Quick Facts

• Location: White River Junction, Vermont
• Address: 1 Gifford Rd, White River Junction, VT 05001
• School Type: Public Regional Career & Technical Education Center with Adult Education
• Programs Offered: Automotive Technology, Autobody/Motorsports/Customs, Building Trades, Industrial Mechanics & Welding, IT, Software Engineering, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Healthcare, Natural Resources, Engineering and more
• Training Style: Half-day hands-on CTE with applied academics, technical labs, certifications and cooperative education
• Tuition Range: No private-school tuition for eligible secondary students; adult courses are individually priced
• Program Length: Many secondary pathways are one or two years; adult courses range from several weeks to longer online/hybrid career programs
• Online Programs Available: Yes — Adult Education offers online courses through Ed2Go
• Hybrid Learning: Yes — selected adult advanced career programs are available online or hybrid
• Financial Aid: Adult learners may qualify for VSAC scholarships, Vermont DOL, Vocational Rehabilitation, employer assistance or NH Charitable Foundation support
• Class Options: High-school half-day CTE plus adult in-person, online and hybrid programs
• Average Rating: ⭐ 4.6 (17 Reviews)
• Website: Hartford Area Career and Technology Center

Overview

Hartford Area Career and Technology Center, or HACTC, serves high-school sophomores, juniors and seniors from communities across Vermont and New Hampshire. Students attend half-day programs and come from schools including Hartford, Hanover, Lebanon, Mascoma, Windsor and Woodstock, as well as other Upper Valley schools and homeschool programs.

The center currently offers a broad mix of traditional trades and modern technology programs, including Automotive Technology, Building Trades, Industrial Mechanics & Welding, Auto Body/Motorsports, IT and Software Engineering. Applications for the 2026–27 school year are currently being accepted.

Programs Offered

Current programs include:

• Autobody, Motorsports & Customs
• Automotive Technology
• Building Trades
• Industrial Mechanics & Welding
• Business, Entrepreneurship & Marketing
• Cooperative Education
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Design, Illustration & Media Arts
• Health & Human Sciences
• Information Technology
• Software Engineering
• Medical Assisting & Phlebotomy
• Natural Resources
• Career & Technology Exploration
• Introduction to Engineering Design
• Principles of Engineering

Automotive & Autobody

HACTC separates its transportation training into dedicated Automotive Technology and Autobody, Motorsports & Customs pathways, allowing students to focus on mechanical service or collision/custom vehicle work.

This is useful for students who already know whether they are more interested in vehicle diagnostics and maintenance or body/customization work.

Building Trades

Building Trades provides the practical construction pathway at HACTC. Students learn in a hands-on environment and can connect classroom training with cooperative education and employer exposure.

Industrial Mechanics & Welding

For TradeSchoolScout, Industrial Mechanics & Welding is one of HACTC’s strongest skilled-trade offerings. The program combines mechanical and metalworking skills aimed at manufacturing, fabrication and maintenance careers. It appears in the center’s current 2026–27 program lineup.

IT & Software Engineering

HACTC now operates distinct Information Technology and Software Engineering programs.

Software Engineering students study:

• Programming
• Source-code management
• Project development

Information Technology students focus on:

• PC hardware
• Networking
• System administration
• Technical support

Both include career-readiness training and opportunities for college credit and industry certifications. HACTC also participates as an AWS Academy for cloud-computing exposure.

Engineering

Students can also take Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering.

The programs cover:

• Engineering design processes
• 3D modeling
• Mechanisms
• Structural strength
• Materials
• Automation
• Problem solving and technical documentation

Adult Education

HACTC has an active adult-training division with current Fall 2026 and early 2027 offerings.

Current courses include:

• Licensed Nursing Assistant
• Dental Assisting
• Introduction to Welding
• Welding for Industry
• Construction Fundamentals / Window Replacement
• Bookkeeping
• Microsoft Excel
• Dog Grooming 101

HACTC also partners with Ed2Go for:

• Online Fundamentals courses
• Advanced online career training
• Hybrid career-training programs

Tuition & Financial Aid

Eligible high-school students attend through the public CTE system rather than paying private tuition.

Adult program tuition varies by course. HACTC’s current adult site highlights several potential funding sources:

• VSAC scholarships for Vermont residents
• Vermont Department of Labor
• Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation
• Employer tuition assistance
• New Hampshire Charitable Foundation support for certain NH residents or Hartford/Lebanon graduates

Adult enrollment is generally secured only after payment or verified financial assistance, and classes can fill on a first-paid, first-accepted basis.

Why Students Choose This School

• Automotive and autobody pathways
• Industrial Mechanics & Welding
• Building Trades
• Strong IT and Software Engineering options
• College-credit and certification opportunities
• Cooperative Education
• Adult welding and healthcare training
• Online and hybrid adult programs
• Serves both Vermont and New Hampshire students

Career Opportunities

Depending on the pathway, students may prepare for roles such as:

• Automotive Technician
• Collision Repair Technician
• Welder/Fabricator
• Industrial Maintenance Technician
• Carpenter
• Construction Worker
• IT Support Technician
• Network Technician
• Software Developer
• Medical Assistant
• Phlebotomy Technician

Additional certifications or licenses may be required depending on occupation.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied data:

⭐ Average Rating: 4.6 (17 Reviews)

The rating is strong, though still based on a relatively small review sample.

Enrollment Tips

• HACTC is currently accepting applications for 2026–27.
• Students unsure of their career choice can consider Career & Technology Exploration, which rotates them through multiple technical programs.
• Ask which programs provide college credits and industry certifications
• Welding students should compare the high-school Industrial Mechanics & Welding program with adult Intro to Welding and Welding for Industry
• Adult students should investigate VSAC, DOL and Vocational Rehabilitation funding before paying
• NH residents should check whether New Hampshire Charitable Foundation assistance applies

Bottom Line

Hartford Area Career and Technology Center is one of the Upper Valley’s stronger public career-training centers, with a useful mix of automotive, construction, welding, IT, engineering and healthcare programs. Its regional reach across Vermont and New Hampshire, plus an increasingly active Adult Education division with online and hybrid options, makes it relevant both to high-school students and adults seeking new workforce skills.