TSTC in Waco Alumnus Flying High as Instructor in McGregor

(WACO) – David L. Ruiz can touch the sky, whether it is preaching a positive message from the pulpit or flying airplanes cross-country.

“I’ve always wanted to be a pilot since I was 3 years old,” said Ruiz, 52, a 2004 graduate of Texas State Technical College in Waco. “Our house was under the flight path of an airport. I would spend hours watching the airplanes coming in.”

Ruiz has been chief flight instructor at Aurora Aviation in McGregor since 2008. Aurora Aviation provides corporate flight service and teaches people how to fly. The company is owned by federal defense contractor Advanced Concepts and Technologies International with offices in Waco and Arlington, Virginia.

Aurora Aviation uses the same flight syllabus that TSTC’s Aircraft Pilot Training program in Waco uses for its students. TSTC currently has 125 students who can earn the Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Pilot Training or the degree with a helicopter specialization. The students can also earn a certificate in Aircraft Pilot Technology Commercial Pilot-Helicopter or an enhanced skills certificate in Multi-Engine Aircraft Pilot.

“Our graduates have a variety of choices with regard to job opportunities, including but not limited to flight instruction, banner towing, tour flights, ferry flights, aerial photography, pipeline patrol, firefighting and agricultural applications,” said Rick Connor, lead instructor in the Aircraft Pilot Training program. “Those who choose the airline route have pipeline programs to choose from such as Skywest, ExpressJet or Envoy.”

Boeing’s 2016 Pilot and Technician Outlook found North America will need 112,000 pilots in the next two decades.

“Right now the demand for pilots is high,” Ruiz said. “For McLennan County to have aviation schools is an advantage for the students here.”

The company has three full-time flight instructors and one part-time instructor, with Ruiz being the only one having graduated from TSTC.

“Really, from the get-go he has been like a mentor,” said Matt Wallace, 28, a U.S. Army veteran and a former TSTC flight instructor now working for Ruiz. “He has been great, saying that I need to come along on flights. It has been good seeing David in action. I have gotten to go on some of David’s corporate flights.”

Ruiz stays busy in other areas of aviation. He is a corporate pilot and an adjunct lecturer at Baylor University’s Institute for Air Science. He buys and sells airplanes, and he owns Pegasus Drone Service in Waco for real estate, agricultural and search and rescue work. He also officiates at weddings.

Ruiz was born in Midland and grew up in Odessa. His father was from Mexico and worked in oil fields, but when Ruiz was a young child he wanted his family to be migrant farmworkers.

“If there was a field to pick, the Ruiz family was there,” Ruiz said. “We picked in the Southwest and up the West Coast. My father said if you could walk you could work.”

The family eventually settled in Eloy, Arizona, and Twin Falls, Idaho, before his father died and his mother moved her four children back to Texas. The children were homeschooled by their mother, but Ruiz eventually graduated in 1982 from Lee High School in Midland.

Ruiz went on a mission trip to Brazil in high school and felt God called him into the ministry. He put his aviation dreams on hold and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. He worked three jobs to put himself through college.

It was during his junior year at Hardin-Simmons that Ruiz traveled to TSTC in Waco to meet the Aircraft Pilot Training faculty. Ruiz said he does not remember how he heard about TSTC, but he knew he needed to see the campus.

Ruiz studied flight training in the late 1980s at TSTC in Waco and took an academic hiatus before graduating in 2004 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Pilot Training.

“You have to go where the job is,” Ruiz said. “You just have to love aviation.”

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TSTC in Marshall Alumni Indulging in Maintenance Work at Dallas Culinary Company

(MARSHALL) – Two Texas State Technical College in Marshall graduates are ensuring that the production of icing, cupcakes and cookies is trouble-free and on time for clients nationwide.

Derrick Jackson, 41, of Garland and Bradley Moody, 25, of Irving work in maintenance at CSM Bakery Solutions’ manufacturing facility in northwest Dallas. Jackson is a regional maintenance manager working with company-wide safety efforts and providing oversight to plants in Dallas, Houston and Bonner Springs, Kansas. Moody is a maintenance administrator and coordinator.

Jackson and Moody had some things in common before they began working together: both grew up in Marshall and graduated from Marshall High School – Jackson in 1993 and Moody in 2009.

