to:
- purchase four heavy equipment simulators to train heavy equipment students to operate backhoes, bulldozers, graders, excavators and dump trucks; and
- cover the cost for approximately 80 heavy equipment program students to earn a variety of industry-recognized professional certifications.
“National Grid and BOCES have a long-standing relationship as the skills BOCES students learn are the skills we look for in new employees every day,” said National Grid Regional Executive Laurie Poltynski.
Poltynski said the Workforce Development Grant is part of the company’s Project C initiative designed to create a more equitable energy future in the community it serves.
“We are confident this award will support that future by providing crucial skills to the next generation of National Grid employees,” Poltynski said.
Business/Community Partners Further Student’ Education
Students enrolled in our programs regularly benefit from the contributions of more than 300 BOCES business partners that provide everything from technical assistance to guest lecturing to job placement and work-based learning opportunities to students. Learn more about becoming a business/community partner.
Career and Technical Education Director Jeff Palmer said the work of business partners like National Grid is crucial to the success of students.
“Through the benevolence of National Grid and our business partners, students from a wide variety of backgrounds are able to launch careers directly out of high school or have an advantage when pursuing higher education,” Palmer said. “Thanks to National Grid, dozens of students will be wired for success in whatever their post-high school plans are.”