Quick Facts

• Location: Rutland, Vermont
• Address: 22 Stratton Rd, Rutland, VT 05701
• School Type: Public Career & Technical Education Center with Adult & Continuing Education
• Programs Offered: Automotive Technology, Auto Body Repair, Construction Technology, Electrical & Plumbing, Welding & Metal Fabrication, Engineering, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Health Careers, Natural Resources & Forestry, Public Safety and more
• Training Style: Hands-on technical instruction, industry certifications, dual enrollment and work-based learning
• Tuition Range: No private-school tuition for eligible high-school students; adult courses range from about $1,500 to $7,500+ depending on program
• Program Length: Secondary programs typically span one or more school years; adult programs range from several weeks to several months
• Online Programs Available: Selected adult courses may be available online
• Hybrid Learning: Selected adult training may use flexible formats; core high-school trades are primarily in person
• Financial Aid: Workforce funding options may be available for qualifying adult students; traditional FAFSA is not the primary funding model
• Class Options: High-school CTE plus daytime/evening adult education
• Industry Credentials: OSHA, NCCER, ASE, AWS and program-specific certifications depending on pathway
• Average Rating: ⭐ 4.1 (10 Reviews)
• Website: Stafford Technical Center

Overview

Stafford Technical Center is one of Vermont’s broader public CTE schools, offering 14 career pathways to high-school students alongside a substantial Adult & Continuing Education division. The school emphasizes learning technical skills while earning industry certifications, college credit and workplace experience.

For TradeSchoolScout, Stafford is especially strong because it has several conventional trades under one roof: Automotive Technology, Auto Body Repair, Construction Technology, Electrical & Plumbing, and Welding & Metal Fabrication. Its adult division also provides short-term workforce training in welding, healthcare, esthetics and other fields.

Programs Offered

Current secondary programs include:

• Auto Body Repair
• Automotive Technology
• Construction Technology
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Digital Arts
• Electrical & Plumbing
• Engineering
• Health Careers
• Education & Human Services
• Natural Resources & Forestry
• Public Safety & Criminal Justice
• Tech Exploratory
• Welding & Metal Fabrication

Construction Technology

Students learn construction tools and techniques, project estimating, contemporary building materials and hands-on construction skills. The program offers industry credentials that include:

• OSHA 10 Construction Safety
• NCCER Core Curriculum
• NCCER Construction Core
• AGC/VT credential
• CPR/AED

Stafford also lists articulation agreements with New England Institute of Technology for up to nine credits and Lincoln Technical Institute for up to 12 credits.

Electrical & Plumbing

Stafford combines electrical and plumbing training in one program, with classroom learning reinforced by practical work on residential construction and other local projects.

This can be particularly useful for students considering apprenticeship after graduation. Completion of the high-school program does not itself grant Vermont electrician or plumber licensure.

Automotive & Auto Body

Automotive Technology focuses on vehicle diagnosis and repair, while Auto Body Repair covers structural and non-structural collision damage.

The Auto Body program offers opportunities to earn ASE-related credentials in areas such as painting/refinishing, structural repair, non-structural repair and mechanical/electrical systems. Students work on shop, student and customer vehicles and receive welding exposure as part of the curriculum.

Welding & Metal Fabrication

Stafford maintains a dedicated Welding & Metal Fabrication pathway with instructors focused specifically on the program.

Students interested in welding can also continue through Stafford’s Adult Education division after high school.

Adult & Continuing Education

Stafford has a particularly active adult-training catalog for fall 2026.

Current published examples include:

• Esthetics — $7,500
• Licensed Nurse Assistant — $2,495
• Phlebotomy Certificate — $2,495
• Medical Assistant Certification — $4,295
• Introduction to Welding Processes — $1,600
• SMAW Welding Level I — $1,500

Adult courses are generally open to people 16 or older, and many evening classes meet once or twice weekly.

Adult Welding

The fall 2026 Introduction to Welding Processes course runs from September 16 through October 22 and costs $1,600. The subsequent SMAW Level I course is published at $1,500.

These short-term options make Stafford useful not only for teenagers but also adults who want targeted welding skills without enrolling in a full college degree.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Eligible high-school students attend Stafford through Vermont’s public CTE system rather than paying private vocational-school tuition.

Adult-program tuition is course-specific. Stafford also maintains information about Vermont funding opportunities for short-term workforce programs, including options intended to help adults with job-training costs.

Applicants should check funding eligibility before paying because different programs and workforce agencies have different requirements.

Why Students Choose This School

• Strong automotive and collision programs
• Electrical and plumbing training
• Construction Technology
• Welding & Metal Fabrication
• Industry certifications
• Dual-enrollment opportunities
• Work-based learning
• Large adult-training division
• Short-term welding and healthcare programs

Career Opportunities

Depending on the program and further training, students may pursue roles such as:

• Automotive Technician
• Collision Repair Technician
• Electrician Apprentice
• Plumbing Apprentice
• Carpenter
• Construction Worker
• Welder/Fabricator
• CNC or Manufacturing Technician
• Forestry Technician
• Healthcare Support Worker

Licensed occupations require additional Vermont apprenticeship, experience, examination or licensing steps where applicable.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied listing data:

⭐ Average Rating: 4.1 (10 Reviews)

Ten reviews is still a limited sample, so prospective students should pay more attention to program credentials, instructor experience and career outcomes.

Enrollment Tips

• High-school students should compare all 14 pathways before selecting a specialization
• Ask which industry certifications are included at no extra cost
• Electrical and plumbing students should ask how training connects to Vermont apprenticeship requirements
• Adults should check current workforce-grant eligibility before paying tuition
• Welding students can compare the high-school pathway with Stafford’s shorter adult courses
• Adult programs often have limited seats, so early registration matters

Bottom Line

Stafford Technical Center is one of Vermont’s stronger all-around public technical centers because it combines automotive, collision repair, construction, electrical/plumbing and welding with industry certifications and work-based learning. Its sizable adult-education division makes the school even more useful by providing short-term career training after high school.