The first program, College Career Pathways (CCP), is a long-standing partnership supported by the State of Connecticut and the Carl D. Perkins College Career Pathways program. The CCP offers college-level credit courses to high schoolers in the 22-town region serviced by NVCC. Working together with teachers at participating schools, NVCC professors work with Dean of Academic Affairs, Irene Rios-Knauf and with high school partners to ensure that NVCC courses are offered as designed, with curriculum-specific outcomes that adhere to NVCC’S rigorous academic standards. This year, eight area high schools are participating in the CCP program and courses offered on-site at each of the eight high schools are delivered by high school instructors who have met NVCC standards for teaching college-level courses.  Students enrolled in the program can take courses such as Principles of Marketing or Automotive Electrical Systems over the course of a year, allowing them to accelerate their higher education by earning college credit before they even step foot into college. The program, which is compliant with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), is intended to offer classes in five career clusters (digital arts, business, hospitality, automotive, and manufacturing). The career clusters and courses are determined yearly by the Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act with the aim of developing strategies to address a shortage of workers or ill-equipped workers in high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand careers. Not only can students take advantage of advanced courses, but also those who wish to continue and enroll at NVCC will have earned up to six credits towards a certificate or associate’s through their participation. From their associate’s students can continue onto earning a baccalaureate at any of the four state schools in the Connecticut State University System or at Charter Oak College through the seamless transfer ticket program.

“Our President is committed to continually building early college opportunity partnerships with our regional high school neighbors,” said Rios-Knauf who stated that David Celotto, who is the Director of the Bridge to College Division, is currently working with other regional high schools to increase the number of schools involved with NVCC’s program for the 2017-18 academic year.