Woonsocket Area Career And Technical Center

What Woonsocket Area Career And Technical Center does

Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center (WACTC) is a public Regional Career Center in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, operated by the Woonsocket Education Department—a government state entity. The center serves high school students in grades 9-12, accepting applications from 8th grade through 11th grade based on attendance and discipline criteria. It operates 10 Career and Technical Education programs plus 2 new pathways, spanning Automotive Technology, Computer Science/Game Design/P-TECH, Digital Media, Biotechnology/Biomedical, Construction Technology, Graphic Design, Hospitality/Tourism, Child Studies, Culinary Arts, and Health Careers. Students earn college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences while completing high school. The center draws students from Woonsocket and surrounding districts including Burrillville, North Smithfield, and Cumberland, with transportation provided.

WACTC's flagship offering is the P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) program, a multi-stakeholder partnership with CVS Health and three Rhode Island state colleges (CCRI, URI, Rhode Island College) that enables students to earn up to an Associate's Degree in computer science while still in high school. The Automotive Technology program is NATEF-accredited, preparing students for ASE certification through partnerships with local dealerships offering mentorship and paid internships. The center uses industry-standard software and equipment (including Adobe CC for graphic design and professional lab tools for biotechnology) to deliver hands-on, workforce-aligned training. Outcome data shows 96% promotion rates across both P-TECH cohorts and over 1,000 college credits earned by P-TECH students.

The business model is entirely publicly funded: WACTC receives revenue from Rhode Island state education funding, local tax revenues, and federal grants, with no tuition charged to Rhode Island students. Out-of-district tuition is covered by the student's district of residence. The center markets through the district website, social media (Facebook, Twitter), SchoolMessenger communications, and community open house events. Leadership comprises Brian S. Ernest (Principal of both Woonsocket High School and WACTC) and Ms. Rickert (CTE Director), with district oversight from Superintendent Dr. Patrick McGee. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Woonsocket Area Career And Technical Center

Legal name

Woonsocket Area Career And Technical Center

Website

https://wactc.woonsocketschools.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center is a public Regional Career Center in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, operating 10 CTE programs plus 2 new pathways for grades 9-12 students. Its flagship P-TECH program, partnered with CVS Health and three state colleges, enables students to earn an Associate's Degree in computer science while in high school.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Career and Technical Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Career & College Readiness Platforms (Guidance, Planning, Scholarships) (EDAJAMAO)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• Vocational training programs
• High school CTE
• Industry credential programs
• Workforce skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Woonsocket

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public career and technical center, WACTC is funded through Rhode Island state education funding, local tax revenues, and federal grants. Tuition is covered by the student's district of residence for all Rhode Island students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center (WACTC) is a Regional Career Center operated by the Woonsocket Education Department that delivers hands-on, real-world career and technical education (CTE) to high school students in grades 9-12. The center offers 10 CTE programs—including Automotive Technology, Computer Science/Game Design/P-TECH, Digital Media, Biotechnology, Construction Technology, Graphic Design, Hospitality/Tourism, Child Studies, Culinary Arts, and Health Careers—through which students earn college credits, industry credentials, and work-based learning experiences. The P-TECH program provides a pathway for students to earn up to an Associate's Degree in computer science through partnerships with CVS and Rhode Island state colleges.

Product overview

Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center (WACTC) is a Regional Career Center offering 10 Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and 2 new pathways for students in grades 9-12. The center delivers hands-on, real-world skills through rigorous CTE training. All students earn college credits, work-based learning experiences, and industry credentials. The portfolio includes: Automotive Technology (NATEF-accredited), Computer Science/Game Design/P-TECH (with college degree pathway), Digital Media, Biotechnology/Biomedical, Construction Technology, Graphic Design/Printing/Visual Arts, Hospitality/Tourism, Child Studies/Human Services, Culinary Arts, and Health Careers. P-TECH is an elite computer science program partnered with CVS and three Rhode Island state colleges (CCRI, URI, RIC) allowing students to earn up to an Associate's Degree.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School): Elite computer science program allowing students to earn college credits up to an Associate's Degree, partnered with CVS and Rhode Island state colleges

Products and services

• Automotive Technology & Transportation

Quantifiable outcome

• Students earn college credits, industry credentials, and real-world work experience while in high school
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• CVS HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerP-TECH industry partner providing students with access to industry mentors, workplace experiences, and employment pathways in healthcare and technology sectors. CVS participates in mentorship programs and collaborative activities with P-TECH students.
• Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState college partner in P-TECH program allowing students to earn college credits and work toward Associate's degrees in computer science fields.
• University of Rhode Island (URI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState college partner in P-TECH program providing pathway for students to earn college credits and pursue higher education in computer science.
• Rhode Island CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState college partner in P-TECH program offering students access to college credits and degree pathways in computer science.
• Local Dealerships (Automotive)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local dealerships establishing mentorship programs and paid internships for qualified automotive technology students. Provides real-world work experience and employment pathways.
• RI Board of Education / RIDEcoreOthersState regulatory body overseeing Career and Technical Education. WACTC programs are RIDE-approved CTE pathways meeting state standards for minimum 3-year instructional sequences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Warwick Area Career and Technical Center: Regional CTE center in Warwick, RI serving grades 9-12 with comparable program categories (automotive, culinary, health sciences) and similar multi-district draw; operates under the same RIDE approval pathway as WACTC.
• Cranston Area Career and Technical Center: Regional public CTE center serving Cranston and surrounding Rhode Island districts; closest functional peer in program mix, transportation model, and RIDE regulatory framework.
• Davies Career and Technical High School: Rhode Island's flagship state-run CTE high school in Lincoln, RI; directly comparable as another public Rhode Island CTE center serving grades 9-12 with similar program breadth, accreditation structures, and RIDE oversight.

Regional players

• Exeter Region Cooperative School District (CTE programs): New Hampshire regional CTE provider serving multiple high schools with comparable industry-credentialed pathways; relevant benchmark for cooperative regional CTE delivery models.
• New Hampshire Technical Institute (NH Tech): Concord-based public technical college offering CTE-style associate degrees in technical trades; provides a regional benchmark for how high-school CTE programs articulate into postsecondary technical credentials.

Others

• IBM SkillsBuild / P-TECH Network: National P-TECH network and IBM-backed early-college high school model that originated and certifies the framework WACTC has adopted; relevant as the ecosystem sponsor and quality standard for WACTC's P-TECH offering.
• CVS Health Workforce Initiatives: WACTC's flagship P-TECH industry partner providing mentors, workplace experiences, and employment pathways; relevant as the partner/buyer side of WACTC's career-pipeline value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• New England Institute of Technology (NEIT): Private post-secondary technical institution in Rhode Island offering associate and bachelor degree programs in many of the same trades WACTC introduces at the high-school level; comparable as the natural next-step credentialing destination for WACTC graduates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLFc5sq3TYx_bWlGtFucqtaWUwStbpWmMj
• Facebookfacebook.com/WoonsocketEducationDepartment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woonsocket-area-career-and-technical-center

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woonsocket Area Career And Technical Center