Seamus McWatters, a 16-year-old junior at Colonie Central High School in Albany, NY, has landed his first job in the collision repair industry thanks to his participation in Capital Region BOCES' automotive collision technology program.
McWatters, who enrolled in the two-year program in September at BOCES' Albany Campus, recently began working at Goldstein Collision Center in Colonie, NY. The opportunity came after he took part in a work-based learning experience at the shop over February break, during which he volunteered 35 hours.
“He asked them if he could essentially volunteer to come into the shop during February break and he did it, logging 35 hours,” said BOCES teacher Dylan Bastian in a press release. “At the end of the week, they offered him a job.”
The hands-on approach of the BOCES program has had a transformative effect on McWatters, both academically and professionally. He said his academic performance improved significantly after joining the program.
“My freshman and sophomore years, I really didn't care about school. I was barely scraping by,” said McWatters. “But, by coming here, my grades at both schools went from mid-70s to upper-80s, low-90s.”
According to BOCES, the automotive collision technology program teaches students how to repair, restore and customize vehicles, mix and apply automotive paint, detail cars, and estimate finishing costs. Currently, 33 students are enrolled in the program.
“We do hands-on work at BOCES which helps me significantly more than if I am just sitting in a classroom with a packet of papers,” McWatters said. “For me, I have to do something to learn it. I have to fail and then figure it out in order to learn it.”
