Quick Facts

• Location: Barre, Vermont
• Address: 155 Ayers St #2, Barre, VT 05641
• School Type: Public Career & Technical Education Center
• Programs Offered: Automotive Technology, Welding, Building Trades, Electrical Technology, Plumbing & Heating, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Baking Arts, Emergency Services, Medical Professions, Digital Media and more
• Training Style: Hands-on CTE instruction with labs, industry credentials and cooperative work experience
• Tuition Range: No private-school tuition for eligible secondary students; adult continuing-education courses are priced separately
• Program Length: Most secondary CTE pathways span one or more school years; adult courses range from short-term classes to multi-week career training
• Online Programs Available: No full online core trade programs prominently advertised
• Hybrid Learning: Core CTE programs are primarily in person
• Financial Aid: Traditional FAFSA aid does not apply to secondary enrollment; selected adult programs may qualify for workforce grants such as VSAC or WIOA
• Class Options: Secondary CTE, Co-operative Education and Adult/Continuing Education
• Industry Credentials: Program-specific credentials and apprenticeship/licensure hours may be available
• Average Rating: ⭐ 4.2 (5 Reviews)
• Website: Central Vermont Career Center

Overview

Central Vermont Career Center is a public CTE school in Barre that has served the region since 1969. Its current website says students spend about 800 hours practicing technical skills during the school year, and during 2024–25 students earned hundreds of college credits and industry-recognized credentials. CVCC students also completed more than 16,000 hours of co-op work experience with area businesses.

The school’s program mix is particularly relevant for students interested in traditional skilled trades. Current offerings include Automotive Technology, Welding, Building Trades, Electrical Technology, Plumbing & Heating and other career fields such as culinary, cosmetology, emergency services and medical professions.

Programs Offered

Current CVCC programs include:

• Automotive Technology
• Welding
• Building Trades
• Electrical Technology
• Plumbing & Heating
• Baking Arts
• Culinary Arts
• Cosmetology
• Emergency Services
• Medical Professions
• Digital Media Arts — Graphic Design
• Digital Media Arts — Videography
• Exploratory Technology
• Co-operative Education

Skilled Trades

CVCC has several programs directly aligned with construction and mechanical careers:

• Automotive Technology
• Building Trades
• Electrical Technology
• Plumbing & Heating
• Welding

These programs are backed by dedicated instructors and hands-on facilities. CVCC’s current staff roster includes separate instructors for automotive, electrical, plumbing/heating and welding, which supports the school’s strong trade focus.

Cooperative Education

One of CVCC’s strongest features is its Co-operative Education program.

Students can gain:

• Job shadowing
• Career work experience
• Registered-apprenticeship exposure
• Industry credentials
• Hours that may count toward licensure or apprenticeship
• Paid or unpaid work experience with employers

Eligible students can spend up to four school days per week at a worksite and return to CVCC for at least one day of technical instruction. Students must remain in good academic standing and receive instructor approval.

That is especially useful for electrical, plumbing, construction and automotive students seeking real workplace experience before graduation.

Adult & Continuing Education

CVCC also operates a growing adult-training division.

Current 2026 offerings include:

• Emergency Medical Technician
• Introduction to Welding
• Licensed Nursing Assistant
• Heavy Equipment 101
• Healthcare career training

The fall 2026 EMT course, for example, runs from September 12 through December 19 and is priced at $1,750, with a heavily reduced $250 price for qualifying participants from certain EMS districts.

A separate four-week healthcare career program is listed at $3,500, with VSAC and WIOA grant funding potentially available.

Adult Welding

CVCC’s adult Introduction to Welding course runs for 10 weeks, one evening per week. It introduces:

• Stick/SMAW
• MIG/GMAW
• TIG/GTAW
• Metal cutting and preparation
• Welding-shop safety

Heavy Equipment

Heavy Equipment 101 introduces adults to:

• Excavators
• Backhoes
• Bulldozers
• Skid steers and compact track loaders
• Safety inspections
• Trenching
• Grading
• Material handling

Tuition & Financial Aid

For eligible secondary students, CVCC operates as part of Vermont’s public career-and-technical education system rather than as a private tuition-based trade school.

Adult education is different: each continuing-education program has its own tuition.

Current examples include:

• EMT — $1,750
• Healthcare career program — $3,500
• Other courses — contact CVCC for current pricing

Selected adult programs may qualify for workforce assistance such as VSAC or WIOA funding.

Why Students Choose This School

• Automotive, electrical, plumbing and welding training
• About 800 hours of technical practice during the school year
• Strong co-op program
• Registered-apprenticeship exposure
• Industry credential opportunities
• College-credit opportunities
• Adult welding and heavy-equipment training
• Public CTE tuition structure for eligible students

Career Opportunities

Depending on program and additional training, students may move toward roles such as:

• Automotive Technician
• Electrician Apprentice
• Plumbing Apprentice
• HVAC/Heating Technician
• Welder/Fabricator
• Carpenter
• Construction Worker
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• EMT
• Healthcare Support Worker

Licensing and apprenticeship requirements remain separate where applicable.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied listing data:

⭐ Average Rating: 4.2 (5 Reviews)

The score is positive, but five reviews is too small a sample to use as a major quality indicator.

Enrollment Tips

• High-school students should compare the trade pathways before applying
• Ask what industry credentials your program currently offers
• Electrical and plumbing students should ask which hours may count toward apprenticeship or licensing
• Apply for Co-operative Education once eligible
• Adult students should ask about VSAC, WIOA and other workforce funding before paying
• Adults interested in welding or heavy equipment should check current start dates because classes are offered periodically

Bottom Line

Central Vermont Career Center is one of the more complete public trade-training options in central Vermont. Its combination of automotive, electrical, plumbing/heating, welding and building trades, plus substantial co-op experience and a growing adult-training division, makes it useful for both high-school students and adults entering the workforce.