“I still have family in Marshall,” Jackson said. “When Bradley graduated from TSTC, my sister was working in Marshall with his fiancée (now wife) at the time. She told me there was a young man named Bradley working in my field and he was willing to move. We made contact to see what he was looking for. He came up and interviewed and was hired.”

CSM Bakery Solutions has more than 8,500 employees working at 34 manufacturing facilities, 26 distribution centers and four innovation centers in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe. The industrial baking company’s frozen doughs, batters, brioches, muffins and other items are distributed to customers in 100 nations.

Jackson said the Dallas plant, which has more than 250 employees, can produce more than 300,000 cupcakes in an eight-hour shift. The Dallas plant functions 24 hours a day.

Some of TSTC’s statewide technical programs that fit the company’s mission include Culinary Arts, Computer Science, Engineering, Industrial Maintenance, Industrial Systems Technology and Logistics Technology.

“CSM is looking for enthusiastic, positive and hard-working employees,” said Francoise Caraguel, global vice president of talent management based at the company’s headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. “We look for individuals who are willing to take on roles that will challenge them daily. Communication and the ability to work with others is key.”

Jackson began work at CSM in 2009 after working in industrial maintenance at other organizations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“Updates in the real world don’t change as fast as technology changes,” Jackson said. “When you walk into a facility, you may not have worked on the equipment you are seeing. They may be a generation behind, but they are running hard. If you will get the same output out of something, why change it?”

Jackson said that away from the machinery it is good for newer workers to find a mentor with experience to learn from.

“Just don’t be out there on your own,” he said. “You need to learn this business as a whole. It is a lucrative career path that a lot of people overlook.”

Jackson was in the second graduating class at TSTC in Marshall in 1994 when he received a certificate in Industrial Maintenance. He liked that he could attend college locally.

“You can graduate from TSTC and go straight to work and understand what the business is about,” Jackson said. “Their programs are designed for the industry. The instructors came out of industry.”

Moody graduated from TSTC in Marshall with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Mechatronics in 2012.

“I liked that hands-on experience prepared me and at least got me familiar with the equipment,” Moody said. “I just applied the theories I learned to the actual real-life situations.”

Moody started as a company floor technician in 2013 before being promoted to his current position. He credits Jackson with being his professional mentor.

“I assist Derrick and the maintenance supervisors with the daily tasks and planned work,” Moody said. “I manage the assets of all our equipment and assist with projects.”

Moody transferred all his TSTC credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree in Technical Management from DeVry University in 2015.

Caraguel said the company recruits college students nationally through its new CSM UP! initiative, putting them to work in their degree fields with other interns, managers and administrators. Video conferencing is used for students to learn from company executives located at other facilities.

For more information on CSM Bakery Solutions, go to csmbakerysolutions.com.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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Student Success Profile – Norma Ferrer Avila

(HARLINGEN) – Norma Ferrer Avila is a student at Texas State Technical College pursuing an associate degree in Dental Hygiene. The Brownsville native is expected to graduate in Spring 2017 and currently holds a 3.4 grade-point average.

The 26-year-old stays busy with her 3-year-old son and her volunteer work with the Student Government Association and Love Brownsville, a volunteer organization within her church that helps the less fortunate in her community. She also serves as historian in the Student American Dental Hygiene Association and as a Texas Volunteer Deputy Registrar, helping TSTC students register to vote.

What are you plans after gNorma Ferrer Avila Student Success Profileraduation?

After I graduate in the spring I plan on moving to the San Antonio area and begin working as a registered dental hygienist.

What’s your dream job?

I dream of traveling the world and educating people about proper oral healthcare. I see myself working with various communities to better people’s oral health and serve as a volunteer for those who may not be able to afford dental care.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment has been working with the Office of Student Success as a mentor. I’ve been able to guide and advise other students on their academics and push them to use the resources available to them here at TSTC.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

I’ve recently learned that supporting and motivating others is one of my greatest passions. I’ve worked to let others know that it is okay to fall as long as they get back up and accomplish what they intended to do in the first place. I’ve learned to stay strong and positive, and take one day at a time.

Name a TSTC person who has most influenced your success?

Mrs. Gladys Arjona, dental hygiene instructor, has been my biggest influence. She is the most dedicated person I know. I love her passion for everything she does and how she is always prepared for her students.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

I want others to remember one thing: “The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you’ve come.”

