Recently, forty-five Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical Education students showed their in-depth knowledge of the skilled trades and earned medals at the regional SkillsUSA competition on Thursday, March 18 at the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education campus in Colonie, NY. The district’s SkillsUSA medal group included a second-place finish for BKW junior Lilianna Hotaling for Cosmetology and senior Trista Smi received a third-place finish during the Welding and Metal Fabrication competition stage.
“I’m excited for the future opportunities that Capital Region BOCES is opening up for me,” said BKW junior Lilianna Hotaling, who took first place in the Advertising Design competition. “I love working in an environment that the teachers are so supportive and there’s friendly competition.”
The SkillsUSA student competitors, who hail from school districts as far-reaching as Watervliet and Cobleskill-Richmondville, showed expertise in areas as diverse as electrical wiring, public speaking, automotive repair, job interviewing, and cooking. They competed against their peers from Questar III and several other BOCES during a day filled with events at the Career & Technical Education Center – Albany Campus, as well as Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) and the International Union of Operating Engineers training facility in Albany.
A total of 450 students, the most ever for the regional competition, took part in the event, said Debra Toy, a regional SkillsUSA representative who works at Capital Region BOCES. More than 90 of those competitors were from Capital Region BOCES.
The video below is courtesy of Capital Region BOCES Engagement and Development Services. If you look closely, you will see some familiar faces at this year’s SkillsUSA competition.