What is Ulster BOCES?

Ulster BOCES means different things to different people. To William (Bill) Laubach, a former Ulster BOCES Business Computer Technology student, Ulster BOCES means having the opportunity to receive technical training in an exploratory career and see his part-time internship turn into a promising career.

Bill was always interested in learning about computers and the business industry. “However, I didn’t really know if I wanted to be a business student or a computer student.” That was until he was a sophomore in Highland High School and went on a field trip to the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center. While there, he visited the Business Computer Technology program, which offered him the best of both of his interests. He enrolled in the program and began attending the Career & Technical Center in September 1999. “I really enjoyed the class,” says Bill. “The best part was being able to do the classwork on our own. The hands-on aspect made it a lot easier to learn than from just reading a book.” Bill also praises the teaching method of instructor Dick Price. “He’s a good instructor. The class was enjoyable, and he would get us to strive to be better at our work.”

While attending the Ulster BOCES Business Computer Technology program, Bill received a scholarship for being one of the top business students. He also participated in a part-time paid internship at Zumtobel Staff Lighting, Inc. in Highland. “Mr. Price spoke with them and initially I was supposed to work there for only about a week or two, but it lasted much longer!” He continued to work there on a part-time basis and in the summers after he graduated from high school and was attending college full-time at Dutchess County Community College and then the State University of New York Institute of Technology in Utica. Bill’s high school internship turned into a rewarding career opportunity this past September, when he was hired as a full-time systems administrator. “When they offered me the position, I had to take it! I like my job a lot.”

“I have Ulster BOCES to thank for initially getting me my job here,” claims Bill, whose responsibilities cover network management, server management, client PC management, troubleshooting computer technical issues, and security. “Having the knowledge of office applications and how computers and networks run is a real advantage. Through the Ulster BOCES program, I learned how to do all this, plus Mr. Price taught us to think outside the box—with computer work, there are not always set ways to troubleshoot a problem, but if you logically think about the computer and how it works, a solution will come.”

Bill believes the program also helped him decide which program he wanted to study in college and provided him with essential communication skills. “Ulster BOCES helped me to realize that I wanted to study computers as a career instead of business. In the Business Computer Technology class, we learned a lot about business and computers. It is really good to have a background in both. The class helped us to not only understand how computers work, but also how a business is run. It also helps us to learn how to talk to people. A lot of people I met in college knew computers, but they didn’t know how to interact with or even talk to people. Ulster BOCES taught me how to do both.”

Bill’s manager, Felix Toledo, says he could not be happier with Bill. “I think the knowledge he gained going through the Ulster BOCES program helped him start on the right path. The program opened his eyes to real world situations in IT, which cannot be duplicated in the (traditional) classroom.”

Toledo recalls when Bill first came to work for him about four years ago. “I could see the determination in him to learn from someone who has over 15 years of IT experience. At the time, I remember he was unsure of what to study in college. I believe Ulster BOCES gave him the opportunity to focus on a possible career.”

While Bill was away in college, the two kept in touch. “I had him come to work on projects with us from time to time. Each time I was impressed with his hard work and dedication to get the job done. We spent many days working 20-plus hours. His hard work has paid off.”

In addition to his new position, Bill is also continuing his academic studies in network management through DeVry University Online. He hopes to have his associate’s degree in business and his bachelor’s degree in network management by the end of summer 2005. Currently, Bill’s plans include staying at Zumtobel Staff Lighting, Inc., with the hopes of one day obtaining a management level position.

“Attending Ulster BOCES gives you the chance to figure out what you want to do after high school,” claims Bill. “It also helped me to have a background in something, which has enabled me to obtain better jobs through college and earn more money.”