EdAdvance held a ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce The College and Career Accelerator on Thursday, June 15, 2023. The initiative is intended to give students the opportunity to earn industry certifications and an associate degree concurrently with their high school diplomas.
“EdAdvance is thrilled to continue to further our mission of promoting the success of school districts and their communities. We understand there is a need for economic development that can be met through cultivating student success in our region,” shared Dr. Jeffrey Kitching, Executive Director of EdAdvance.
The event was well attended by a variety of community stakeholders with a dedication by Paul Lavoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer, State of Connecticut. Those in attendance heard remarks from Susan Lubomski, Superintendent, Torrington Public Schools; Rista Malanca, Director of Economic Development, City of Torrington; JoAnn Ryan, President & CEO, Northwest CT Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Michael Rooke, President, Northwestern Connecticut Community College; Jamie Scott, Executive Director Emeritus, ManufactureCT; and Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Chief Performance Officer, State of Connecticut.
“Part of our responsibility as education systems, or as any governmental system, is to connect our customers, our students, our clients to whatever is next. It’s insufficient to give the terminal credential of whatever your system provides without giving students the skills, the experience, the exposure, so that they are ready for what is next,” Gopalakrishnan said, “and the idea of centers like this, give authentic experience and exposure to what is possible."
Dan Cocchiola, newly appointed Director of Career Pathways and Workforce Development, will spearhead the development of The College and Career Accelerator. Cocchiola comes to EdAdvance with a track record of success having built an innovative manufacturing and engineering dual enrollment program for Hamden Public Schools.
“Our intention is to collaborate with higher education and workforce partners to develop credentialing; provide access to rigorous coursework, collegiate credit and degree earning opportunities; and provide mentoring to students. We hope by creating comprehensive pathways, highly skilled, hire-ready students are prepared to enter the workforce upon graduating high school,” says Cocchiola.
The College and Career Accelerator aims to further post-secondary opportunities for all students including: college access, college readiness, and workforce readiness skills. Initial pathways options will include Manufacturing, Engineering, Early Childhood Education, and Healthcare.