BOCES adult programs boost careers

into work,” Makar said. “Being able to have a job during the day and go to school at night, it really helps with applying things as you go,” she added.

That structure is what allowed Giovanni Iglesias, from East Meadow, find success and stability at the same time. Iglesias had spent 25 years as an internationally renowned DJ, playing at clubs across Europe, South America, and the states — until Covid hit. The gigs came to a sudden halt.

Though he had been making good money as an artist, going through the pandemic — and meeting his wife soon after — taught him an important lesson: job security is priceless. Iglesias was not alone in that realization, according to Slepian.

“Since the pandemic, people know that there’s job security in the trades,” Slepian said. “These trades, they’re not going anywhere. And the jobs are only increasing.”

Iglesias found BOCES and applied for a grant to attend the trade electric program. Soon after beginning his studies, though, he received a call from the MTA offering him the bus operator position he had previously applied for. He spent the next years balancing his employment and his education. Iglesias said the instructors at BOCES were instrumental in making the balance possible.

“The teachers understood, they worked with me,” Iglesias said. “So I don’t lose my time, I don’t lose my pension, but I can do something I actually enjoy doing: electrical work.”

These days, Iglesias continues to work with the MTA and volunteers with Grasso Electric — a mentor he found during his time at BOCES — during his time off. He recently passed the electrical helper exam he’d been preparing for, and currently has his sights set on working as an electric helper for the MTA and eventually becoming licensed as a master electrician.

BOCES prepared Iglesias for success, but that came as no surprise to him — It was the same organization he graduated from in 1999, where he learned multimedia video production. His knowledge of video editing, branding, music production, and more put him leagues above the industry standard, and helped him excel as a DJ and an artist for 25 years. Now Iglesias is entering the next chapter of his career with the same level of preparedness.

“That’s what BOCES does,” Iglesias said. “BOCES was always the reason for my success.”

To find out more about BOCES’ offerings, visit NassauBoces.org/ AdultEducation.