Welding Seniors Fabricate Capstone Projects

Chloe Armstrong of Schoharie.

ALBANY – Students at Capital Region BOCES fabricated backyard recreational equipment this year as part of their senior capstone projects in the Welding and Metal Fabrication program.

Students in Don Mattoon’s class this spring took part in a project-based learning initiative during which they are designing and fabricating an item.

Many students are creating backyard fire pits while others are working on designs such as a wood-fired pizza oven.

“I really liked this project. Normally with this class, we are working on very specific projects to teach us skills and test our abilities, but with this capstone project we are allowed to be more free and use our creativity and skills,” said Angelo Castro, a senior from Guilderland who is building a fire pit. 

Fellow senior Chloe Armstrong concurred. 

“The project allowed us, made us, use our creativity and allowed me to bring to reality a project I have wanted to do for some time,” the Schoharie teenager said about her fire pit.

Mattoon said the Capstone projects are designed to demonstrate a student's mastery of welding and incorporate all of the skills they learn during their two years in the class, including integrated English—hence the requirement for a PowerPoint and class presentation of the project.

There are approximately five dozen students currently enrolled in the Capital Region BOCES Welding and Metal Fabrication program. Students in the two-year program learn American Welding Society standards and earn certifications that prepare them for a career in the welding industry. Located on the Albany Campus this school year, the program is being expanded to the Schoharie Campus for the start of the 2024-25 school year to address the increasing demand among students.

For more information on the Welding and Metal Fabrication program, go to https://www.capitalregionboces.org/career-technical-education/courses-programs/welding-metal-fabrication/.