Wake Tech Foundation
Wake Tech Foundation and Meridian Waste Partner for a Cleaner Environment
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 2, 2024) – Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, has announced a three-year scholarship commitment to support diesel technician and heavy equipment operator training vital to the environmental services industry.
The Meridian Waste Scholarship for Clean Communities will be available for the Wake Tech Fall 2024 semester by application through the Wake Tech Foundation. The $15,000 scholarship will support six semesters of required industrial educational training.
The Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, service and maintain diesel engines in vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks over the 1-ton classification, solid waste collection vehicles, buses, ships and railroad locomotives and equipment, as well as stationary diesel engines in electrical generators and related equipment.
Students will receive instruction in engines, hydraulics, electrical, electronic and powertrain systems, among other topics. Coursework may include transportation systems theory, braking system, climate control, design parameters, drivetrains, electrical and electronic systems, engine repair, engine performance, environmental regulations, materials, product finish, safety, steering and suspension, transmission, transaxles and sustainable transportation, depending on the course major and studies chosen.
Graduates of the program should be prepared to take professional licensure exams, which correspond to certain areas of study to become entry-level technicians in the transportation industry.
Heavy Equipment and Transport Technology programs are designed to provide the knowledge and skills to operate, troubleshoot and repair landfill and transfer stations equipment, construction equipment, agricultural equipment and trucks. Graduates should qualify for entry-level employment in businesses that operate and repair these types of equipment in the solid waste and construction industries.
"To Meridian Waste, the first step in creating and maintaining clean communities is for the responsible, safe and environmentally sound collection, transportation and disposal of our community's solid waste," said Patrick Messinger, Meridian Waste's area president in North Carolina.
"The partnership with Wake Tech and Wake Tech Foundation is a perfect fit for the company. We aspire to hire many of the college's program graduates to fill vital employment needs, including diesel mechanics and heavy equipment operators who can assist at our Raleigh marketplace hauling and disposal locations," Messinger said. "Additionally, we are a recycling and disposal resource to Wake Tech's newest expansion and construction project building at the state-of-the-art Wendell campus."
"Wake Tech is committed to providing education that leads directly to good jobs in our community," said Matt Smith, Wake Tech's vice president of Development and Strategic Partnerships. "We are excited to partner with Meridian Waste to help deserving adults learn a skill that is needed in our community and one that will hopefully allow them to compete for a life-changing job with a preferred employer like Meridian Waste."
