There is no denying that southern Wake County is rapidly growing. In fact, Wake County is the fastest growing county in North Carolina. The evidence is clear as you drive around Holly Springs, Apex, and Cary. New homes, shopping centers, and medical facilities are in various stages of construction just about everywhere you look. Manufacturing and life science companies are expanding into this area as well, and new residents are enjoying the mild weather and many local attractions.
Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina’s largest community college, has noticed the tremendous growth and is taking big steps to keep up with the demands of existing and future students, as well as the workforce needs of businesses in the area. The College has recently announced a four-year strategic expansion to increase educational opportunities, provide better accessibility for students, and expand programs tailored to the business needs of the companies operating in the Raleigh area. This expansion will be funded by a $353.2 million bond initiative, the Wake Tech Workforce Forward Bond, on the November 2022 ballot.
“So much growth is happening in the surrounding areas of Raleigh,” said Wake Tech president, Dr. Scott Ralls. “Wake Tech plays a unique role in Wake County. We are a connection college. We connect the community to opportunities with a wide range of programs.
Wake Tech’s four-year expansion focuses on four main areas:
Permanent Western Wake Campus
A large portion of the funding from the Wake Tech Workforce Forward Bond will be used to build a new Wake Tech Campus, strategically located in the fastest growing area of Wake County, at the intersections of U.S. Highway 1, N.C. Highway 55, and the N.C. Highway 540 Triangle Expressway. The Western Wake Campus will replace the leased space in the Millpond Village shopping center in Cary. Facility design and construction at the new 34-acre site will take approximately four years. Once completed, the College will relocate existing campus operations, including business and university transfer programs and offer a new Entrepreneurship Center for small business resources. The campus will feature a new Workforce Development Center with IT and game development labs and industrial/biopharma training space to support the dynamic job growth in Apex, Cary, and Holly Springs.
With the influx of biopharma companies opening offices in the Holly Springs/Apex area, Wake Tech will be poised to work closely with these companies to continue offering programs that train students for success in this high-interest field.
Perry Health Sciences Campus expansion
Wake County’s population is growing, and the average age is increasing. To meet the healthcare needs of the county, Wake Tech is expanding the programs available to train future healthcare professionals. The expansion of Wake Tech’s Perry Health Sciences Campus will include construction of a 120,000-square-foot facility. This critical building will allow for the expansion of the college’s high-demand nursing programs and the potential addition of programs in mental health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy. The new facility will house a “simulation hospital” supporting nursing and other degree and non-degree health care programs, as well as state-of-the-art laboratories for imaging programs.
“Wake Tech is the main healthcare education provider for the county, with one of the largest nursing programs in the state,” said Dr. Ralls. “The expansion of the Perry Health Sciences Campus allows us to provide clinical hours in real-life situations. Students will receive better practice with more hands-on experience.
New cyber science facility on RTP Campus
Wake Tech’s RTP Campus has emerged as a major attraction for new and advanced technology companies growing in the Research Triangle region and a unique home for education collaboration, including RTP Bio and the new Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies. Bond investments will support construction of the third building on the RTP Campus, which will allow expansion of life science and IT programs, especially in the field of cybersecurity, where demand is great. It will also allow the continued advancement of education and industry partnerships.
Investments in infrastructure
Funding from the Wake Tech Workforce Forward bond will support needed renovations and upgrades at Wake Tech’s original Southern Wake Campus and at all campus locations. Keeping facilities up to date with new technologies, sustainable processes, security enhancements and accessibility upgrades is a significant part of the college’s commitment to maintain quality as it grows to meet the workforce needs of the community.
The plans for Wake Tech are expansive, but as Dr. Ralls explains, this is what is necessary to keep up with the rapid growth of Wake County. As more businesses open, more companies expand into Wake County, and more people move to the area, the need for broad training programs becomes greater.
In terms of the value of a Wake Tech education, a recent study by Georgetown University’s Center for Education and the Workplace ranks Wake Tech in the top 20 percent of all colleges and universities in the nation, and the top 10% in North Carolina, for student return on investment 10 years after graduation. Wake Tech offers more unique programs than a four-year school, such as job training for companies, short-term programs and certificates, numeracy and literacy for adults, and programs that provide seamless transition to university.
“We are the most comprehensive opportunity college in the U.S.,” said Dr. Ralls. “When you take in the breadth and depth of our offerings, we have more doors to educational and workforce opportunities.”
With the amount of population growth, along with the amount of business interest in the area, it seems that Wake Tech and Wake County have a mutually beneficial relationship. Dr. Ralls describes it well, “As Wake Tech, we are fortunate to be in Wake County, and Wake County is fortunate to have Wake Tech.
Wake Technical Community College originally opened in 1958 as Wake County Industrial Education Center with 304 students. The College offered courses in automobile mechanics, radio and TV repair, and nursing. Over the decades, the college has expanded both in size and educational offerings. Today, Wake Tech serves more than 70,000 adults annually, with seven campuses, two training centers, multiple community sites and a comprehensive array of online learning options. Wake Tech is accredited and offers more than 250 associate degrees, diplomas and certificates that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment.
About three-quarters of Wake Tech students live in Wake County, most others come from neighboring counties, forming the basis of the region’s future workforce. The vast majority of Wake Tech students remain in the area after graduation and have an average annual income almost $10,000 greater than that of a high school graduate.
Independent studies indicate that Wake Tech generates more than $1 billion annually for the local economy, with each dollar invested in Wake Tech generating more than $7 in added income and social savings.
