An Interview with Teaghan Cutter, 2024 Graduate - Construction Management
Teaghan Cutter (pictured left), a Granville Jr/Sr High 2024 graduate, was back in Granville this summer, but this time, she was working on her career plans.
Ms. Cutter is a student of Construction Management at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, NY.
She is doing her skilled trades internship with Schoolhouse Construction Company, and one of Schoolhouse’s clients is Granville CSD.
BEST ADVICE FROM TEAGHAN - "Don't wait until 11th and 12th grade to start figuring out what you'll do after high-school!
How did you get into construction?
My dad worked in excavation and my stepdad is a project manager for the state working on big construction projects. Growing up, my family worked together on renovating and flipping a house and I fell in love with it. I loved learning how to do everything correctly and seeing all the different parts of a project come together.
How did you find this program?
I specifically came to Granville Jr/Sr High to take advantage of the BOCES Construction program, but unfortunately, I transferred here in the 11th grade from homeschool, which was too late and I was put on the waitlist. (It’s a popular program!) PRO TIP: If you want to do BOCES, apply in 10th grade.
I didn’t let that stop me. I started thinking about what else I could do. I thought about joining the military and prepping for the military testing (ASVAB Test), looked around at my options and eventually found HVCC had a construction program that offered a one-year certificate and I set my sights on doing that right after high school.
How do you attend HVCC and make it work?
I live near campus during the week, since HVCC is one hour and twenty minutes away from my home. I was able to find an apartment that I could share with three other students in the area.
Once I started taking the classes in the certificate program, professors showed me that I had potential to be in a leadership role and so I plan on continuing after my one-year certificate to get my Associates Degree in Construction Management. The Associates Degree includes more training in supervisory construction.
How did you get an internship with Schoolhouse Construction?
At HVCC, they had a career fair and I walked around and gave my resume to a few companies. I specifically remember talking with Schoolhouse employees and giving them my resume in hopes of an internship, and one of my professors put in a good word for me. I was chosen for this because the role would be in my hometown of Granville.
What’s a typical day for you in your internship?
A typical day in my internship starts off around 7am and I first go and check which contractors are on each site. Then throughout the day, I walked around each site to take pictures and take notes so that I could record the progress of the project. When I was not doing that, I was reading online documents, learning all sorts of new things, and reading through blueprints and specs.
What’s a typical day going to HVCC?
For my specific program, no days look the same. For my second semester I had classes from 8am-6pm at night on Mondays and Tuesdays, and had no class on Wednesdays. During those hours were my construction labs, where we learned things like how to build walls, trusses, and rafters. We also learned how to shingle a roof, and also built a small bathroom to finish it. We installed drywall, electricity, plumbing, painted the walls, and tiled the shower. There are also classes like estimating, building service systems, and construction materials. For my third semester in Fall 2025, I am taking classes like surveying, physics, trigonometry, and statics and strengths of materials.
Do you have any advice for current Granville Jr/Sr High high school?
If you want to go into BOCES, plan ahead and make sure you apply in 10th grade, and if you are homeschooled, talk to them very very early otherwise you will have no choices left - don’t wait until Junior or Senior year to start figuring it out.
What is a favorite memory from Granville Jr/Sr High?
Ski and Snowboard Club! I got to go on trips, met nice people across all grades and even got to meet the Superintendent and Secretary to the Superintendent as they were the co-advisors and chaperones. This club made school a little more enjoyable for me.
RESOURCES
If you’re interested in BOCES programs, make sure in 9th grade that you have good attendance so you will have room in your 11th and 12th grade to go to the BOCES school which is a half-day program.
Jr High families, use 7th and 8th grade to practice good attendance, behaviors and passing all your classes to increase your chances of success in the competitive BOCES program.
QUICK LINKS
Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC)
Skilled Trades One-Year Certificate at HVCC
Construction Management Two-Year Associate Degree at HVCC
What is a Resume and How to Create One for Job or Internship Hunting
10 Best Free Career Explorer Tests - for you or your student
ASVAB Military Career Test
ASVAB Military Prep Course - Petersen’s
ASVAB Prep Tips - YouTube Video from a Marine
To Join Ski & Snowboard Club at Granville Jr/Sr High, Please Contact Mrs. Zinn at azinn@granvillecsd.org or drop by at the District Offices.
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