Northcentral Technical
Northcentral Technical College’s 27,000-square-foot facility houses one- and two-year wood programs that utilize a wide variety of state-of-the-art equipment to train students. NTC Antigo Provides A New Human Resource For The Forest Products Industry An NTC student grinds the knives that will be used to manufacture door casing on a moulder. Wausau, WI—As the wood products industry deals with a shortage of skilled labor resulting from many longtime employees reaching retirement age, the Northcentral Technical College (NTC) campus, located here, is taking steps to address the skills gap. With many companies eager to fill their needs for employees with hands-on experience, NTC’s one-of-a-kind, 27,000-squarefoot Wood Technology Center of Excellence is committed to training students to design and manufacture wood products through the use of cutting-edge technology. Officially opened in 2011, the Wood Technology Center of Excellence houses a two-year Wood Processes Associate Degree program and a one-year Wood Technology Technical Diploma, both of which are highly focused on hands-on learning. The programs are unique to the state of Wisconsin and among only a handful of similar programs in the nation, with the goal of placing students in high-production environments. “Our students start with grading and scaling logs, work through the breakdown of logs into lumber, perform secondary wood manufacturing operations and end with the sales and marketing of the finished product,” said Travis Allen, NTC Wood Technology instructor. Students are required to take 17 total wood-related courses as part of the associate degree program, totaling approximately 1,200 hours of hands-on focused instructional time. Skills taught within the program include Hardwood lumber and log grading; sawing, edging and trimming to maximize grade; drying lumber; maximizing rough mill efficiencies; machine set-up and operation (optimizing ripsaws, chopsaws, moulders, profile grinders, etc.); CNC router operation, sales and marketing techniques, and supervisory skills. In addition, there are courses covering wood science and technology including wood identification, the physical and mechanical properties of wood, wood based composites and biofuels. “The curriculum is truly designed to fit the needs of the wood products industry,” said Allen. “After our students complete their training, they possess a wide set of skills that are relevant and indemand.” The response from both current students and industry members thus far has been overwhelmingly positive, and a number of employers have been expressing an interest in acquiring the services of NTC’s graduates. “Several business leaders, from not only Wisconsin, but also across the United States, have recognized our program and have actively recruited our graduates,” noted Allen. “The hope is that as we fill the demand for skilled employees, it will allow not only local companies to expand, but also new companies to move into the area.” In addition to providing program courses, NTC continues to expand its offerings in an effort to cement itself as a vital hub for wood technology training by offering industry-based organizations and associations, such as the Great Lakes Kiln Drying Association, Lake States Lumber Association Education and the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers 20 JUNE 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE
Wood Technology students manufacture products such as casing, baseboard, jambs, handrails and flooring on a 6 spindle moulder. A student works on maximizing yield while operating a Kentwood optimizing ripsaw. The wood programs offered in Antigo are unique to the Wisconsin Technical College System and not offered anywhere else in the state. A student finger-joints short clears for use in an engineered handrail. Association. Course offerings include dry kiln operation, Hardwood lumber and log inspection, CNC router operation, and new for 2014, moulder technician training and softwood lumber inspection. These sessions attracted students from seven different states last summer and ranged from one to five days depending on the course curriculum. The College has also hosted several industry-based meetings, including those of the Lake States Saw Filers Education Association, Great Lakes Kiln Drying Association and Wisconsin Woodlands Owners Association. “The industry-based accelerated training offered by NTC works out nicely for employers who are looking to advance the skill sets of their employees,” said Troy Brown, president of Kretz Lumber Co. in Antigo and a member of NTC’s Wood Technology Advisory Committee. “Factoring in the industry-specific training along with the programs courses available, NTC has shown an incredibly strong commitment to supporting the wood products industry.” For more information on the Wood Technology Center of Excellence or the programs offered at NTC, contact the NTC Antigo campus at 715-623-7601 and visit our program webpage at www. ntc.edu/centers-excellence/wood-technology.html. ■ Students learn to inspect Hardwood lumber using NHLA standard rules. JUNE 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 21
