Meridian Waste and Wake Tech Foundation Partner for a Cleaner Environment

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2024

Meridian Waste and Wake Tech Foundation Partner for a Cleaner Environment

Scholarship supports diesel technician and heavy equipment operator training vital to the environmental services industry

Raleigh, NC (February 1, 2024) – Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, announces 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 at https://www.waketech.edu/wake-tech-foundation/what/scholarships/scholarship-guidelines. 

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, 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.  “The partnership with Wake Tech and Wake Tech Foundation is a perfect fit for the company. We aspire to hire many of the College’s program graduates to fill vital employment needs including diesel mechanics and heavy equipment operators who can assist at our Raleigh marketplace hauling and disposal locations," he said.  "Additionally, we are a recycling and disposal resource to Wake Tech’s newest expansion and construction project building at the state-of-the-art Wendell Campus,” said Messinger.

“Wake Tech is committed to providing education that leads directly to good jobs in our community,” said  Matt Smith, Wake Tech Foundation Vice President, Development, and Strategic Partnerships.  “We are excited to partner with Meridian Waste to help deserving adults learn a skill that is needed in our community, and one that will hopefully allow them to compete for a life changing job with a preferred employer like Meridian Waste.”



PHOTO IMAGE 1 – Meridian Waste Scholarship for Clean Communities check presentation.  Matt Smith, Wake Tech Foundation, Vice President, Development and Strategic Partnerships (left); Patrick Messinger, Meridian Waste Area President in North Carolina (middle), and Scott Ralls, President, Wake Technical Community College (right).

PHOTO IMAGE 2 – Meridian Waste maintenance tech at work.

PHOTO IMAGE 3 – Meridian Waste landfill heavy equipment operations.

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About Meridian Waste:

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Meridian Waste is a company defined by its commitment to servicing its customers, caring for and engaging its employees, and generating financial value for its shareholders while delivering a clean and healthy community. The company’s core waste business is centered on residential, commercial, and industrial non-hazardous waste collection and disposal. Currently, the company operates in Northeast Fla., St. Louis, Mo., Goldston, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., Greensboro, NC, Greenville, S.C., Knoxville, Tenn., Blacksburg, Va., Harrisonburg, Va., and Richmond, Va., servicing more than 304,014 residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers. In addition to a fleet of commercial, residential, and roll-off trucks, the company operates 14 hauling companies, five transfer stations/materials recycling facilities (MRFs), two municipal solid waste landfills, and four C&D landfills in which 948,016 tons of waste are safely disposed of annually. For more information, visit MeridianWaste.com.

About Wake Technical College:

Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 64,000 adults annually, with seven campuses, two training centers, multiple community sites, and a comprehensive array of online learning options. Wake Tech is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and offers more than 250 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment. More than half of those programs can be completed online. Wake Tech also offers short-term, non-degree programs as well as public safety training, small business support, customized corporate training, and basic skills courses such as English as a Second Language and high school equivalency preparation. Wake Tech also serves high school students at four Cooperative Innovative High Schools in partnership with Wake County Public Schools.  For more information, visit waketech.edu or @waketechcc on social media.

About Wake Tech Foundation:

The Wake Tech Foundation believes in making an education possible for anyone in the community who wants one, so that the Triangle region remains the best place to live and work in the world. The Foundation cultivates and manages a variety of resources critical to the college's success: corporate investments, private grants, alumni and employee contributions and financial and in-kind support from many other friends of the college. These resources fund diverse projects, from student scholarships and faculty support to broader instructional and institutional needs. For more information, visit foundation.waketech.edu.