The North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies provides facilities for applied research in engineering related fields and serves as a conduit to baccalaureate education delivered by the University of North Carolina system schools.
The primary schools involved in the center are Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University, University of North Carolina – Charlotte, Catawba Valley Community College, Caldwell County Community College and Technical Institute, and Western Piedmont Community College. The Center may collaborate with other schools in bringing the best programs to the region to meet the employment needs.
Plans are underway for programs from NC A&T University and East Carolina University!
Our Facilities
The 55,000 square feet facility was transferred from the Future Forward Economic Alliance to Appalachian State University on December 28, 2007. The Center includes 22,500 square feet of remodeled space for offices, laboratories and classrooms.
A Golden Leaf Foundation grant for $600,000 has been awarded to partially fund the laboratories. Final budget approval was requested from the Golden Leaf Foundation on March 3, 2008. Equipment purchasing began summer 2008 to establish three laboratories for delivering the research/laboratory components of the Engineering Technologies that will be delivered in the facility. The grant was extended through 12/31/09.
A Department of Education grant for $143,449 was awarded to support equipment, furniture and supply purchases for the Polymers and Patternmaking laboratories. This funding has allowed the purchase of plastics processing equipment inlcuding injection molding, thermal forming, blow molding, rotational molding, extrusion molding, compression molding and polymer testing equipment inlcuding impact, tension, shear, compression, hardness and flow testing for various polymers in accordance with ASTM standards.
What's in the future?
- Survey results and other economic and employment trends are used to identify appropriate programs to bring to the Center.
- All initial programs build upon the community college programs and provide the second two years of the baccalaureate degree.
- Meetings are being held with Community Colleges and Universities to determine programs of best fit.
- Possible programs: Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Technology, Applied Engineering Technology, Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology, Electronics Technology and Computer Information Systems.
The Greater Hickory Partnership
The North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies (NCCET) is part of the Greater Hickory Partnership formed by Appalachian State University on March 3, 2009.
Industries Served by the Center
- Atkinson Design
- Baldor Dodge Reliance
- Catepillar
- Century Furniture
- Clear Cut Jab, Inc.
- CommScope
- Conover Plastics
- Continental Teves
- Corning Cable Systems
- CST, MDI
- Elk Products
- Flextronics
- General Dynamics
- Hickory Springs
- Leviton Manufacturing
- LinkIt Medical
- Lowes Home Centers
- Molded Fiber Glass
- Penske Jasper Engines
- Penske Racing
- PolyChemAlloy
- RDM Electronics
- Roll Tech
- Toner Machining
- Tyco Electronics
- Viscotec Auto Products
- Volex
- Wix Corporation
- ZF Lemforder