Left to Right: Questar III BOCES Director of CTE Maggie Palmeri, City of Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello, Robert H. Gibson Technical School Principal Anthony DeFazio, Questar III BOCES Gaming and Multimedia student Joshua Trope, Dr. Gladys Cruz, Questar III BOCES District Superintendent, NYS Dept of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, Assemblyman John McDonald, Questar III BOCES HVAC student and Robert H. Gibson Technical School SkillsUSA President Jackson Golden, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, NYS Senator Jake Ashby, Legislator Dan Casale and Questar III BOCES HVAC student and SkillsUSA NYS Region III Vice President Mia Robles.
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, Questar III BOCES welcomed more than sixty guests to the Welding and Heavy Equipment Building at Robert H. Gibson Technical School in Troy, NY, to celebrate the new space and the opportunities it will provide for our region. Questar III BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Gladys I. Cruz welcomed several dignitaries to the event, including New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, business and community partners, local superintendents, board members, students, staff, and more.
In 2023, Questar III BOCES was awarded a $1.654 million grant through New York State’s Workforce Development Capital and Pay for Performance Grant, awarded by the state’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development. One of fourteen projects across the state awarded a grant, this initiative focused on supporting employer-driven, high-skilled workforce training programs and rewarded innovative approaches and best practices that reduce the barriers for high-need communities.
L-R: Robert H. Gibson Technical School SkillsUSA students Jackson Golden, Joshua Trope, and Mia Robles look on as New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon speaks at the ribbon cutting event.
The grant allowed Questar III BOCES to transform an outdated warehouse facility into a state-of-the-art workforce development training center, housing two high-demand trade programs for high school and adult learners. This past fall, Questar III BOCES launched a new Welding and Metal Fabrication program and relocated our existing Heavy Equipment Operations and Maintenance program. The relocation also opened space in our main campus to launch a new Electrical Trades program.
The new space includes a 2,020 sq. ft. welding and metal fabrication lab, a 2,020 sq. ft. heavy equipment shop, and two 755 sq. ft. general use classrooms. It also places students closer to the equipment and the field they work in. Most importantly, the space represents opportunities for students to learn the necessary skills to prepare them for high-demand, high-wage careers within our region.
“Thank you to the state’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development for providing Questar III BOCES with $1.6 million in grant funding to support this project. Thanks to the support of Governor Hochul, the state, and our partners, we have expanded our CTE technical school training facility to offer life-changing experiences for students locally,” said Dr. Gladys Cruz, District Superintendent of Questar III BOCES.
“I commend Questar III on the opening of this amazing new training facility. High school is a formative time for young New Yorkers, and programs like the ones offered by BOCES help ensure students are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in the workforce. With these kinds of crucial investments into the educational system, the future of our youth and our economy continues to look brighter than ever,” said New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon
Senator Jake Ashby (right) presents Robert H. Gibson Technical School principal Anthony DeFazio (left) with a Certificate of Recognition from the NYS Senate.
Thank you to Senator Jake Ashby and City of Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello, who each honored the new building with a Certificate of Recognition, and Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, who gave a Certificate of Commendation. We send an additional thank you to our other special guests, including New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon, Assemblyman John McDonald, and Legislator Dan Casale. Another thank you is extended to the Questar III BOCES students who assisted with the event and showcased the power of CTE: Mia Robles (HVAC/Rensselaer CSD), Joshua Trope (Gaming & Multimedia/East Greenbush CSD), Jackson Golden (HVAC/Averill Park CSD), Charles Valade (Welding/Hoosic Valley CSD), and Nathanael Hendricks (Heavy Equipment/Berlin CSD). We are also grateful for our Heavy Equipment student for assisting with set up and our Criminal Justice students for handling traffic control.
This project would not have been possible without the support of several partners who wrote letters of support for our state grant. Thank you to Atlantic Equipment Corporation, The Capital Region Workforce Development Board, Harrison and Burrowes Bridge Constructors Incorporated, Marmen Welcon, Rensselaer County Industrial Development Agency, Piasecki Steel Construction Corporation, and STS Steel Incorporate. Their partnership, along with many other supporters, will open doors for students for years to come.
Lastly, we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Questar III’s Harry Hadjioannou, Julie Best, Craig Hansen and the O&M Department, John Sokol and BCA Architecture & Engineers, and Robert H. Gibson Technical School Principal Anthony DeFazio for their assistance with the building project.
