Durham Tech and Wolfspeed celebrate 71 technician graduates

Wolfspeed and Durham Tech recognized 71 employees who completed a Manufacturing Process Technician or Manufacturing Equipment Technician course at a ceremony last Tuesday at Wolfspeed’s global headquarters in Durham. Tuesday’s graduation represented 10 cohorts from December 2021 through November 2022. 

Wolfspeed and Durham Tech have worked together for more than 20 years to develop customized training for the organization. The technician training partnership began in January 2020 to increase qualified talent for technician positions within their organization. The training includes topics such as workplace success, safety, chemistry, electronics, sensors, robotics, Lean Six Sigma, problem solving, and statistical techniques.  

The partnership includes a team-teaching approach between Wolfspeed and Durham Tech and equipment donations from Wolfspeed to ensure employees are trained on up-to-date equipment.  

Wolfspeed operations employees are encouraged to participate in the technician training to gain skills needed to advance in their career. Graduates of the classes are guaranteed an interview with the organization for advancement to process technician or equipment technician positions. Wolfspeed also offers tuition reimbursement and STEM education sponsorship programs to support employees’ educational attainment and professional growth. 

“Wolfspeed is the kind of company Durham Tech wants to partner with – not just because they represent a dynamic industry sector and great career opportunities – but because they care about and invest in their employees’ personal and professional growth,” said JB Buxton, Durham Tech President. 

“We’re proud of the 162 employees who have graduated from the Technician Certification Program over the past few years, due to our longstanding successful partnership with Durham Tech. With the recent announcement of a new materials factory being built in Siler City, we look forward to not only continuing to invest in the development of our current employees, but we also look forward to building our future talent pipeline in partnership with Durham Tech,” said Rex Felton, Senior Vice President of Wolfspeed Global Operations. 

The next cohort of Wolfspeed manufacturing technician classes will begin in January 2023.  

Wolfspeed is leading the transformation from silicon to Silicon Carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) as it shapes the future of semiconductor markets: the transition to electric vehicles, the move to faster 5G networks, the evolution of renewable energy and energy storage, and the advancement of industrial applications. 

For more information about developing training for your organization, contact Beth Payne, Senior Director of Corporate Services at payneb@durhamtech.edu. 

For more information, contact Desiree Patrick, M.S., Communications and Public Relations Coordinator, at allisontowsond@durhamtech.edu.