Online Courses / Industry Certification Courses

Did you know that there are great, well-paying career opportunities in the eastern Connecticut region?

EASTCONN's Manufacturing Academy

The EASTCONN Manufacturing Academy will help you build the essential skills you need to get ahead. Finish your high school diploma, improve your English, reading and math skills, and earn that valuable manufacturing safety certification. This certification can help you start your career in manufacturing, a growing industry in eastern Connecticut. EASTCONN classes are free and available in-person or online. Contact us today to learn more about the Manufacturing Academy, and take that first step toward your new manufacturing career!

Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential™ 

The Child Development Associate® (CDA) Credential™ serves individuals in the field of early childhood education (ECE), providing a foundational credential for those seeking to become qualified educators of young children. It is widely recognized within the ECE profession as a crucial step for career advancement, translates to community college credit, and meets core competency standards established by the Council for Professional Recognition.

ParaPro Assessment

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) ParaPro Assessment is a credential for paraeducators, paraprofessionals, instructional aides, or teacher's assistants who work in educational settings, primarily K-12 schools. This assessment was developed in response to the federal No Child Left Behind Act and its successor, the Every Student Succeeds Act, setting expectations that paraeducators working in an instructional capacity will meet specific educational requirements. These requirements can be satisfied by obtaining an associate's degree, completing two years of college coursework, or demonstrating knowledge and ability to assist in instruction through a state or local academic assessment like the ParaPro Assessment.

ServSafe/Entreprenuership

This integrated program will allow students to earn the ServSafe Food Handler and ServSafe Food Protection Manager certifications, combined with an optional U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification through Pitsco, providing students with concurrent acquisition of culinary and business skills. Through hands-on training in a commercial kitchen and theoretical coursework, students learn food safety practices, preparing them for success in the culinary industry. Interested participants may choose to earn an entrepreneurship credential to help them start their own food service-related business. By embedding the entrepreneurship credential within a recognized postsecondary career pathway, the program enhances students' employability and empowers them to confidently pursue entrepreneurial ventures with confidence.

NRF/Customer Service

The NRF Customer Service & Sales Credential provides students with skills and foundational knowledge in key areas of the retail industry. Key to successful completion is the ability to communicate with angry customers, diffusing difficult situations, and articulating possible solutions to challenges. This skill set can be applied to both internal and external customers. Thus, while it is designed to cover the economic impact of retail, customer behavior and life cycles, and the importance of customer service in shaping brand value and company culture it crosswalks effectively to almost any occupation.

Students will learn to effectively listen to and connect with other, resolve issues such as objections, complaints, and returns, and foster customer loyalty through add-on services. The training also includes skills for processing transactions, interpreting non-verbal communication, and demonstrating professionalism. The associated curriculum and exams are industry-recognized and were developed in collaboration with over twenty retailers.