Boalvi (Bo) Candelario LK ’26

“I’ve found a dream”

Boalvi (Bo) Candelario, age 27 | Cambridge, Massachusetts
Locksmithing & Security Technology ’26

What did you do before coming to NBSS?

I grew up in Cambridge, where I graduated from Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. I played baseball throughout high school, but I had to take a pause when I was diagnosed with kidney disease. I was on dialysis for a year and eventually got a kidney transplant. That experience totally shifted my mindset. It made me more thoughtful about what I want to do in my life.

When/how did you discover for discipline/field?

With such a big health issue going on, it was hard to figure out what I wanted to do. I was working a 9-5 job, but I wanted to build a career.

My brother Abdel works for Harvard University and met another employee there who graduated from the NBSS Bookbinding program. A few days later, he saw an employee working on an access control box, and it turned out he had graduated from the NBSS Locksmithing & Security Technology (LK) program. It felt like fate that two different people talked to him about the School, which he thought sounded like an interesting option for me.

I took that, and I ran with it. I did my due diligence, learning about the LK program and locksmithing careers. I knew I could leave NBSS with a secure career path.

Why did you choose to invest in training for a new career?

Everything needs security. It is always a necessity, so I saw it as an opportunity to get into a field that will never go away. I’ve already started talking to my little brother, who is 14, about NBSS and this career path as an option. I even started to dream about one day having my own Candelario Lock Shop. I told my little brother he could be my locksmith one day!

What are some ways you have felt supported during your time at School?

I felt supported in every way. I was very blessed to receive financial aid. I was stressed about how I was going to pay for school, and the financial aid was such a relief. Esther Tutella-Chen, Director of Student Support & Career Services, was one of the reasons I was able to graduate. She pulled me into her office many times just to talk and see how I was doing. Provost Claire Fruitman CF ’96 was so supportive as well. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be.

I was also supported by my Instructors. I plan on keeping in touch with my Instructor Rick Hendricks LK ’18, who is also Department Head, and sharing with him what I’m learning in my career. I know I can always reach out to the School if I need any help or resources.

How has your life changed because you chose to go to NBSS?

I’ve found a dream. After graduation, my brother and I just sat back and thought about the day he told me about the School, and now, here I am nine months later with a new career. Life is all about the hard work and the effort you put in—90% of life is about showing up. Show up, do your work, and you’ll achieve what you want.

I can also apply everything I’ve learned to fix things in my own household and help my friends and family. Before NBSS, I wasn’t even familiar with tools, and now I have all these skills.

What’s next for you?

I was blessed on my graduation day to get an offer from PASEK security company in South Boston. It’s a nationwide company, and I’ll be working as a coordinator. I’ll be applying my locksmithing knowledge to ensure our customers are satisfied and that our technicians have the right products and hardware. Our Teaching Assistant, Christian Locke LK ’22, who also works for PASEK, connected me with the company. I know I got hired with my due diligence and hard work, but it’s also so helpful that our Instructors have these connections.

What’s your favorite memory from your time at NBSS—something that’s stayed with you?

I loved our visit to the ASSA ABLOY lock manufacturing factory in Connecticut. There were robots there to assist, and it was so interesting to see the advancement of technology and how everything is made.

What’s one of your favorite places in or around Boston?

The Alewife Brook Reservation is a really cool place for people looking for some scenery and birdwatching. It’s such a chill vibe. I love birds and birdwatching, and it’s a great place to do that.