WHS Career Education

WHS PTECH (Pathways Technology Early College High School) students earn a high school diploma and credits for an Associate Degree in advanced manufacturing together with industry certification in as few as 4 years for FREE! We partner with the Community College of Rhode Island , General Dynamics/Electric Boat, and Rhode Island Manufacturing Association (RIMA). Internship opportunities and a mentoring program are vital components to PTECH in addition to core high school courses such as English and Mathematics.

The Medical Pathway is a 4-year program that provides students with classroom instruction and hands-on experiences in various aspects of the medical field. Currently housed at the Westerly Ambulance Corps, students will receive a hands on approach to in demand medical careers such as Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Responder. Certifications which you can expand to include Phlebotomist, Medical Assistant, and Medical Imaging.

The 4 year Information Technology Specialist program at Westerly High School offers a curriculum that includes Computer Repair, Cyber Security, Introduction to Computing, and AP Computer Science Principles which are CS4RI courses in which credits from the University of Rhode Island are earned. “A+” Certification is available and an internship where students utilize their learned skills along with certifications are offered with our technology department and within the community.

This 4 year Information Technology Entry Level Software/ Web Developer program at Westerly High School, in partnership with URI and CS4RI, offers a curriculum that includes: Intro to Computing, Shark Tank, CS4RI Internship where students work to create a software product and present it to industry mentors at the end of the semester, AP Computer Science Principles (URI Course), and AP Computer Science A (JAVA). Students can earn 8 University of Rhode Island Credits, and 3 credits from the college board with a score of 3 or better on their AP exam.

The WHS Culinary Arts program prepares students to gain competencies within the food and beverage service industry. Students learn and become proficient in Food Service Safety & Sanitation, Nutrition, operation of kitchen tools and equipment, knife skills, food prep, dining room operations and menu design/costing. The students operate The Highland Grille and the Campus Cafe and also cater various events in town. Students will graduate with entry-level career skills and will be prepared for employment or further education.

Are you interested in a career in the beauty industry? Did you know that with a cosmetology license you can be employed as a stylist, nail technician, esthetician, makeup artist, educator, product educator, sales consultant, business owner, and many more? WHS offers a four-year, 1500 hour program that uses RIDE approved curriculum. Students completing the program will be eligible to test for the RI Cosmetology Licensure and can receive OSHA 10 Certification.

The Construction Technology Program is designed to be a hands-on course that helps students explore the construction industry. Students learn the use of hand and power tool safety while building full-scale projects. Students will investigate a variety of career paths such as engineering, carpentry, masonry, electrical, welding and others. As part of this course, students will receive an OSHA 10 safety card issued by the US Department of Labor. Students will be involved in a national curriculum that creates a personalized resume which can be viewed around the world by potential employers.

The four-year Arts Designer program at Westerly High School develops the skills of the young artist and guides them in communicating and creating using a visual language. Students are taught to practice and apply the elements and principles of art and design. Each course is designed to sequentially focus on skill-building to develop the students’ knowledge while fostering their creativity and conceptual skills to visualize their ideas. Students explore their personal voice and vision as an artist as well as develop an awareness of the social and cultural context of their work.