OCM BOCES CTE students and staff participate in Career Expo event

With February being Career and Technical Education (CTE) month throughout the United States, OCM BOCES wanted to participate by show-casing several of its own CTE programs. OCM BOCES staff worked to set up a working display at the Great Northern Mall on Saturday February 7.

Seven CTE teachers, a teaching assistant, a CTE guidance counselor and the CDOS guidance counselor from  OCM BOCES Henry Campus volunteered to staff the booth throughout the day. Additionally, principal, Peter Hunn and interim assistant principal, Helen White, were on hand to oversee the event.

To showcase BOCES, about a dozen cosmetology students volunteered at the event, demonstrating hair cutting, makeup application techniques, and nail care; two laboratory tech students displayed and explained phlebotomy equipment and a student from the OCM BOCES embedded physical therapy course was available to discuss careers in that field.

Hundreds of mall shoppers saw the OCM BOCES expo area, with many stopping to visit. Some of the visitors who stopped to pick up program brochures, expressed their belief that a career & technical education is a sure pathway to good Central New York job opportunities requiring the skills and work ethic foundational in BOCES CTE programs.  One visitor echoed the comments of most of those walking through our piece of Great Northern Mall between the food court and Macy's, by affirming, "It's great to see young people learning a profession they can really use."  And more than a few mall-goers simply smiled and let the staff know that someone in their life benefitted from a CTE or Adult Education course, then exclaimed, "I think OCM BOCES does great work!"

Some passersby, from districts other than OCM BOCES 23 components, compared their BOCES' programs to ours, with OCM's typically receiving a positive nod.  All in all, the afternoon proved enjoyable for students and staff, many of whom got a chance to chat with their home-school classmates and friends pleasantly surprised to see them on an otherwise gray winter's day.  The Great Northern site served as a practice run for next year's anticipated OCM BOCES CTE Expo at Destiny USA. 

Click here for additional information about OCM BOCES Career and Technical Education programs.