RCS Junior Jackson Porter (right) participating in BOCES welding program.

RCS Junior Jackson Porter is currently enrolled in the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School and is in the first year of the welding program on BOCES’s Albany campus. He has his sights set on beginning his career in the welding industry.   

“I chose this program because I was looking for something that was fun and hands-on for a career and this seems like it’s both,” said Porter.

There are approximately five dozen students in the welding program run by Capital Region BOCES on the Albany and Mohonasen campuses. Participating students learn American Welding Society standards and earn certifications that prepare them for a career in the welding industry.

With 13 percent growth in new jobs in the industry forecast by the Labor Department, the BOCES welding program offers students a solid career opportunity while in high school.

“We receive calls almost daily from employers looking to hire our students. These skills are so in demand that we can’t keep up with the requests,” said Nancy Liddle, a Capital Region BOCES business liaison.