Page 44 - SKILLS - 2023

MAKING YOUR CAREER WORK
Training Providers:
Get the Skills You Need
BY DAVID LEVINE
© Courtesy of SW BOCES
42 2023 SKILLS
What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
One of the biggest problems in the employment market is a mismatch between open positions and job seekers’
skills. Luckily, Westchester residents have several options when it comes to acquiring new skills. Here’s a closer look at programming and services available at Southern Westchester BOCES, the Westchester-Putnam Career Center Network, and Putnam/ Northern Westchester BOCES.
Southern Westchester BOCES (www.swboces.org)
Southern Westchester BOCES serves 1,000 students each year in job-training programs. It also provides services to adult learners.
“We offer short-term training in high-demand fields that shift to meet the local employment needs,” says Tracy Racicot, director of Southern Westchester BOCES’ Center for Adult & Community Services. Most courses are held in the evenings and on the weekends to allow adults who may be working during the day and are
looking to “upskill” for further career options, she says.
Currently, trades courses (electricity, plumbing, HVAC, welding, and carpentry) and healthcare courses (clinical medical assistant
and medical administrative assistant with billing-coding specialist)
have the strongest enrollment. “Additionally, we offer automotive service technician and auto body repair, and CISCO networking courses. Where an industry requires or prefers it, there are associated recognized certifications, like CICSO networking, automotive, and all healthcare classes,” she says.
Through its Adult Literacy Program, the school also offers academic programs for adults to earn their
high school diploma, improve their English language skills, or take the US Citizenship Exam. “We do not have the resources to provide job placement services, but we share employment opportunities with students all the time and we survey students on their employment status,” Racicot says.
She notes that students are completing more advanced levels
© Courtesy of SW BOCES © Courtesy of PNW BOCES © Courtesy of PNW BOCES