This fall, Colonie High School graduate Francis Mann will be attending Hudson Valley Community College to pursue a degree in technology. However, he’ll continue to use the skills he acquired in the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School to keep himself employed while enrolled in college. In June, Mr. Mann graduated from the Capital Region BOCES Pet Tech program after two years of learning how to care for animals ranging from various reptiles to rabbits and dogs.
“If you love animal’s, then Pet Tech is right for you. I love animals and I learned a lot,” said Mann. “I am going to college for computer programming in the fall because I love technology and it pays well. But I plan on working at a job while in college so I can use my (pet care) skills there and I will always have them if IT doesn’t work out.”
But the knowledge he learned in the program, which is located on the Albany campus, far exceeded bathing, feeding and caring for animals. “I learned communication skills and how to be independent when working. BOCES helped me to get ready for the work world,” he said.
Launched in 2018, Pet Tech students learn basic care skills for animals, including grooming, washing and best practices for boarding. Students also learn about customer service, written and spoken communication, office and computer skills, phone etiquette, budgeting and money management, inventory and ordering, advertising, basic accounting and business math.
To learn more about the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School, click here.