Wake Tech’s Growth and Commitment for 2025

Higher Education: Wake Technical Community College 

Dr. Scott Ralls

President, Wake Tech Community College 

As enrollment continues to increase, Wake Tech has never been more committed to the role we play in the lives of our students and the strength of our workforce. We’re now serving a record 72,000 students a year, giving them opportunities to advance in their careers and improve their lives – while also building a talent pipeline that local industries can rely upon.  

In 2024 we opened our newest location, Wake Tech East, in Wendell, with programs to prepare students for university transfer, or give them specialized skills for entering the workforce. Wake Tech East includes an award-winning Central Energy Plant that embodies our commitment to a sustainable environment, and a unique Public Safety Simulation Complex, where first responders are getting extensive reality-based training to keep our community safe.  

We’re excited to watch our new location grow with the addition of an Advanced Technology Center, which will soon be training students in state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical and advanced manufacturing labs with automation equipment, mechatronics, robotics, and more. And we’re building a unique Fire and Rescue Training Complex that features two towers for high-rise scenarios and facilities for hazardous materials training.  

We’ve also begun design on a major expansion at the Perry Health Sciences Campus, which will bring a state-of-the-art simulation hospital to the new Health and Education District near WakeMed, on New Bern Avenue. This unique facility will allow multi-disciplinary, reality-based training that will enhance our pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals.  

Wake Tech’s mission is to reach students all across Wake County and rally around them to go as far as their dreams, talents and resilience will take them. We do this through a strong dedication to serving our community and through partnerships that make our efforts stronger. These partnerships include nearly 150 local employers who have discovered the win-win of apprenticeship. Wake Tech Apprenticeship, powered by the county’s WakeWorks® initiative, combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training to help address the shortage of technical workers in our region. Apprentices earn an income while learning new skills, and employers develop a ready pool of talented workers who have the specific skills they need.  

We’re also forging and strengthening partnerships with community organizations such as Dorcas Ministries, Boys & Girls Clubs, Juntos, Communities in Schools and more. Through our collaborative efforts, we are increasingly bringing new opportunities for economic mobility to more residents of Wake County, enhancing the strength of our economy and the quality of life for all in our region. 

“As enrollment continues to increase, Wake Tech has never been more committed to the role we play in the lives of our students and the strength of our workforce. We’re now serving a record 72,000 students a year, giving them opportunities to advance in their careers and improve their lives – while also building a talent pipeline that local industries can rely upon.”  -Dr. Scott Ralls, Wake Tech Community College