Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES recently hosted state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, R-Westfield, at the Western New York P-TECH Academy for an event focused on P-TECH skill pathways, workforce development, hands-on learning, and strategic BOCES policy improvements to benefit students and schools across the region.

During their visit, the state legislators toured WNY P-TECH’s computer, machining, and welding labs, where students showcased a wide range of design and fabrication projects — one of which was the creation of a custom GoPro mount for a horseback riding project in collaboration with Range Ranch in Fredonia, a local veteran organization. The tour offered a close look at how students integrate foundational manual skills with modern CNC technology, 3D printing, and plasma cutting, preparing them for real-world careers in high-demand technical fields.

“For 88% of the time, students are engaged in project-based learning,” said Jeffrey Teluk, WNY P-TECH principal. “Like I ask our students, when you’re not being told what to do, what do you gravitate toward? If they say they want to take this or that apart and see how it works – that’s the kid we want.”

Throughout the tour, students and staff emphasized the importance of industry certifications, including SolidWorks and AWS welding credentials, that give P-TECH graduates a competitive edge. WNY P-TECH graduates have already begun securing careers with companies such as Dunkirk Metal Products, Eaton Aerospace, and Bush Industries.

“This program is producing middle-skilled employees ready to walk into high-demand, well-paying careers,” Teluk said. “Our students leave here with certifications like CSWP and AWS, and many receive job offers from local manufacturers before they even graduate.”

Prior to the tour of P-TECH, Borrello and Molitor joined members of the Tri-County BOCES Education Association for a roundtable discussion on legislative advocacy. A key focus of the conversation was a proposal to extend the one-year limit currently imposed on out-of-state student enrollment in BOCES programs. The legislators heard firsthand how lifting this limit would allow students from nearby Pennsylvania to enroll in multi-year programs like WNY P-TECH — filling open seats, increasing revenue, benefiting students, and boosting the regional economy.

“Whenever we sell services outside of our BOCES boundary, that benefits our component school systems,” said Dr. David O’Rourke, Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES district superintendent. “That actually helps their operational cost through efficiency.”

The result could be in the form of revenue, but also in the form of workforce development.

“Many of those students could potentially get an internship or employment in New York,” Borrello said.

Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES offers two P-TECH programs located in Dunkirk and Springville. Both the WNY P-TECH and CAM P-TECH programs provide a supportive learning environment with small class sizes, embedded social-emotional resources, and partnerships with colleges such as Jamestown Community College for WNY P-TECH and Alfred State College and SUNY Erie for CAM P-TECH. Students remain connected to their home school districts for extracurricular activities while working toward a high school Regents diploma and an associate degree in fields such as Mechatronics, Welding Technology, Mechanical Technology with specialization in Computer-Aided Design or Machine Tool, Computer Information Systems, and Electrical Construction or Maintenance Electrician.

“The philosophy here is ‘right kid, right program,'” O’Rourke said. “We’re not just preparing students for jobs — we’re helping them discover careers they love.”

With room to grow, P-TECH is poised to expand its impact. Program leaders emphasized the importance of community and legislative support in continuing to change perceptions around technical education and broaden opportunities for all students.

For more information, visit https://www.e2ccb.org.