As a Senior Associate at Dewberry, Johnny Wood has worked on a number of building projects across the Triangle, including some at Wake Tech, his alma mater! Johnny knows Wake Tech well: It’s where he received training that launched the career he has enjoyed for more than 20 years. “My brother earned an architectural engineering degree from Wake Tech and has been an electrical designer for many years,” Johnny says. “I saw how successful he was, and that sparked my interest in the college.” 

Johnny has fond memories of being at Wake Tech and says the focus on technology is what makes the instruction special. “Of course, technology was a lot of different back then,” he says. “We learned drafting using a pencil instead of a computer!” He says as a student he worked on real-world projects, so he was well prepared when he went to work at Dewberry. The growing company hired him as soon as he graduated, and he’s been there ever since. 

Johnny is glad that he now has an opportunity to give back to Wake Tech. He was on hand recently as Dewberry announced a $10,000 contribution to the Wake Tech Foundation for its new initiative called GRITS – Girls Raised in the Sciences. He also serves as a member of the advisory committee for Wake Tech’s Mechanical Engineering program, helping to keep the curriculum relevant and up-to-date. And he mentors high school students interested in STEM fields. “I always recommend Wake Tech!”