BH-BL High School senior Jacob Montalbano uses a torch to cut metal recently at the Capital Region BOCES Career & Technical Education Center – Albany Campus.
Montalbano, who aspires to own a business or go into welding inspection, is among 35 seniors enrolled in the Welding and Metal Fabrication program who are starting their senior Capstone projects.
For the project, students have a specific time period in which they must design and fabricate a backyard fire pit.
“I love it. I like the creativity it is allowing us and the ability to take something from an idea to a design to a product,” Montalbano said.
Through the Capital Region BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication high school and adult education programs, students such as Montalbano are prepared to enter the workforce or go on for more advanced training at specialized technical schools or colleges. Students learn skills ranging from plasma arc cutting to shielded metal arc welding and earn a host of industry certifications.
For students who complete the program, the payoff can be rich. Demand for skilled workers is high in the industry, according to the American Welding Society, which is projecting a need for 90,000 new welders each year through 2027. The society also reports that of the 770,000 estimated workers in the industry, 155,000 are approaching retirement age, meaning many more vacancies will occur soon.