Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, announced a three-year scholarship commitment to support the Wake Tech Career Fields and Transportation education and certification program. The $15,000 scholarship will support six semesters of required industrial educational training. The Meridian Waste Scholarship for Clean Communities will be available for the Wake Tech Fall 2024 semester by application through Wake Tech Foundation.
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 one-ton classification, solid waste collection vehicles, buses, ships, railroad locomotives, and equipment, along with 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 (HEATT) 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.