The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) runs the state’s technical high schools, which are free to Connecticut residents and open to high-school students only. This page covers the three ways adults can train with CTECS: day certificates at Bristol Technical Education Center, two aviation maintenance schools, and evening apprenticeship courses.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public state agency running technical high schools, plus adult day certificates, aviation maintenance schools and evening apprenticeship courses; in person, with some apprenticeship courses online |
| Adult campuses | 3 in Connecticut: Bristol, Hartford (Hartford-Brainard Airport) and Stratford (Sikorsky Memorial Airport); evening apprenticeship classes at five technical high schools |
| Adult credentials | Certificates (Bristol TEC); diploma, certificate and FAA A&P test preparation (aviation); single related-instruction courses (apprenticeship) |
| Typical length | 1 or 2 school years (Bristol TEC); 20 months (aviation); 12-week evening terms (apprenticeship) |
| Accreditation | Council on Occupational Education (Bristol TEC and the two aviation schools; applying for reaffirmation); aviation schools FAA-approved; individual technical high schools NEASC |
| Federal aid | Pell Grant only, for full-time adult programs, in 2021-22; current status not posted; VA pending-payment protections published for GI Bill (Ch. 33) and VR&E (Ch. 31) students |
| Operator | State of Connecticut; an independent state agency since 1 July 2022 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Connecticut’s technical high schools and their three adult routes
CTECS is a state agency, fully independent of the State Department of Education since 1 July 2022, that runs 20 schools: 17 technical high schools, Bristol Technical Education Center (Bristol TEC) and two aviation maintenance schools that operate as Bristol TEC’s extension campuses. Its 2026 agency report counts about 11,612 high-school students and over 1,500 adult learners in aviation and apprenticeship programs. Adults have three routes. Bristol TEC offers full-time day certificates in five trades, taught alongside grade 11 and 12 students. Connecticut Aero Tech in Hartford and the Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians take adults only, for a 20-month airframe and powerplant program. And part-time evening or online courses give registered apprentices the classroom hours their trade requires.
Adult programs at CTECS
CTECS prices adult programs by program type, not by where a student lives.
| Program | Credential or exam | Length and schedule | Where | Tuition (current published price) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Technology | Certificate; ASE area tests, NC3/Snap-on, S/P2 | 2 years (four semesters), weekdays 8:20 a.m.–1:50 p.m. | Bristol | $8,000 |
| Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning | Certificate; EPA 608, NATE, OSHA 1926, BPI; apprenticeship hours | 2 years, weekdays by day | Bristol | $8,000 |
| Welding & Metal Fabrication | Certificate, 900 clock hours; AWS test eligibility | 1 year, weekdays by day | Bristol | $4,000 |
| Culinary Arts | Certificate, 900 hours; ServSafe Manager and Allergen | 1 year, weekdays by day | Bristol | $4,000 |
| Precision Machining Technology | Certificate (industry credentials not confirmed) | 1 year, weekdays by day | Bristol | $4,000 |
| Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology | Diploma and CTE certificate; prepares for the FAA A&P tests | 20 months, full-time days, summers off; starts Dec, Aug and Mar | Hartford (Brainard) and Stratford | $7,200 (in-state and out-of-state) |
| Apprenticeship related instruction | Single courses toward a Connecticut apprenticeship (no CTECS certificate) | 12-week terms, evenings or asynchronous online | Prince Tech (Hartford), Bullard-Havens (Bridgeport), Whitney (Hamden), Abbott (Danbury), Norwich Tech | $325–$370 a course |
Bristol TEC’s Health Technology and Robotics & Automation programs are for high-school students only, as are the system’s architecture, carpentry, construction, masonry, landscape design, collision repair and graphic design programs.
What the adult programs cover
Automotive Technology
The two-year Automotive Technology certificate runs four semesters on Bristol TEC’s 10-month school year, late August to mid-June, with post-graduate students in the shop from 8:20 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. Students work toward ASE certifications in Brakes, Engine Performance, Steering & Suspension and Electrical/Electronics, NC3/Snap-on meter and scan-tool credentials, and S/P2 safety training. Bristol TEC says the curriculum aligns with NATEF standards; we could not confirm ASE Education Foundation program accreditation. Program hours can be credited toward a Connecticut automotive apprenticeship.
Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning
The two-year HVAC certificate builds a long list of industry tests into the program: EPA Section 608, given on site each fall and spring; OSHA 1926 construction safety; BPI Building Science Principles; CSST; ladder and scaffolding safety; and NATE industry competency exams. Its hours are approved by the Connecticut Department of Labor as apprenticeship related instruction, so graduates can credit their time toward a state-approved apprenticeship. Students attend by day on the same schedule as other Bristol TEC post-graduates.
