NTC Wood Technology Center of Excellence

06/01/2026

From the classroom to the golf course, Wood Science students are putting their skills to work! 🏎️🔥

In this video, Wood Science students are laser engraving race cars that will be featured as giveaway items at our 12th Annual Golf Fore Scholarship Outing. Events like this help make a huge impact for our students, with every full-time student in the Wood Science Associate Degree program receiving $5,500 in scholarships throughout their time at NTC.

Scholarship support helps students focus on building hands-on skills, industry knowledge, and real-world experience that prepares them for successful careers in the forest products industry.
We’re proud to see students involved not only in the classroom and lab, but also in preparing for events that help support future generations of Wood Science students. ⛳

05/29/2026

Precision and consistency matter in manufacturing — and our Wood Science students are getting hands-on experience with both. 🏎️⚙️

In this video, an automated chop saw is being used to cut race car blanks for giveaway items that will be featured at our 12th Annual Golf Fore Scholarship Outing.

Using automated equipment like this allows products to be standardized quickly and accurately, ensuring every piece is cut to the same specifications while improving efficiency and workflow. These are the same types of manufacturing principles students use throughout the Wood Science program to prepare for careers in the forest products industry.

Every race car being produced also helps support student success, with proceeds from the golf outing funding scholarships for full-time Wood Science students at NTC. ⛳

05/27/2026

Wow! Great job!

05/25/2026

Precision matters in the world of woodworking and manufacturing. In this video, an NTC Wood Science student is preparing knife stock before grinding custom moulder knives; carefully removing excess material to ensure both knives weigh exactly the same.

Balanced knives are critical for smooth operation in a moulder. Even slight differences in weight can create vibration, reduce cut quality, increase wear on equipment, and become a major safety concern at high speeds. Attention to detail like this is what separates quality craftsmanship from the rest. ⚙️

05/22/2026

From grading lumber to applying a flawless finish, students in the Wood Science program at Northcentral Technical College gain hands-on experience with every step of the manufacturing process. In this clip, a student in our Adhesives & Finishing class uses an HVLP (High Volume, Low Pressure) spray system to apply the second coat of finish to a black cherry (Prunus serotina) panel.

This panel is part of a lumber grading display that will arrange boards from the highest grade to the lowest, helping students and visitors see the differences side by side. Using knowledge from their Lumber Grading class, students evaluate each board based on characteristics such as knots, color, grain, and defects to determine the proper grade. Accurate lumber grading helps manufacturers maximize value, improve efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure the right material is selected for the right application. Projects like this combine technical knowledge with practical application — preparing students for careers throughout the wood products industry.

05/21/2026

🤩CONGRATULATIONS!!🥳
NTC recently came and delivered the Wood Olympics trophy back to our High School! What a way to end the year for our seniors!

05/19/2026

Congratulations to our wonderful graduates!! 🎓

05/18/2026

From digital design to hands-on manufacturing! 🪵⚙️

In this video, an NTC Wood Science student is grinding knife stock to create custom profiled moulder knives — a design he developed himself in our Digital Design for Manufacturing class. These knives are used in a manual moulder, a machine that can shape and profile all four sides of a board in a single pass, turning rough lumber into finished moulding and custom trim.

In the NTC Wood Science program, students gain real-world experience by combining design, precision machining, and woodworking technology to create industry-ready products from start to finish. Opportunities like this help prepare our students for rewarding careers in the wood products industry while building valuable technical and problem-solving skills along the way.

05/15/2026

From Sawdust to Success, this all new 6-credit certificate, teaches the fundamentals of Sawmill Technology including production operations, lumber grading, kiln drying and safety. www.ntc.edu/academics-training/programs/all/certificate/wood-industry-mill-technology

05/12/2026

All graduates are invited to participate in our Graduation Cap Contest! See the original post for more details.

Spring 2026 graduates - your big moment is almost here!

Make your cap stand out and enter our Graduation Cap Contest for a chance to win prizes!

Show off your creativity, personality and journey at NTC.

To learn more & enter the contest, visit: www.ntc.edu/graduation-cap-contest