Young women breaking the stigma at BOCES programs in Oakdale

Young women across Long Island are breaking the stigma in male-dominated fields like welding, carpentry, auto repair and electrical technology.
At Eastern Long Island Academy of Applied Technology, which is part of the BOCES program, more and more young women are entering into programs that were once mostly male.
Cheyenne Dillon, 17, of Manorville, is enrolled in welding class. Dillon says she's always wanted to work with her hands, but was told at an early age that she couldn't because of her gender.
Now she's proving people wrong by excelling in the program.
"This class so far has brought me farther than I thought it would," says Dillon. I didn't know walking in that I'd walk out with the things I have and the skills that I know now."
The Oakdale-based school provides programs that give students real-world job opportunities since it has partnerships with around 300 Long Island businesses.