Education remains the key to unlocking skills and driving economic prosperity in the United States. The partnership between Chattanooga State-commonly referred to as ChattState-and the state of Tennessee to build the WACKER Institute was created to reshape the landscape of manufacturing education and prepare students for careers in the chemical industry across the region.
"This partnership was a move to bring more innovative, technology-driven educational opportunities to students in southeast Tennessee. These programs began to create a pathway to chemical operator positions at WACKER, but today, they also prepare pathways to many industries in our area. It is an example of a successful partnership," said WACKER-Charleston Site Leader Ken Collins.
The WACKER Institute, a $5 million pilot plant and training facility that opened in February 2012, provides well-structured training programs and apprenticeships and annually produces approximately 15 process-engineering technicians. Through a proven apprenticeship and hands-on training model, this initiative focuses on chemical operations, electrical and instrumentation (E&I) and mechanical systems maintenance.
Dr. Amanda Bennett, Vice President of Student Affairs at ChattState, said, "We have a 97% placement for students completing the training at the Wacker Institute. Since 2022, 105 students have completed the Associate of Applied Science degree, and 290 have completed certificate training programs. Overall, the strategic partnership between ChattState's engineering technology division and WACKER-Charleston has successfully produced well-trained technicians to support the growing need for talent in the chemical industry."
To date, roughly 57% of students completing training at the WACKER Institute have worked at WACKER Chemical Corporation, and the rest of the students are placed with other manufacturing companies.
Chemical operators are instrumental in helping WACKER produce hyperpure polysilicon, a key material in advanced applications such as solar energy (photovoltaics) and semiconductors. Chemical operators are also instrumental in the manufacturing process of HDK, ultrapure amorphous silicon dioxide powder, used as a filler in silicone elastomers and as a viscosity-adjusting agent, for example, in coatings, printing inks and adhesives.
"My previous experience spanning 25 years has been as an engineer and an EH&S manager in the electronics and chemical industry," said Bruce Coulter, a professional engineer and one of ChattState's primary instructors for the Chemical Engineering Technology track. "After being hired, I was sent to Germany to learn the teaching methods at the BBiW institute, WACKER's Vocational Training Center in Burghausen, Germany."
The types of training equipment that Coulter uses at the WACKER Institute include a WACKER Process Training Pilot Plant, which consists of a tank farm, bubble and sieve tray columns, all types of analysis equipment, and control room equipment to monitor, address and control chemical processes like the systems used at the Charleston site. This equipment is part of an overall process for manufacturing polysilicon that helps train students in all aspects of operations, from start-up to shutdown processes and procedures that are essential in a distillation facility and result in producing products that customers will use to manufacture end-user products that enhance people's lives every day.
Career development opportunities at the WACKER Institute empower students with hands-on skills and confidence to operate and monitor manufacturing processes. These highly qualified process technicians play crucial roles in various tasks within any chemical facility, supporting boilers, cooling towers, distillation columns and reactors. Apprenticeship opportunities provide students enrolled in chemical engineering technology, mechatronics systems E&I or mechanical associate of applied science degree programs.
"The WACKER Institute has a two-fold purpose," said Olga Santo, WACKER-Charleston Training Manager. "It provides career development opportunities to current WACKER technical operators interested in advancing their careers at WACKER and presents internship opportunities to students enrolled in the Associates of Applied Technology Programs."
Access videos of the WACKER Institute and WACKER's production processes by visiting YouTube. Searching the terms "WACKER Institute," "WACKER polysilicon" or "WACKER fumed silica HDK."
For more information contact:
WACKER Institute
Chattanooga State
4501 Amnicola Hwy.
Chattanooga, TN 37406
423-697-4434
wackerinstitute@chattanoogastate.edu
chattanoogastate.edu/wacker-institute
WACKER Polysilicon North America, LLC
553 WACKER Blvd.
P.O. Box 446
Charleston, TN 37310
423-780-7950
www.wacker.com