Celebrating Success: Two Erie 1 BOCES Custodians Graduate from Building Maintenance Program

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  Emma Masternak and Kimberly Sass with their supervisor Warren Ristine, Erie 1 BOCES Director of Facilities.

At Erie 1 BOCES, we believe in the power of growth, development, and community. We proudly celebrate two of our dedicated custodial staff members, Kimberly Sass and Emma Masternak, who have recently graduated from our Building Maintenance Program, one of our Workforce Development programs. This accomplishment not only reflects their hard work and commitment, but also showcases the transformative impact of the program on our team and the WNY community.

Both Kim and Emma embarked on this training journey to expand their skill sets, and their success is a testament to their dedication and perseverance.

“I am very proud of Kim and Emma for the dedication they took to take this class,” says Warren Ristine, Erie 1 BOCES’ Director of Facilities. “In addition to working a full-time job, they came here at night and invested time in their own careers.”

The Building Maintenance Program is designed to give students the skills needed to start or enhance a career as a building maintenance technician. For Kim and Emma, this program has been a stepping stone to increased confidence in the work they do every day.

Masternak shared, “The most rewarding part for me was getting the basic knowledge of all these tools I’ve never used before. That’s going to really help me in my job because being familiar with these tools is one of the most important things. The program also helped a lot with understanding the internal structures of the building, plumbing and electrical for example. It helps to know how it all works.”

Sass echoed, “The hands-on aspect was very valuable for my learning, especially continuously doing it and redoing it. It gives us the basic knowledge for maintaining the building and improves what we do every day. Having the understanding of how things work will help us to quickly address if something goes wrong.”

The Erie 1 BOCES Workforce Development Program isn't just about teaching new skills; it's about opening doors. By participating, individuals like Kim and Emma gain access to more advanced roles and new career pathways, empowering them to achieve their goals and further their professional development.

“We’re very glad that as part of the organization’s commitment for recruitment and retention, we’re able to show employees that we care about their career,” says Ristine. “We want to help them in any way we can to give them the tools that are necessary to succeed in their role and to get promotions.”

This program is one of many ways Erie 1 BOCES is helping to strengthen our E1B and local workforce while providing opportunities for personal and career growth.

As we celebrate the accomplishments of these two incredible individuals, we also look forward to the next group of participants in the Building Maintenance Program.

“There were so many different walks of life in the class,” Sass remarks. “People that had no experience and looking to enter the field, and some that were already in the field and doing it as a refresher to support their job. Everybody should do it!”

With each new class, we continue to build a stronger, more skilled workforce, providing opportunities for those in our community to grow, learn, and succeed.

Congratulations again to Kim and Emma on this significant achievement; we are proud to have you as part of our team!

About the Workforce Development Program - Short Term Training, Long Term Impact

The Erie 1 BOCES Workforce Development Program offers adult learners the opportunity to gain practical skills in a variety of fields. Our programs are designed to equip individuals with the expertise needed to succeed in today’s job market while supporting their personal and professional growth.

Registration is currently open for Building Maintenance! Visit our Adult Career Training Program page for more information.