TSTC Voter Registration Exceeds Goal

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College in Harlingen has done it yet again.  Student leaders from Student Life and Engagement, with assistance from Student Government Association, recently registered another record number of new voters this election year.

The TSTC voter registration initiative began in March of 2012 and has since helped register over 2,000 voters.  The 2016 movement alone registered 1,043.

“We received 1,001 new voters four years ago, so we wanted to surpass that,” said Coordinator of Student Orientation and Activities Larissa Moreno.  “We’re a very competitive group of individuals, so I knew we could do this.”

Voter turnout in South Texas has been very low in previous elections compared to other parts of the state where eight of 10 residents go to the polls.

“Only two out of 10 people inTSTC Voter Registration the Rio Grande Valley vote,” said Roel Gonzalez, New Student Orientation Leader.  “We need to be aware of everything that’s going on in the nation.  It’s going to affect all of us.”

To support these efforts, TSTC hosted two debate watch parties in September and October, and also partnered with the Advocacy Alliance Center of Texas (AACT NOW), an organization that focuses on getting people from South Texas to the polls.

“They sent us a 30-second commercial to show on campus, which helped us reach more people, and also helped us a lot with flyers and signage,” said Moreno.

Student organizers reminded students that casting a ballot could make a difference for their community, their home and even their college.

“Just because we’re younger and in college doesn’t mean we’re any less represented in politics.  We need to have our voices heard,” said orientation leader Adriana Gonzalez.

Gonzalez says educating young voters is one of the keys to making sure that they go out and utilize their right to vote.

“We need to be aware about things going on in our society,” said TSTC student Larry Montalvo, who assisted with the initiative.  “We can’t just look the other way.  We need to progressively make the strides to make things happen.”

TSTC will be a precinct for early voting in Cameron County.  Residents can vote in the VIP Room of the Student Center from October 31 through November 4, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m.

Election Day takes place on November 8.

For more information on New Student Orientation or Student Government Association, visit http://www.tstc.edu/campuses/harlingen.

TSTC and the Pizzeria Join Forces in the Battle to End Hunger

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College, the TSTC Staff Senate and the Pizzeria in Harlingen are joining forces to help its low-income students that may face family or financial hardships.

On November 2, TSTC students, faculty and staff; and the Harlingen community are invited to visit the Pizzeria between 4:30 and 8:30 p.m. to purchase a large pepperoni pizza for $10. All proceeds from this event will go to support Charlie’s Pantry, TSTC’s free food pantry for students in housing.

“We have basically run out of food, we rely on donations to supply our pantry,” said Director of Housing Amy Garza. “Charlie’s Pantry is a great way to offer our student residents some food while they get back on their feet.”

Many students depend on financial aid to assist with their tuition, fees and rent. Normally, this means there is no extra money available for food or other necessities. Garza said she typically assists 10-15 residents or families a semester with items from the pantry.

“Many of our residents don’t have parents or family to depend on. Or some have families of their own to support,” said Garza. “No matter the situation many are mostly on their own. This is why we are grateful to TSTTSTC Staff Senate & the Pizzeria FundraiserC Staff Senate and Pizzeria’s support and help with this cause.”

Sharon Farias, TSTC Provost Office executive assistant and Staff Senate president, said this fundraiser is supplementing their annual canned food drive.

Now in its third year, Staff Senate’s canned food drive runs through December 2. There will be donation boxes campus-wide. Additionally, with the money raised, Staff Senate hopes to not only supply canned food and other non-perishable items, but also microwavable food so students can enjoy hot meals.

“We want our students to have more meal options,” said Farias. “Many students go without eating because they don’t have the funds, but we want to help change that. And depending on the amount raised we also want to help our other campus pantry located in the Student Center.”

For TSTC science instructor and Pizzeria co-owner Dr. Emmanuel Formacio-Serna, joining this cause is also about helping students succeed and get a good paying job so they do not have to face this type of adversity again.

“Being hungry affects everything,” said Formacio. “It affects your health and your ability to concentrate in class. These students are our future and it’s sad to see that many of them go without access to food.”

As an instructor for the past 15 years, Formacio has seen firsthand the effect hunger has on his students. He and his brothers made a pact before opening the Pizzeria that they would give back to their communities the best they could, so when he was approached with this opportunity, he says it was only natural for him to say yes.

“For many of our students living here on campus, this is the first time they have a steady place to live. This is the first time they don’t have to worry about their electricity or water being shut off,” said Formacio. “So I don’t think they should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.”

