SLCC Appoints Jason Wood to Lead Salt Lake Technical College

Taylorsville, Utah - August 6, 2025

Salt Lake Community College has named Dr. Jason Wood as the new Vice President of Salt Lake Technical College (SL Tech), a workforce engine embedded within SLCC that delivers short-term, employer-aligned training in high-demand fields across Utah’s innovation economy.

Wood brings over 20 years of leadership in technical and community college education, most recently as President of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College. There, he led data-driven reforms that eliminated outdated programs and expanded hands-on training linked to high-wage careers—earning national recognition, including the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Wood said the most rewarding part of his work is “helping students realize they can learn, persist, and succeed—especially those who never imagined themselves in college.” He added, “I’ve seen how education transforms lives, and I’m excited to bring that energy to SLCC.”

SL Tech is already positioned as a cornerstone of Utah’s workforce development strategy. With six campuses across the Salt Lake Valley, the college offers more than 60 programs—including credentials and apprenticeships in robotics, composites, advanced manufacturing, IT, and energy systems. Many of these are short-term offerings, with subsidized tuition through programs like Short-Term Intensive Training (STIT).

“Dr. Wood emerged as an exceptional candidate because of his deep commitment to student success and his proven ability to lead transformative initiatives in technical education,” said SLCC President Dr. Greg Peterson. “His track record—especially at Southwest Tech, where he helped reshape programs to ensure graduates entered high-wage careers—is exactly the kind of visionary leadership we value at SLCC.”

Wood said he was drawn to SL Tech’s “unique hybrid structure—offering both academic credit and non-credit workforce training under one roof.” He added, “There’s incredible potential to scale strategies I’ve used in rural colleges to a large, urban setting like Salt Lake.”

His appointment comes as Utah continues to expand its tech economy, driving demand for workers in fields such as software, AI, automation, biotech, and clean energy. SL Tech’s model of stackable credentials, microcredentials, and public-private apprenticeship partnerships puts it at the intersection of education and economic development.

Wood holds a Ph.D. in Education from Oregon State University, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Idaho, and a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. Personally, he looks forward to reconnecting with family in the area—and exploring Utah’s outdoors with his wife and six daughters.

See more about SL Tech here.