A group of culinary students pose for a photo together

School Information

Welcome to Chesterfield's best kept secret

About Us

We prepare the career and college bound student with skills, knowledge, and credentials. Students learn valuable technical skills before graduation. Come investigate a career field with us! There is no tuition for CCPS students.

Our History

Opening in September 1977 with 15 career and post-secondary preparatory courses with six county high schools sending approximately 550 students, the Chesterfield Career and Technical Center (CCTC) is an extension of the county’s high schools, offering students three-credit Career and Technical Education (CTE) elective courses not available at the high schools.

Richard B. Engard, the Center’s first principal, was instrumental in influencing others to adopt his vision of providing county students with new “vocational education” courses in a separate building. An advocate of career and technical education, Mr. Engard left his position as County Director of Vocational Education to become the Chesterfield Technical Center’s first principal. A bond referendum provided the funds to build the building with Mr. Engard serving as the planning principal during construction and continuing as principal until retirement in 1985. Highly regarded in the county, CTC flourished under Mr. Engard’s administration.

Following Mr. Engard was William Townsend, who served as both the school division’s Director of Adult and Vocational Education and CTC’s principal. Jeffrey Baughman next served as principal until 1996 when he was promoted to Director of Career Development and Adult Education. When Mr. Baughman became director, his assistant principal, Deborah Hinton, became principal, serving in that role until 1998. A growth in courses, a doubling of the student population and an addition to the building occurred during Michael Rose’s tenure as executive principal until his retirement in 2011.

In 2003 when Mr. Baughman retired, Mr. Rose also assumed the responsibility of the school division’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses offered throughout the school division. Dr. Michael Gill became CTC’s next executive principal along with the role of Director of Career & Technical Education for the county until October 2012. Mr. Steven Dimmett, CTC’s Assistant Principal assumed the duty of principal until Dr. Colleen Bryant was named principal in June 2013. Also in June 2013, Dr. David Eshelman was named Director of Career & Technical Education and Executive Principal of the new Chesterfield Career & Technical Center at the Hull Street campus. With two technical center campuses, a name changed occurred in June 2014, Chesterfield Career & Technical Center – Courthouse campus and Chesterfield Career & Technical Center – Hull Street campus.

In June 2015, Dr. Brian Russell was named principal of the Chesterfield Career & Technical Center – Hull Street campus allowing Dr. Eshelman time to devote to being the Director of CTE for the county.

Maintaining an emphasis on student acquisition of hands-on technical knowledge and skills and workplace readiness skills throughout its history, the CCTC currently offers 17 one-year and 13 two-year courses that enable approximately 1,400 students from 11 high schools to prepare for future careers and further post-secondary education.

Principals of CTC:

  • Richard B. Engard

  • William Townsend

  • Jeffrey Baughman

  • Deborah Hinton

  • Michael Rose

  • Michael Gill

  • Colleen Bryant (Courthouse) & Brian Russell (Hull)

  • Brian Russell