Welding & Metal Fabrication
Welding & Metal Fabrication is a one-year, 900-clock-hour day certificate. Students learn shielded metal arc (SMAW), gas metal arc (GMAW) and gas tungsten arc (GTAW) welding, oxy-fuel and plasma cutting, and OSHA 1926 safety, and become eligible to test for American Welding Society certification. The hours can be credited toward a state-approved apprenticeship. Bristol TEC’s program page claims an excellent placement record but gives no placement figures, and students supply their own uniforms and tools.
Culinary Arts
Adult Culinary Arts students complete 900 hours in one school year, against 720 hours for Bristol TEC’s high-school culinary students, and the hours count toward a Connecticut chef or baker apprenticeship. The industry credentials named are ServSafe Manager, ServSafe Allergen and a Certified Head Chef credential. Classes run by day on the 10-month calendar. Applicants need a high-school diploma and take Bristol TEC’s admission test; the priority deadline is 1 May, with late applications taken into early June if seats remain.
Aviation maintenance
The Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology program runs 20 months in three blocks of about six months: General, Airframe and Powerplant. It is full-time by day only, roughly 7:25 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at Connecticut Aero Tech and 7:40 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Stratford, with summers off. Graduates receive a diploma, a CTE certificate and stackable industry credentials, and sit the FAA A&P written, oral and practical tests, each with a 70% minimum score. Applicants need a diploma or GED and take ACCUPLACER; seats go by score.
Apprenticeship related instruction
Related-instruction courses are the classroom part of a Connecticut registered apprenticeship, approved by the state Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship Training. The licensed trades are barbering, electrical, hairdressing, heating and cooling, plumbing and sheet metal; manufacturing and welding are non-licensed. Courses include Electrical Code 1-5, Drain-Waste-Vent 1-2, Refrigeration Fundamentals, Oil Burner and Barbering 1-4, and EPA refrigerant certification is issued at Prince Tech. Fall 2026 classes began on 21 September and run 12 weeks. Each course is a single class, not a CTECS certificate.
Cost and how adults pay
Adult tuition is a flat price per program. Bristol TEC’s page prints no school year, so the figures below are the current published prices as of October 2026; the apprenticeship prices are for Fall 2026-27.
| Program | Tuition (current published price, Oct 2026) | Fees and extras |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol TEC one-year certificates (Culinary Arts, Precision Machining, Welding) | $4,000 total; half on the first day, half at the start of the second semester | $50 admission test fee; uniforms and tools |
| Bristol TEC two-year certificates (Automotive, HVAC) | $8,000 total ($4,000 a year) | $50 admission test fee; uniforms and tools |
| Aviation maintenance (Hartford or Stratford) | $7,200 for the 20 months, in three payments; same for in-state and out-of-state | $50 admission test fee; textbooks about $350; FAA test fees about $1,500 |
| Apprenticeship course, registered apprentice in own trade | $325 in person / $345 online | $50 registration and technology fee; $20 Tech Tutor fee per online class |
| Apprenticeship course, other students | $350 in person / $370 online | Same fees |
Bristol TEC’s post-graduate tuition is $4,000 for a one-year certificate and $8,000 for a two-year one, plus a $50 admission test fee, per Bristol TEC’s admissions page. Students buy their own uniforms and tools.
The aviation program costs $7,200 for the full 20 months, paid in three instalments at the start of each block, and the price is the same for Connecticut and out-of-state students, per Connecticut Aero Tech’s admissions page. FAA test fees of about $1,500 and textbooks of about $350 are not included, and the schools say prices are subject to change.
Apprenticeship courses cost $325 in person or $345 online for registered apprentices taking courses in their own program, and $350 or $370 for everyone else, plus a $50 non-refundable registration and technology fee and a $20 Tech Tutor fee for each online class, per CTECS’s apprenticeship and extension page. A valid Connecticut apprentice ID gets the lower rate.
In 2021-22, CTECS’s financial aid packet said it took part only in the federal Pell Grant program, for full-time adult programs, with no federal loans; it also listed tuition waivers for veterans, students 62 and older and cases of hardship. The current admissions pages do not mention Pell or the waivers, so ask before you count on them. Bristol TEC and both aviation schools publish the VA pending-payment protections for Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) and Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31) students. High-school students pay no tuition.
