Newburgh, NY – At Newburgh Free Academy, students aren’t just learning a trade – they’re preparing to take on leadership positions in the working world.
The high school’s Career Pathway program allows students to discover their own talents and skills and then explore career opportunities that might be suited to those abilities.
“There is so much demand for Career and Technical Education (CTE) right now,” New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person said. “Students find that it is relevant, that it is engaging and that they can see themselves in future sustainable careers – so we want to make sure that every kid who wants access to these programs gets it.”
In 2024, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District began construction on a new 132,000-square-foot Career Center adjacent to the high school that will allow the district to expand its career education capacity and add four new programs – HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical and Veterinary Technology.
The $75 million project will be completed in September 2026, but Person and NYSUT Members got a sneak peek during a recent tour of the campus.
The new three-story building will serve as a hub for students, Educators, families and the community – and build on the success of the current Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program, which educators say offers endless possibilities for career preparation.
Initially, the new building was only going to house students for half the day, but now, the project has been configured to be a one-stop shop.
The Career Center will be outfitted with classrooms, labs, resource rooms and a gym so students can receive a full day’s instruction under one roof.
“We are very proud of the program,” Newburgh Teachers Association President Stacy Moran said. “We have so many offerings for our students.”
CTE programs cover Culinary Arts, Automotive Technology, Cosmetology and Barbering, Criminal Justice, Graphic Arts, Health Sciences, Photography, Welding and other in-demand industries, Moran said.
The Newburgh CTE Programs prepare students for careers or for college.
“We have affiliations with the local Unions that would love to get them involved,” Newburgh Teachers Association Member Christopher Cotton, who is a Construction Technology Teacher, said. “We also have two articulation agreements, one with SUNY (State University of New York) Delhi and one with SUNY Alfred.”
Students who continue their education at these colleges will be able to earn free credits toward their degree, Cotton said.
Students also finish Newburgh’s CTE Programs with valuable certifications and industry-backed training that gives them a leg up when it comes to securing jobs.
The Culinary Arts curriculum is by ProStart, a two-year, National Restaurant Association-sponsored Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management Program for high school students, said Jennifer Caron, a Culinary Arts Teacher and Member of the Newburgh Teachers Association.
“We also do ServSafe Food Handler certification. We just did that, and I had probably like an (85% to 90%) pass rate,” Caron said. “They can qualify for the CDOS (Career Development and Occupational Studies) as well, which is a good pathway for some of them.”
To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: CTE Works – Newburgh Free Academy builds new career center
