2026 Workforce Forward Bond
Wake County voters approved Wake Tech's $149.1 million Workforce Forward Bond referendum on November 3, 2026, investing in public safety, skilled trades, automotive and health care training to prepare workers for critical jobs and support the county's growing economy. The referendum received 62% of the vote.
"We are grateful to Wake County voters for their confidence in Wake Tech and their investment in our students and our community's future," Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls said. "This bond will help us expand training for critical careers and improve the facilities and technology our students need to succeed. It is an investment in the skilled workforce that keeps Wake County moving forward."
In addition to expanded training, bond funds will help renew classrooms, technology and infrastructure across the college.
Workforce program expansion ($41 million)
1. Public safety program expansion ($20 million)
The investment will help complete the Fire and Rescue Training Center that has been underway since 2020, building on progress made possible by the previous Wake Tech bond. The expansion at Eastern Wake Campus will add classrooms, simulation and decontamination labs, flexible training space, equipment and an apparatus bay.
2. Skilled trades program expansion ($12 million)
Funding would provide expanded Welding Technology, Electrical Systems Technology and HVAC labs in Ready Hall at the Southern Wake Campus, along with ventilation and cooling upgrades.
3. Automotive program expansion ($5 million)
Funding would expand the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence at Scott Northern Wake Campus with vehicle stackers, covered parking and electric-vehicle charging stations to support EV training, Mazda MAST and MoparCAP programs.
4. Dental Hygiene program expansion ($2 million)
Funding would renovate the Perry Health Sciences Campus to create an immersive dental lecture hall, expand the dental simulation lab and modernize the Dental Hygiene Clinic.
5. Future expansion of Conlon Western Wake Campus ($2 million)
Funding would support planning for the future expansion of Conlon Western Wake Campus to meet Wake Tech's growing student population and evolving workforce-training needs.
Southern Wake Campus multi-facility renovations ($65 million)
Major formal projects would blend program expansion with upgrades to aging buildings, classrooms, labs and infrastructure on Wake Tech's original campus. The work would strengthen spaces serving the following key academic and workforce programs:
- Diesel and heavy equipment
- Engineering and architecture
- Construction management
- Classrooms, labs and resource center
- Eagle Cast teaching studio
Collegewide renewal ($43.1 million)
1. Facilities infrastructure ($20.4 million)
Funding would update the following essential campus systems and infrastructure to improve reliability, safety, security, accessibility and navigation across Wake Tech facilities:
- HVAC equipment
- Elevator modernization
- Electrical upgrades
- Security and access control
- Road, parking and wayfinding
- Building automation and controls
- Roofing and building envelope
- Life safety systems
- Accessibility
2. IT, equipment and miscellaneous capital renewal ($22.7 million)
This investment would renew the college's technology infrastructure, equipment, software, vehicles and specialized learning spaces to support secure operations, hands-on instruction and changing enrollment needs:
- Servers, storage, networking and cybersecurity
- Vehicles, furniture and equipment
- Targeted renovations responding to enrollment shifts
- Enterprise software
- Applied skills and simulation labs
Wake Tech will work with Wake County to begin planning and implementing the approved projects.
In 2022, Wake County voters approved Wake Tech's $353 million Workforce Forward Bond with 70% support. The referendum funded a major expansion of Perry Health Sciences Campus, a permanent campus in western Wake County, technology training renovations at RTP Campus and renovations and technology upgrades across the college.
