Westerly Education Center is managed by the State Of Rhode Island’s Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner. Founded in 2017, Westerly Education Center is a public-private collaboration designed to bring together higher education, business, industry, and community partners to expand postsecondary attainment in degrees, certifications and industry-recognized credentials. 

The facility’s instructional classrooms, computer laboratories, and science labs host students from teenagers to senior citizens. Coursework offerings range from general education courses in mathematics and writing to graduate-level engineering and oceanography courses; non-credit classes in arts and design; workforce development certificate programs, and sessions for lifelong learners. Our relationships with Rhode Island’s public and private universities, their continuing education offerings and workforce training divisions, which in sum represent a diversity of credit and certificate programs, are a critical component of our work.

Private businesses and organizations are welcomed to rent classrooms for their own trainings or meetings. The center can customize private trainings and design curriculum together with our higher education partners. 

General Dynamics/Electric Boat and CCRI are the anchor partners in the design and delivery of instruction in maritime trades that enable the defense contractor in meeting contracted work on Virginia-class ballistic-missile nuclear submarines. A submarine mock-up is situated in the hands-on section of the facility, which allows trainees to practice their new skills in combination with classroom instruction.