February is Career and Technical Education Month® (CTE), a time to celebrate our schools, programs, staff, and students who are working to develop the essential skills required for today’s workforce. Students choose a different type of education when they choose CTE; more hands-on, physical, and career focused.
With our country facing a significant skills gap, these students are stepping in to fill the void. A CTE program not only prepares them for a successful career but also ensures our workforce remains competitive and resilient.
Join us as we highlight and celebrate all things CTE this CTE Month. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn to learn more about our programs and our students.
Questar III BOCES Nursing Assistant student Juliana Caringi is a senior at Donald R. Kline Technical School from Coxsackie-Athens Central School District. Through this program, Juliana will have the opportunity to become a certified nurse assistant as she works towards her career goal of becoming a pediatric nurse.
“I’ve always wanted to work with kids,” shared Juliana. “At first, I wanted to be a teacher. But then I got a drive to work in the medical field. When you combine them, you get pediatric nursing.”
Juliana and her classmates recently began their clinicals with the residents at the FASNY Firefighter’s Home in Hudson and The Pines at Catskill. They work alongside their teacher, Beth Hulbert, and nursing home staff to gain real-world experience in caring for patients. From feeding patients to assisting with mobility, taking vitals, and more, students are developing skills for future medical careers.
“Ms. Hulbert is great,” said Juliana. “It helps that she is an RN. Being able to see her at clinical is really helpful. She’s really great with the residents and sets a great example for us.”
Outside of the technical skills required for the program, students are also learning how to write a resume and apply for jobs in English class. They also spend a great deal of time strengthening their communication skills – something very important for anyone in the medical field.
“It can be hard to speak to people, especially people you’ve never met before,” Juliana stated. “We work a lot on communication and how to make the residents feel comfortable.”
Next year, Juliana will continue her education by attending nursing school. Although she has received acceptance letters, she has not yet selected which school. While Juliana will be continuing her education next fall, students can earn their NYS Nurse Assisting certification following the completion of this program, allowing them to enter the workforce immediately.
When asked about her overall experience of the program, and whether she felt it has prepared her for her next steps, she shared that she was grateful for the opportunity to join the program.
“It definitely takes the jitters away,” said Juliana. “I’ll be less nervous when I go to nursing school next year. And already having the experience working with patients is really going to help. I’m glad I’m able to gain this experience, it’s proving to me how much I want to be in the medical field.”
