U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis Talks with Veterans and College Leaders
RALEIGH, N.C. (April 12, 2017) - U.S. Senator Thom Tillis visited Wake Tech’s Northern Wake Campus on Wednesday, April 12, to discuss cybersecurity training and veterans programs offered at the college.
Senator Tillis toured the Veterans Resource Center, which offers students a place to mingle and get important information about benefits and resources. Tillis also met with veterans to get input on the kind of services that are helpful as they work to transition from the military to the workforce.
Senator Tillis joined a roundtable discussion about the programs Wake Tech offers to help train students for the workplace. Much of the conversation centered on the college’s TechHire grant program. The U.S. Department of Labor program will bring almost $4 million to Wake Tech and its local partner, the Capital Area Workforce Development Board, for an innovative training initiative that will prepare hundreds of people for well-paying jobs in high-growth sectors, including healthcare, advanced manufacturing, financial services, and cybersecurity.
“IT is a field that really needs to focus on continuing education training,” said Tillis. Anthony Caison, Wake Tech’s VP of Workforce Continuing Education agreed. “IT skills are perishable, and those workers continually need re-training. Wake Tech offers the courses they need to keep their skills current.”
Wake Tech leaders also discussed the importance of grants. Wake Tech and other educational institutions rely on a range of grant awards to expand programs and services beyond what regular operating budgets allow.
Senator Tillis was impressed by the variety of programs and services Wake Tech offers veterans and others. “Wake Tech has a great story to tell about workforce training and placement,” said Senator Tillis. “Your reputation is well known in Washington, DC.”
