BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – BOCES invited students to an annual job fair that focuses on practicing for interviews and preparing for the workforce.

The Broome Tioga BOCES Work Readiness Fair last week took place at the East Learning Center, and hosted representatives from over 20 local agencies and businesses.

BOCES students got to peruse the various organizations, and when ready, sit down for a mock interview, and receive constructive criticism on how to improve.

Andrew Evans is a student at ELC and says that this was his first time having a “formal” interview, and that there is no better way to learn than by doing.

Student at East Learning Center, Andrew Evans says, “Students like me, who don’t do so well when it comes to reading from textbooks, but instead, learning in-person and working with experience is how I learn very well and so do many of my peers that I’m well associated with. I think that, this can be a little bit overwhelming at first, but BOCES themselves do a very good job of narrowing down what students are really interested in.”

Evans says that his teacher gave him three pieces of advice for interviews, keep eye contact, smile and be polite.

He says he hopes to become a mason in the near future.

Some of the participating companies include Dick’s Sporting Gods, UHS, FedEx, and Raymond.