Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie) joined other lawmakers in the New York State Assembly Tuesday in recognizing February as Career and Technical Education Month, acknowledging the need to support and expand vocational education opportunities throughout New York to provide young people with hands on training for the trades of today and the future. A former BOCES student himself, Tague has been a staunch supporter of career and technical training for young people throughout his tenure in the Assembly.

Members of the Assembly Minority recently released a report regarding what could be done to promote career and technical education within New York state, which can be read here.

“Programs like BOCES offer students who don’t thrive in traditional classroom environments the opportunity to learn real-world skills in real-life scenarios, which often translate into lucrative career opportunities both in traditional trades and in emerging high-tech industries,” said Tague. “The expansion of career and technical educational opportunities to students from all corners of the state will be vital if we hope to give our children the skills they’ll need to compete in tomorrow’s economy, so I hope I will be joined by lawmakers of both parties in the months and years to come in working to provide our students as many chances as we can give them to jump into the fields that speak their passion.”

“Career and Technical Education programs provide students with career-based opportunities that aren’t accessible in traditional classroom settings. CTE has a verifiable positive impact on students, employers and the local economy. This month, we celebrate the power of these important hands-on programs,” said Capital Region BOCES District Superintendent Anita Murphy. “Capital Region BOCES is proud to be home to over 40 CTE programs. We offer our students skills, experience and certifications that help them – and our communities – flourish.”

"The Career and Technical Education programs we offer in partnership with Capital Region BOCES prepare our students for a wide range of high-skill, high-wage jobs in our local economy. Our CTE students are deeply engaged in hands-on, real-life learning.The academics are 'real' and the applications are immediate,” said Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District Superintendent of Schools Carl Mummenthey. “I'm proud to salute our CTE students and our region's CTE teachers, and I thank Assemblyman Tague for offering this worthy recognition."