A recent graduate of Capital Region BOCES recently proved he has the barbering skills to be among the best in the nation.
Jacob Alaimo, a 2024 graduate of the Career and Technical Education Center Cosmetology program, earned a bronze medal at the national SkillsUSA competition that concluded on June 28.
“I am very proud of my achievement. I am the first person from BOCES to do the barbering competition and I did pretty well,” said Alaimo, who missed his graduation ceremony at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School to attend the competition in Atlanta.
“It was fun getting to know the other competitors while we were waiting for things to start. Once we got going it was smooth sailing,” said Alaimo who was one of two New York state SkillsUSA champions this year.
Liam Pierce, a Network Technology class of 2024 graduate from the Niskayuna Central School District, also competed at the national SkillsUSA competition after winning a state title.
Though he didn’t earn a medal during the internet of things competition, Pierce said the experience was phenomenal.
“I loved it! Being able to meet people from all over the country was great. Pin trading was great—everyone had pins from their state and you tried to meet lots of people to make trades. I met people from Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida and all over,” said Pierce, who also gave up attending his high school graduation to compete.
Approximately 6,000 students from across the United States competed in 115 skilled and leadership competitions during the June 24-28 event in Atlanta.
Pierce and Alaimo are using their training at BOCES and experiences with SkillsUSA to bolster their future.
Alaimo is pursuing a career at Choices Hair Studio in Delmar and plans to attend college in the future to pursue a business degree in college with a goal of opening his own barber shop. Meanwhile, Pierce is moving to Maine where he plans to pursue a career in telecommunications before eventually pursuing college courses.
SkillsUSA Chapter Advisor Barb Gorbaty said both scholars represented themselves and BOCES well.
“SkillsUSA kids are special. They step out of their comfort zones and really challenge themselves. That’s why I am thrilled that we are a full-participation school – it gives all our kids a chance to stand up and shine,” said Gorbaty, highlighting the fact every Capital Region BOCES student is a member of the SkillsUSA organization.