The Principles of Manufacturing certificate is as a bridge-in to the two-semester Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology certificate for high school students in dual enrollment programs. Over the past 10+ years, Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) has partnered with Waterbury Public Schools in the College Connections program.

The Principles of Manufacturing certificate curriculum can be completed in the two-year time frame of College Connections, is at the appropriate academic level, would help students gain and be productive in entry-level manufacturing positions, would prepare the students for two National Association of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) certification tests, and prepare students for entry into the Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology (AMMT) program as all 11 credits are part of the AMMT program.