Building Trades alumnus works on projects for alma maters
As an alumnus of Lancaster High School, Aaron Crane gets to work on construction projects for educational facilities that he has stepped through as a student himself.
Crane enrolled in the Erie 1 BOCES Building Trades program at the Harkness Career & Technical Center in Cheektowaga, graduating in 2013. He now works for Young + Wright Architectural in Buffalo, which specializes in K-12 school-related projects.
“I always wanted to pursue a career in architecture, but I had a real growing interest in the construction industry,” Crane explained. “I like doing things with my hands, so someone suggested going to BOCES and doing a trade. That sounded great to me, so I pursued that route and I loved it.”
Students in the two-year Building Trades program learn all aspects of the trade, from using hand and power tools, reading and understanding blueprints, rough framing and both interior and exterior finish.
“Aaron always had a great attitude and worked well with his classmates,” said Michael Hughes, who teaches Building Trades at Harkness with co-instructor Christopher Burgio. “He had an excellent internship opportunity his senior year. He worked for Cortese Construction, where they built a San Francisco-style structure for earthquake research at the University at Buffalo.”
Crane noted he enjoyed making connections in the Building Trades program, including at Cortese Construction in Depew. The house he helped build there was put on earthquake palates for UB researchers.
Crane added he liked the structure of the program, which allowed him to work alongside another student his junior year, then with the full class as a construction crew his senior year. Hughes and Burgio focus on having their seniors build a modular home, which goes out to auction at the end of each school year.
After high school, Crane attended SUNY Alfred State to continue studying building trades and carpentry for two years.
“The BOCES program gave me the foundation I needed to feel comfortable with concepts being taught at Alfred,” he stated. “It helped make college simpler.”
After graduating from Alfred, Crane came back home to attend SUNY Erie Community College for another two years. While there, he earned an architectural technology degree. Shortly afterward, he applied to Young + Wright Architectural and was brought on full-time in May 2017.
Now an architectural designer, Crane has gotten the chance to walk the halls of his alma maters once again while playing a role in their recent construction projects. His first project at Young + Wright involved renovations to the North Gym at Lancaster High School.
“I came on board during the construction phase of that project, so I wasn’t involved from the get-go, but it was still exciting to be able to work on this huge project for my old school,” Crane said. “My work entailed coordinating with consultants and the owner, as well as reviewing issues at the construction site.”
Ever since the Lancaster project, Crane has been at the frontlines of various Erie 1 BOCES projects, including renovations to the Cosmetology program spaces at both the Potter and Kenton Career & Technical Centers, as well as a renovation of the second floor offices in Building A of the Education Campus. He has also done work on minor projects involving building infrastructure, including masonry and window replacement.
Looking forward, Crane is eager to start work on a $21 million capital project for all three Erie 1 BOCES career and technical centers. Work will occur in phases for each school, with the finishing touches set for completion in 2024. Phase I is devoted to Harkness, where Crane began his journey in building trades.
“I think Young + Wright and BOCES as a collective have a great working relationship, which is good for everyone in the end, especially for the students and the employees who utilize these spaces,” Crane pointed out. “I owe a lot to BOCES, and now I can give back to them. Being able to work on a building I spent so much time in is something I’m proud of.”