Coventry presents expansion, partnerships and staffing needs for regional career and technical center

Lori Ferguson, director of the Coventry Regional Career and Technical Center, told the School Committee on Feb. 27 that the center has expanded its mix of programs, deepened partnerships with industry and relied on grant funding to pay for high-cost equipment and some teacher salaries.

Ferguson said the center now runs 13 programs spanning advanced welding, biomedical science, automotive and precision machining, and houses cybersecurity, culinary and advertising/marketing pathways. She said 830 Coventry High School students were enrolled in CTE programs in 2024–25 and that 64 students come from other districts; total enrollment reported on Feb. 20 was 1,197, with many students taking more than one CTE course.

Why it matters: The presentation laid out how the career and technical program contributes to local workforce development, carries a mix of town and non-town funding, and relies on outside grants and industry partners for equipment and program starts. Committee members pressed for clarity on recruitment, staffing and long-term funding as the district negotiates a tight general budget.

Ferguson told the committee the center ‘‘takes in probably up to $700,000 a year in grants’’ that buy equipment and help pay portions of teacher salaries for high-cost programs. She cited a recent machining program funded ‘‘a little over $400,000’’ through the Cineadia Alliance in alignment with Electric Boat as an example of a capital investment that would not have been possible with local dollars alone.

She described a layered recruitment strategy led by a student ambassador program and said the center runs monthly career fairs, summer and after-school camps, shadow days for out-of-district students and partnerships that give students priority hiring status with Electric Boat after program participation.

Students and staff highlighted program outcomes and competitions. Cybersecurity coach Dan Cattell told the committee the school’s CyberPatriot team ‘‘placed first in Rhode Island at the highest competition level, which is the platinum tier,’’ finished top in New England and ranked inside the top 100 nationally in the most recent competition. Several students and ambassadors described hands-on lab experiences, industry certifications and dual-enrollment opportunities.

Ferguson also described internal capacity issues. ‘‘The career director needs an assistant. I cannot rely on students to do my job,’’ she said, noting the volume of grant-writing, event coordination and data tasks that fall to her. She announced to the committee that she plans to retire in June after 21 years with the program and said she hopes her successor will have similar ‘‘commitment and excitement and passion’’ for CTE.

Committee members asked about marketing and outreach; Ferguson said the center posts on multiple social platforms under the name Coventry Career and that while there are several promotional videos, the district does not have a single comprehensive video showcasing every program.

The committee discussion also covered program alignment with regional postsecondary partners: Roger Williams University (teacher coaching and CTE teacher certification), New England Tech, CCRI and employer cohorts used for internships and training. Ferguson said the district is pursuing a multi-district grant to create an allied-health regional hub to offer respiratory therapy and other health career training through shared facilities and dual enrollment, and described the consortium grant request as ‘‘over a million dollars.’’

The committee did not take votes on CTE items at the meeting. Members said they would consider ways to support recruitment and staffing needs ahead of budget deliberations.

Ferguson and student ambassadors supplied program enrollment and staffing figures to the committee; she emphasized that the center’s continued growth depends on sustained grant support and deeper partnerships with regional employers.