OUB Celebrates Industry Partners and Student Success at Annual Breakfast

Orange-Ulster BOCES welcomed more than 100 industry and community partners to its Annual Partnership Breakfast, celebrating the powerful collaborations that continue to prepare Career and Technical Education (CTE) students for successful futures in healthcare, skilled trades, education, aviation, automotive technology, and other high-demand career fields.

Held at OUB’s Career and Technical Education Center, the event highlighted the impact of work-based learning experiences and clinical placements that allow students to connect classroom instruction with real-world industry experience.

“Purpose is a powerful thing,” said Sara Puccio, OUB Director of Career and Technical Education. “At CTE, our purpose is our students, and every partner in this room is the bridge between the classroom and the industry that will become their career.”

At the May 20 event, students shared how the clinical placements and internships shaped their confidence, professional skills, and career goals. From healthcare to electrical, aviation, and automotive opportunities, students spoke about the working professionals who helped guide them toward their future professions.

“Being able to step out of the classroom and into the field has been incredibly valuable,” said Nolan Di Cataido-Ciofalo, a senior at Pine Bush High School and a second-year OUB Electrical student. Nolan was welcomed by Anytime Electric for his clinical experience.

“I’ve had the chance to apply what I’ve learned in class to real jobs, work alongside experienced professionals, and see what a career in this industry is truly like,” Nolan said.

This year alone, OUB CTE students completed some 45,000 hours of work-based learning experiences through over 200 business and industry partnerships across Orange County. The program expanded with the addition of 12 new partner locations this school year.

Each placement represents more than just training hours; it represents a future nurse, electrician, educator, pharmacist, filmmaker, aviation professional, or technician taking meaningful steps toward a career, Puccio said.

“When you open your doors and invite your students in, you give them something no curriculum alone can provide,” Puccio told the guests. “You give them the chance to experience their trade first hand, to stand inside their future and begin to own it.”

Two partners, Garnet Health and Healey Brothers Automotive Ford, received special honors.

Garnet Health Medical Center - which this school year provided immersive tours, presentations, mentorships, and clinical placements to more than 300 students in programs ranging from Principles of Health to Pharmacy Technician and Allied Health - was named Business Partner of the Year. Grace Coleman, a Pine Bush High School senior studying in the Allied Health program, presented the award. 

“Garnet made sure students were prepared and included. We were able to explore so many different areas, including patient care units, diagnostic imaging, cardiac rehabilitation, and the physician’s office building,” Grace said. “These experiences gave students a real sense of direction and confidence.”

And Lauren Comizio of Healey Brothers Automotive Ford was named the 2026 Advisory Board Member of the Year. Aries Laughman, a Marlboro High School junior and Automotive Technology student, presented the award.

“I have to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable leaving the classroom, riding on the clinical bus, and working with someone who I didn’t know,” Aries said. “The technicians have been incredibly inspiring and have taken me under their wing. I really enjoy going to Healey Ford for my clinical experience and am grateful that I can be a part of that environment.”  

The Partnership Breakfast also showcased the skill of students from across multiple programs: Culinary Arts prepared and served breakfast, Security assisted with logistics; Digital Design produced the presentation materials, and Engineering Design and Architecture created the centerpieces.