State Awards Watertown Public Schools $3 Million for Career and Technical Education Expansion
In a significant boost to Watertown Public Schools, state officials have awarded $3 million in grant funding to support Watertown High School’s growing Career and Technical Education offerings.
The money comes as part of the CTE Annex Pilot project, a state program aimed at increasing access to career and technical education at traditional comprehensive high schools across Massachusetts. Watertown was one of six school districts to receive funding from the $15 million pot available during this round of grants.
This significant grant now allows Watertown to explore bringing Chapter 74 Carpentry and Electrical programs to Watertown High School, building on the success of existing construction technology classes already offered at WHS. If successful, carpentry and electrical would be the first state-approved vocational pathways in the skilled trades offered in Watertown.
“Over the coming months, we’ll be looking closely at what it would take to make these programs a reality,” said Superintendent Dede Galdston. “We’ll be examining a range of options and working with our neighboring high schools, community colleges, workforce, union, and industry partners to shape a plan that serves Watertown students well and potentially opens doors for learners beyond our district and after hours training for adults.”
In recent years, Watertown leaders have worked tirelessly to expand access to career and technical education. Watertown is not a member town of a regional vocational-technical school district, meaning Watertown students interested in pursuing careers in the trades are not guaranteed space at one of Massachusetts regional vocational high schools. City and school leaders have prioritized expanding career and technical offerings in-district, allowing students to stay in Watertown instead of traveling out-of-district for their high school education.
Watertown currently offers four Chapter 74 programs: Pre-Engineering, Medical Assisting, Digital Media Communications, and Early Education and Care. The district also hopes to add Culinary Arts as a full Chapter 74 vocational program in 2027, capitalizing on the state-of-the-art culinary learning and kitchen space in the new Watertown High School.
“CTE programming addresses a critical need for skilled tradespeople across the Greater Boston region,” said Laura Alderson, Director of Career and Technical Education. “We are excited to continue developing programs that will serve our students and this growing demand.”
Watertown officials were recognized in a grant award ceremony in Fitchburg on Tuesday at the Montachusett Vocational Partnership (MVP) Academy. The MVP Academy offers hands-on training in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical for students from Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School, Fitchburg Public Schools, Gardner Public Schools, and the Narragansett Regional School District (Templeton and Phillipston). The program, which launched in 2025 in a repurposed former warehouse in Fitchburg, served as the basis for Watertown’s grant application.
“Students across Massachusetts want more opportunities to learn a trade, gain hands-on experience and prepare for good-paying jobs, and we are delivering,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We've made major investments to expand career and technical education, and these new grants will create more seats and bring training programs to more high schools. We're opening doors for students to pursue careers they're excited about while building the skilled workforce Massachusetts needs.”