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 Welding student Kassey Stickle is a senior at Donald R. Kline Technical School from Taconic Hills Central School District. Kassey shared that this program has taught him the basic hands-on skills required to stick, tig, and, mig weld. Students also learn about torch cutting, plasma cutting, using a grinder, and more.
Kassey entered the program with an interest in underwater welding. After the program exposed him to different career paths and he took the time to research on his own, he changed paths due to the health risks related to underwater welding. Instead, he hopes to join a Union.
“I’m looking at the Local 21 out of Dutchess County. They do pipeline, steamfitting, and more in Dutchess County and throughout the United States. I hope to sit down with them to learn more and hear about their benefits.”
Kassey uses a torch to cut through a piece of metal in the welding shop at Donald R. Kline Technical School.
It’s not uncommon for high school students in a CTE program to take interest in a business’s benefits. As they prepare to enter the workforce, they develop essential life skills such as financial literacy, communication, and career readiness. After less than a year in the program, Kassey put those skills to use as he applied for the Youth Apprenticeship Program last year.
The Youth Apprenticeship Program links students with local, high-wage, high-demand, high-skill careers by partnering them with local employers. The process requires students to apply, interview, and shadow with potential employers before being offered a position. Once they are, they agree to 200 hours of on the job training the summer between their junior and senior years.
“The experience helped with my interview skills. The very first job interview I ever went to, I showed up in basketball shorts. I feel like I’ve learned professional skills by being here.”
Kassey was matched with Barbato’s Garbage Disposal in Hillsdale, NY. Here, he welded and rebuilt dumpsters and occasionally fixed trucks. He also learned how to weld rust which he said is a difficult skill to master. Overall, he said it was a great experience.
“Coming back to school, I felt like I knew a little bit more than some of the other kids in class because they didn’t weld all summer,” said Kassey. “I did and also picked up new techniques and tricks from those I worked with.”
As Kassey looks towards graduation, he shared that he’s had a positive experience with his program and Questar III BOCES.
“I feel confident that I can find a job in welding,” Kassey said. “If you’re better with hands-on learning, you should apply. Do something that you love. Choose something that you’re really interested in, so it doesn’t feel like a job, but more like a hobby.”
