A total of 450 Career & Technical Education students took part in the regional SkillsUSA competition on Wednesday, March 18 in Albany.
“This is the most students ever to compete,” said Debra Toy, a regional SkillsUSA representative. More than 90 of those competitors were from Capital Region BOCES, including several from BH-BL High School who showed their in-depth knowledge of the skilled trades.
Congratulations to BH-BL High School student Autumn Siatkowski who was one of the 13 first place winners who earned her way to the state SkillsUSA competition in Syracuse next month. Siatkowski, who is studying Diesel Technology, took first place in the Employment Application Process category. (Top photo, center podium.)
The student competitors 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.
The state SkillsUSA competition will be conducted April 22-24 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Winners of that event will advance to the national competition in June.
“Congratulations to our scholars. They all did a fantastic job and we are very proud of them,” Toy said.
Representatives of dozens of businesses and government entities, from heating and cooling companies to labor unions to a volunteer fire company were on hand to assist in the event – helping to organize and judge the competitors.
“By being here today, we are helping students get ready for the workplace. We get to know them, and it really gets them ready to get out into the field,” said Julia Gadwah, a human resources recruitment and retention specialist with Crisafulli Brothers.
Students said they are excited by their medals, and many are looking forward to the state competition.