College and Career Accelerator

The College and Career Accelerator at EdAdvance will begin in the 2024-2025 school year with 4 distinct Pathways. The Pathways are:

​

• Manufacturing & Engineering

• Education

• Healthcare

• Public Safety

​

The Pathways are designed to incorporate multiple scaffolded Tiers, so that students can access the Tier(s) within a Pathway that best meets their academic/career needs and post-secondary goals. Figuratively, the Accelerator can be envisioned as a highway, with ‘on ramps’ and ‘exits’ throughout the sequence so that students can access the stretch of Accelerator that best meets their grade level requirements and personal objectives.

​

Aspects of the College and Career Accelerator can be utilized by students across all four years of high school, and any combination of one, two, three, or four years.

​

The College and Career Accelerator at EdAdvance is designed to align with the strategic initiatives of industry for workforce development. Cohesively with the State of CT Office of Manufacturing we are priming the pathway, working to change the perceptions of careers in manufacturing, leveraging innovation to ease the strain on labor, being the traction that builds stronger connections between industry and education, and helping to communicate career opportunities to Connecticut youth.

 

See the entire State of Connecticut Manufacturing Office Strategic Plan here. 

​

CCA Three Pillars

Students can expect to access three key pillars when engaged with the College and Career Accelerator. They are:

​

• Enhanced Workforce Readiness:

  • ​The Accelerator is directly related to the workforce needs of our region and our state. Students will earn college and workforce recognized certificates, and they will participate in extensive work based learning opportunities, including career readiness courses, internships and pre-apprenticeships.

​

• Enhanced College Readiness:

  • ​Students enrolled in the Accelerator can take two to twenty college courses while in high school. College Readiness occurs as students find success in our supported and rigorous programming.

​

• Enhanced College Access:

  • ​College credits earned in the College and Career Accelerator are eligible to be transferred to many colleges and universities, effectively discounting the cost of tuition for students based on the credits that they earn in the program while attending high school.

​

Mission & Values

The College and Career Accelerator exists to provide customized postsecondary educational and career opportunities for students while still enrolled at their home high school. Collaboratively, with our school district partners, we provide programs that are aligned with the interests of students and the workforce needs of local businesses in the Northwest Region and across Connecticut.

​

• Readiness

  • ​Through enrollment in college courses, certificates and/or degrees and in conjunction with Work Based Learning, students will be prepared to enter the college and career world.

​

• Community

  • We provide college credit programs and credentials that increase access to high demand/high salary occupational opportunities as well as allow for greater access to future educational opportunities.

​

• Accessibility

  • ​We provide an innovative and supportive environment where students will explore their interests and potentials, while developing essential career skills.