WINSTON-SALEM (November 6, 2025) – The Piedmont Triad is surging into a new era of green, fuel-efficient cars and planes. And Forsyth Tech helps supply workers to fill the new jobs.

“The beauty of community colleges, especially in my opinion in North Carolina, is that we are designed to be very local. We are all about making sure that the programs we offer are supporting the communities where we are located,” Forsyth Tech President Dr. Janet Spriggs says in the accompanying video.

“So we are situated in the booming Piedmont Triad region, no pun intended, although Boom Supersonic is a part of that, as well as JetZero, Honda Jet, so many aviation companies. We know that Toyota is playing a big part in North Carolina’s economic prosperity right now and into the future,” Spriggs says.

“We have programs at Forsyth Tech that provide workers to fill these jobs at all of these companies within the region, Day One. They graduate ready on Day One to go in and do the work that is needed. And we work hand-in-hand with our employers to make sure that we’re able to do that. So we have an aviation program at our Aviation Campus.”

The training isn’t solely about jets.

“Before Toyota even built their newest and biggest plant, we were already the Southeast Region Toyota T-10 Certification provider for the whole Southeast Region. So we have folks coming from all over the state, as well as South Carolina, Georgia, all of the states surrounding us. And we have an apprenticeship program for Toyota.”

FORSYTH TECH also has a unique partnership with battery-powered carmaker Rivian – the college’s program is the first in the state for Rivian SUV technicians.

“It’s a different kind of automotive, because it’s all battery-powered, but we are excited to have that partnership. And we’re about to start a new partnership with Honda, as well,” Spriggs says.

Rivian supplied the college with vehicles, equipment, training materials and an instructor, she says. Every one of the trainees in the first three cohorts of students is employed, and the college is now launching its fourth group.

So yes, a new green economy is booming in the Piedmont Triad – with considerable help from Forsyth Tech.