Thirteen students from Nassau BOCES GC Tech took the next major step in their professional lives by committing to jobs in their chosen career and technical education (CTE) fields of study, a military career or secondary education in their chosen field during the school’s annual Career Signing Day. Six of the students will enter full-time work, another six will continue on to secondary education in their career field, and one will proudly serve as a United States Marine.

The event mirrors National Signing Day for athletes who commit to play sports in college. It follows the example of SkillsUSA’s National Signing Day, celebrated on May 6 to highlight thousands of students nationwide who sign a pledge for a skilled trades career path as they launch a career and help close the ongoing skills gap in the United States. SkillsUSA is the number one workforce development organization for students. The organization empowers students to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders and responsible community members.

The special event was the culmination of years of study and hard work for the students, who have been training in the various trade fields, such as Automotive Technology, Cosmetology, Esthetics and Skin Care, and HVAC. Representatives from local industry partners, who hired the students, joined the celebration to welcome their newest employees, as well as from the Marine Corp. Many of the students have already been interning at the firms to receive first-hand experience in their chosen career fields.