Applying and schedules
Bristol TEC post-graduate applicants need a high-school diploma and take a $50 admission test. The priority deadline is 1 May, and late applications are taken into early June if seats remain; classes run late August to mid-June, from 8:20 a.m. to 1:50 p.m. Aviation applicants need a diploma or GED and take ACCUPLACER after applying, and are ranked by score. The next classes start in December 2026 (priority deadline 15 October 2026), August 2027 (15 July 2027) and March 2028 (15 January 2028); there is no evening or part-time option. Apprenticeship courses run in 12-week evening or online terms; Fall 2026 registration ran from 31 August to 10 September through ParentSquare, and classes with too few students may be cancelled. Any Connecticut resident may apply to the technical high schools, which now admit by lottery.
Accreditation and results
Bristol TEC says it is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and oversees the two aviation schools as extension campuses, per Bristol TEC’s about page. Bristol TEC has posted that it is applying for reaffirmation of its COE accreditation, so confirm the current status with COE before you enroll. Both aviation schools describe themselves as Federal Aviation Administration approved schools.
Individual technical high schools are accredited through NEASC’s public-schools commission (we checked one record); A. I. Prince Technical High School is listed as accredited, last reviewed in 2015, per its NEASC record.
Federal data show that 67% of Bristol TEC’s full-time, first-time students finished within the normal program length (2023 data), per DataUSA’s summary of IPEDS data; the cohort is small. In 2023 Bristol TEC awarded 33 HVAC, 29 automotive and 24 precision production completions. We found no published job-placement or licensing results for CTECS’s adult programs, and no published FAA A&P pass rates for the aviation schools.
State and federal reviews, 2025-2026
In March 2025 the State Department of Education found that CTECS had violated state and federal law by denying admission to about 160 students for 2024-25 through safety review panels, disproportionately students with disabilities, and CTECS said it had dropped the panels and moved to a lottery, as CT Mirror reported on 5 March 2025.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened a Title IX review of how CTECS handles allegations of sexual harassment and assault against staff, and CTECS said it would cooperate, as WFSB reported on 15 July 2026.
Before you enroll
- CTECS has no practical nursing program. Its schools stopped admitting LPN students in January 2010 under a state budget plan, per the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
- The evening apprenticeship courses are built for registered apprentices; other students may enroll at the higher price. They are single courses that lead to no CTECS certificate; the licence comes through the state apprenticeship.
- Adults cannot join the high-school programs, such as carpentry, masonry, landscape design or Health Technology. Only the Bristol TEC certificates and the aviation program are full-time options for adults.
- The aviation program is full-time by day only, with no evening or part-time option, and FAA test fees of about $1,500 come on top of tuition. We found no published FAA pass rates.
- Bristol TEC has posted that it is applying for COE reaffirmation, current Pell participation is not posted, and we could not confirm the Precision Machining program’s industry credentials. Ask about all three before you apply.
Three adult campuses and five evening sites
Full-time adult programs meet at Bristol Technical Education Center, 431 Minor Street, Bristol, CT 06010; Connecticut Aero Tech, 500 Lindbergh Drive, Hartford, CT 06114, at Hartford-Brainard Airport; and the Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians, 200 Great Meadow Road, Stratford, CT 06615, at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. The CTECS central office at 39 Woodland Street in Hartford is an administrative office, not a campus.
In Fall 2026, evening apprenticeship courses meet at A. I. Prince Technical High School, 401 Flatbush Avenue, Hartford (the main registration site, which also runs most online sections); Bullard-Havens Technical High School, 500 Palisade Avenue, Bridgeport; Eli Whitney Technical High School, 100 Fairview Avenue, Hamden; Henry Abbott Technical High School, 21 Hayestown Avenue, Danbury; and Norwich Technical High School, 7 Mahan Drive, Norwich. Kaynor Tech in Waterbury has no courses this fall. There is no student housing.
Work-based learning and apprenticeship credit
Bristol TEC’s Work-Based Learning program places students in paid jobs, and hours in the welding, HVAC, culinary and automotive programs can be credited toward Connecticut state apprenticeships.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Bristol Technical Education Center: post-graduate day certificates
- Automotive Technology (2 years)
- Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (2 years)
- Welding & Metal Fabrication (1 year, 900 hours)
- Culinary Arts (1 year, 900 hours)
- Precision Machining Technology (1 year)
Aviation maintenance (adults only; Hartford and Stratford)
- Airframe Mechanics & Aircraft Maintenance Technology (20 months, FAA A&P preparation)
Apprenticeship related instruction (evening and online, registered apprentices)
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Heating & Cooling
- Sheet Metal
- Barbering
- Hairdressing
- Manufacturing and Welding
Campus Locations
Bristol, CT 431 Minor Street, Bristol, CT 06010
Hartford, CT 500 Lindbergh Drive, Hartford, CT 06114
Bridgeport (Stratford), CT 200 Great Meadow Road, Stratford, CT 06615