Students attending the Capital Region BOCES Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC/R) program say they were drawn to the program because of the options it affords to them.
But Schenectady High School senior Haresh Persaud said the program has more than career options and skilled training to offer – it has a welcoming environment.
“BOCES is like a family. Everybody here is nice to you. Just coming to BOCES makes you feel better about yourself,” said Persaud, while repairing a furnace during a recent lab assignment.
Immersed in his second year of the HVAC/R program at the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center, Persaud plans to attend a career and technical school to further his HVAC/R knowledge before entering the industry.
“I like the trade a lot. Every project is like a big puzzle that you have to solve, and it’s something different every day,” he said.
The BOCES program gives students a solid career foundation in the HVAC/R industry. In a state-of-the-art classroom, students learn about ventilation, piping, refrigerants and refrigeration, furnaces and boilers. But HVAC/R technicians must also perform electrical, plumbing and even construction work, so BOCES HVAC/R students are also introduced to a sampling of those skills.
“The HVAC/R industry has a high demand for skilled technicians with a promising career outlook. The skills learned in course training can be used in other pursuits, both personal and professional,” said Capital Region BOCES Managing Program Coordinator-Business & Community Partnerships Nancy Liddle.
Persaud also credits BOCES with creating a family of learners that students can thrive.
“BOCES is like a family. Everybody here is nice to you. Just coming to BOCES makes you feel better about yourself,” he said.
For more about the HVAC/R program, go to https://www.capitalregionboces.org/career-technical-education/courses-programs/hvac-r-heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-refrigeration/