Quick Facts

• Location: Bradford, Vermont
• Address: 36 Oxbow Dr, Bradford, VT 05033
• School Type: Public Career & Technical Education Center
• Programs Offered: Automotive Technology, Heavy Equipment, Construction Trades & Residential Energy, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Diversified Agriculture & Natural Resources, Emergency Services, Health Sciences, Cybersecurity, Media & Design, Teacher Education
• Training Style: Hands-on technical education with dedicated shops, industry credentials, college credit and work-based learning
• Tuition Range: No private-school tuition for eligible secondary students
• Program Length: Most pathways span one or more high-school years; students may earn up to 3 high-school credits per year
• Online Programs Available: Yes — Cybersecurity is available in person or fully remote; other online educational resources are also offered
• Hybrid Learning: Program-dependent
• Financial Aid: Traditional FAFSA aid does not apply to regular secondary enrollment
• Class Options: High-school CTE, work-based learning and cooperative education
• Industry Credentials: Program-specific credentials including ASE-related automotive training, EMT/Firefighter credentials and Vermont cosmetology licensure preparation
• Average Rating: ⭐ 4.8 (4 Reviews)
• Website: River Bend Career and Technical Center

Overview

River Bend Career and Technical Center is a public CTE school in Bradford serving students from the Upper Valley region of Vermont and nearby New Hampshire. Its facility is particularly well equipped for traditional trades, with a state-of-the-art automotive garage, heavy-equipment training areas, a building-trades workshop, sugaring facilities and a commercial kitchen with its own restaurant. The school is currently accepting applications for the 2026–27 year.

River Bend currently lists 11 major CTE programs. Students can also earn industry-recognized credentials, college credit and official certifications in selected pathways, while Work Based Learning lets eligible students train in internships or paid positions with area employers.

Programs Offered

Current programs include:

• Automotive Technology
• Heavy Equipment
• Construction Trades & Residential Energy
• Diversified Agriculture & Natural Resources
• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts
• Emergency Services & Fire Management
• Health Sciences
• Cybersecurity
• 21st Century Media & Design
• Teacher Education

Automotive Technology

River Bend’s Automotive Technology pathway is backed by an ASE-certified automotive program and uses a fully equipped shop that can accommodate nine service vehicles at once. Students work on:

• Engines
• Brakes
• Steering
• Electrical systems
• Suspension
• Diagnostic and repair procedures

The school also maintains an articulation relationship with the University of Northwestern Ohio for students interested in additional automotive education.

Heavy Equipment

River Bend has one of the more distinctive heavy-equipment programs among Vermont CTE centers. Students learn:

• Heavy-equipment operation
• Dump-truck driving
• Basic hydraulics
• Equipment maintenance and repair
• Introductory welding
• Safety and professionalism

The program can provide a foundation for careers in construction, transportation, agriculture, mechanics, forestry and welding.

Construction Trades & Residential Energy

The Construction Trades and Residential Energy program covers traditional residential construction while adding a strong energy-efficiency component.

Topics include:

• Blueprint reading
• Estimating
• Jobsite safety
• Building codes
• Foundations
• Framing
• Roofing
• Timber framing
• Insulation systems
• Finish work
• HVAC fundamentals
• Solar, wind and biomass energy concepts

This makes the program particularly useful for students interested in both construction and modern building-energy careers.

Cosmetology

River Bend’s Cosmetology program prepares students in areas required by the Vermont State Board of Cosmetology, including hair cutting, coloring, chemical services, waxing, skincare, nails and makeup.

Students practice in River Bend’s operating salon. Those who successfully complete the required 1,000 training hours may become eligible to sit for Vermont’s cosmetology licensing examination.

Emergency Services

Students interested in firefighting and EMS can work toward credentials including:

• EMT certification
• Firefighter I
• College credit

Training combines academic content with practical emergency-response preparation.

Health Sciences

Health Sciences students can earn up to 9 college credits in subjects including medical terminology, human development and legal/ethical issues in healthcare. Seniors may also have the opportunity to participate in an LNA program through Cottage Hospital.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is one of River Bend’s newer programs and is notable because it can be taken in person or fully remotely.

Topics include:

• Programming
• Digital asset protection
• Cybersecurity fundamentals
• Penetration testing / ethical hacking

Work-Based Learning

River Bend encourages students to gain experience outside the classroom through its Work Based Learning program.

Students may participate in:

• Internships
• Paid positions
• Employer-based training
• Cooperative education

The school’s stated goal is to connect CTE pathways with current and future local workforce needs.

Tuition & Financial Aid

River Bend is a public career and technical education center, so eligible secondary students attend through the public-school system rather than paying private vocational-school tuition.

Traditional FAFSA/Pell Grant aid is not applicable to normal high-school enrollment.

Students may also earn embedded academic credit, college credit and articulation credit while enrolled. River Bend says students can earn up to three high-school credits per year in its technical programs.

Why Students Choose This School

• Automotive shop with substantial hands-on training
• Heavy-equipment operation
• Construction and energy-efficiency training
• Cosmetology licensure preparation
• EMT and Firefighter certification opportunities
• College-credit options
• Paid or unpaid work-based learning
• Fully remote Cybersecurity option
• Public CTE tuition structure

Career Opportunities

Depending on program and additional training, graduates may pursue roles such as:

• Automotive Technician
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Diesel/Equipment Technician
• Carpenter
• Construction Worker
• Energy-Efficiency Technician
• Cosmetologist
• EMT or Firefighter
• Healthcare Support Worker
• Cybersecurity Technician

Occupations requiring state licensure or certification have additional requirements beyond high-school program completion.

Student Reviews

Based on your supplied listing data:

⭐ Average Rating: 4.8 (4 Reviews)

The rating is excellent, but four reviews is too small a sample to treat as a strong quality measure.

Enrollment Tips

• River Bend is accepting applications for 2026–27, though its priority deadline was February 13; late applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and some programs may already be full.
• Students from Blue Mountain, Oxbow, Rivendell, Thetford Academy and Woodsville are among those in the normal service area; students outside it should verify eligibility.
• Automotive students should ask which ASE credentials can be completed before graduation
• Heavy Equipment students should ask about driving and equipment-operation qualifications
• Cosmetology applicants should confirm how the 1,000 hours are accumulated
• Take advantage of internships or paid cooperative placements when eligible

Bottom Line

River Bend Career and Technical Center is a strong public option for students interested in automotive repair, heavy equipment, residential construction and other hands-on careers. Heavy-equipment training and the Construction Trades & Residential Energy pathway make it especially distinctive, while industry credentials, college credit and work-based learning provide clear pathways beyond high school.