While some high school students will go on to seek four-year degrees, some will never graduate and many others will not find a job that requires the degree they have. Career and technical education provides real skills for in demand jobs, and there is a definite need for this type of training in Niagara Falls, NY. There are jobs to be filled, but individuals do not have the necessary skills to fill them.
When Goodskills Career Builder was expanding into Niagara Falls, a partnership developed with Orleans/Niagara BOCES, and it instantly became a natural fit. Orleans/Niagara BOCES provides a range of workforce services including English as a second language (ESL), high school equivalency (GED) and skilled trade programs in machining, welding and the building trades at their Niagara Falls, NY Workforce Development Center.
Having Goodskills based at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES Workforce Development Center building created a synergy between the two organizations. BOCES students have the opportunity to enroll in Goodskills training as a career development option. In turn, Goodskills graduates are exposed to BOCES programs held in the building and can choose to further their training in the skilled trades programs BOCES offers. A popular option for Goodskills graduates is the Machining program that includes foundational and essential skills in machine tool set-up and operation procedures on manual lathes, mills, grinders, saws, and drill presses.
Goodskills and BOCES truly complement each other and the results are powerful for students who come through the doors of the Workforce Development Center. Both Goodskills and BOCES meet people where they are and help them reach the level they are trying to attain in their career development.
