Broome-Tioga BOCES student Kaigen Cobb is preparing to defend his state title at the SkillsUSA competition on April 23, 2026, following a top-15 national finish last year.

Cobb's previous success, detailed in a wicz.com report, created tangible opportunities for his peers: his performance captured Evans Roofing's attention, leading the company to provide professional-grade training for the entire BOCES building trades class. This demonstrates a direct link between student achievement and industry partnership, highlighting the role of career and technical education programs in developing skilled professionals for in-demand trades.

What We Know So Far

  • Senior Kaigen Cobb from Broome-Tioga BOCES is set to compete in the commercial roofing category of the SkillsUSA competition, according to a report from wicz.com.
  • The state-level competition is scheduled for April 23, 2026, and will be held at the Syracuse fairgrounds, wicz.com reports.
  • In the previous year's national competition, Cobb achieved a 15th-place finish, establishing a strong record ahead of the upcoming event.
  • As a consequence of Cobb's success, Evans Roofing has partnered with the Broome-Tioga BOCES program to offer professional training to all students in the building trades class, according to the same report.

Who is the BOCES student competing in SkillsUSA?

Kaigen Cobb, a senior in the Broome-Tioga BOCES building trades program, is described by wicz.com as a "natural talent" in commercial roofing. His path to this specialization was not immediate, reflecting how students often explore multiple disciplines in vocational training before finding their best fit.

Cobb's initial foray into a different skill area highlights the value of hands-on exploration in trade education. "I competed at Skills USA regionals, and I did plumbing, and I failed at that," Cobb told wicz.com. "And then I had the opportunity to learn about commercial roofing and compete at the state level, and I saw it as an opportunity, and I took it." This pivot from plumbing to roofing proved decisive, leading him to a state title and a national competition appearance.