A Career and Technical Education is known for preparing students for success in their industries of choice, but how many people know that CTE can give students an advantage in college, even reducing the number of semesters they need to earn a degree?
Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School has a lengthy list of colleges, universities, and technical schools it has articulation agreements with that gives students a leg up when they graduate high school and pursue higher education. These agreements offer everything from college credits for certain BOCES programs to preferred acceptance into programs helping ensure every CTE student receives the training they want to reach their destination on the school-to-career pipeline.
Take for example, students in the Automotive Trades Technology program, who can earn up to a semester’s worth of credits at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), as well as students in the Criminal Justice program on the Schoharie Campus, who can earn college credits while taking Bryant & Stratton College’s Jump Start program.
“By attending BOCES, I reduced the amount of time I will be at college,” said class of 2024 Automotive Trades Technology graduate Joe Coluccio. “I am planning on going to Hudson Valley for Automotive Technical Services and after that I plan on working in a dealership or a smaller shop, so this will speed all of that up.”
Classmate Daniel Rexford agreed.
“BOCES helped me accelerate my knowledge in automotive repair and services and also helped me prepare for my upcoming life as an automotive technician,” the Mohonasen graduate said.
The Entertainment Technology program also has a college credit agreement in place with Fulton-Montgomery Community College (FMCC).
Students can earn up to 16 college credits at FMCC through the BOCES program while learning about the many jobs and the skills needed to work in the entertainment industry, including set design/carpentry, lighting/stage electrics, sound design/recording, costuming, stage management, film/media, etc.
“I earned enough college credits to cover a full semester of college for me. Now I don’t have to pay for as many classes since all of my credits transferred over,” said Jade Menzies, a class of 2024 graduate of the Entertainment Technology program from Duanesburg.
Even students not pursuing college at FMCC can use those credits.
Classmate Madelyn Marer is pursuing a degree at SUNY New Paltz.
“This gets me ahead in college next year and ultimately, my future,” said the Cohoes High School graduate.