Wood Tech Program Caps First Year
Northcentral Technical College is wrapping up a successful first year for its wood technology programs, which are based out of the state-of-the-art Wood Technology Center of Excellence on the Antigo campus.
The program’s advisory committee recently convened and reported that it was very pleased with the progress of the program and reaffirmed its direction, specifically citing a 100 percent student retention rate and noting how that spoke directly to students’ interest in the program.
“NTC is committed to supporting the wood products industry in north central Wisconsin,” Larry Kind, dean of NTC’s Antigo campus, said. “The response from both our students and industry leaders has been overwhelmingly positive in our first year of operation. We’re excited to continue serving the community by providing our students with the skills needed to succeed in this important field.”
According to Kind, several business leaders also noted that they were anxious to hire students from NTC’s wood programs when they graduate a year from now. In fact, a number of students have already been offered summer jobs within the industry due in large part to their unique skill sets.
The Wood Technology Center of Excellence, which opened in 2011, provides training in wood manufacturing technology, innovation and commerce to program students and incumbent wood technology workers.
NTC Antigo offers a wood processes associate degree, a wood technology technical diploma and a basic wood manufacturing certificate. Included in the programs is coursework that develops skills and specialized knowledge required for the manufacturing, marketing, distribution and end use of wood products.
Students work on state-of-the-art computerized wood manufacturing equipment, including CNC routers, CNC moulders and optimizing saws, while also learning about lumber grading, buying and merchandising.
The wood programs offered at the NTC Wood Technology Center of Excellence are unique to the Wisconsin Technical College System and are not offered anywhere else in the state. Wisconsin is the top state in the nation for wood-related jobs, while the Langlade County region is one of the worldwide leaders in forest products manufacturing.
NTC Antigo is now accepting applications to its wood programs for the fall of 2012. For more information on NTC’s wood programs or to apply, contact Kimmie Kretz, Enrollment Advisor, at 715 623-7601, Ext. 7308.
Author: Antigo Daily Journal
Source: Antigo Daily Journal