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reports that food insecurity has become a problem because of rising tuition costs and an increase in the number of college students from low-income families.

According to the College and University Food Bank Alliance, at least 14 colleges in Texas and hundreds across the country have opened food pantries to help support students through college.

For more information on the fundraiser or to donate to the student food pantry call 956-364-4023.

Double That: TSTC, Whataburger of East Texas Unite to Raise Scholarship Money

(MARSHALL) – Add the bacon, order the ketchup or ask for double patties – Whataburger fans can do all these and more to benefit students at Texas State Technical College in Marshall.

Longview-based Whataburger of East Texas will have an Oh Whata Night! fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the East End Boulevard South and Victory Drive locations in Marshall. Twenty percent of all orders from the eateries will be given to the Make a Texas-Sized Difference campaign developed by The TSTC Foundation for the Texan Success Scholarship. The technical college will match the proceeds.

“By supporting this effort, you are not only helping a person get the skills they need to get a high- paying job and change the life of their family, but you are also helping to fill industry demand and build a stronger workforce for East Texas and across the entire state,” said Jessica Ford, field development officer for The TSTC Foundation.

The East End Boulevard South location will host the restaurant chain’s mascot, Whataguy, and have games and prize giveaways.

“The event helps the community know what is going on and also educate people that TSTC has a scholarship program,” said Kayla Richardson, marketing director of Whataburger of East Texas.

This is the first time Whataburger of East Texas and TSTC have united for an education effort.

“Our goal is to help fund any area in the education system that is lacking or needing some assistance,” Richardson said. “We pinpoint and go toward trying to help them as much as possible.”

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC in Waco Hosts Industry Career Day

(WACO) – More than 600 Texas State Technical College in Waco students attended Thursday’s Industry Career Day to learn about careers in welding technology, aviation maintenance, instrumentation technology and other fields.

The event included companies from throughout Texas, and as far away as the U.S. Virgin Islands, convening to talk to students who could be future employees.

Washington County Tractor in Brenham sells a variety of hay equipment, tractors, trailers and parts for the agricultural and construction industries. The company is quickly expanding in Central Texas and has a need for diesel mechanics to work on the New Holland and Kubota brands they sell.

John Dowling, the company’s corporate parts and service director, wanted to attend the event because of the quality of TSTC graduates he has employed in the past. The company has more than 130 employees in Brenham, Bryan, Navasota, Sealy and Temple.

“We need more schools like TSTC,” Dowling said. “We need quality employees.”

Plastipak Holdings Inc. has facilities in Garland and Highlands and specializes in plastic bottle manufacturing. Kevin Tolly, the company’s human resources manager, said he was seeking technical degree majors who knew how to mechanically troubleshoot.

Tolly credited TSTC’s Career Services staff for having good business knowledge of what is needed in industry.

“We met a lot of folks that will be very good,” he said.

Dustin Uptmore is familiar with TSTC in Waco; he is a 2007 Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology graduate and has been employed at Capstone Mechanical in Waco his whole career. The company has 150 employees.

Uptmore said the company was interested in finding potential plumbing apprentices, service technicians and HVAC commercial mechanics.

“It was good today,” Uptmore said. “I met a lot of welding and HVAC students. I’ve been to every Industry Career Day event the past three years.”

Some students were impressed employers took time to visit the technical college to learn about them.

Eligio Puente, 19, of Rosebud is a Computer Networking and Systems Administration major planning to graduate in the spring.

“I liked the way you learn what they have in jobs and you can take your resume to give to people,” he said. “It’s good interaction with them.”

Bryne Henry, 20, of Moody is majoring in Cyber Security and Computer Networking and Systems Administration and said he was encouraged by company representatives giving him information on how to learn about their work and available jobs. He is scheduled to graduate next summer.

Henry said he enjoyed visiting the Austin-based Loop1 Systems Inc. booth. The company specializes in Internet technology professional services and training and was recently named a Top 5,000 fastest-growing company, according to Inc. Magazine.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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Del Rio Students Continue Welding Technology Tradition at TSTC in Waco

(WACO) – The presence of Del Rio High School graduates studying Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College in Waco is becoming a familiar sight.

“As far back as when I was a student at TSTC in the late 1990s, there were guys from Del Rio here,” said Ashley Yezak, a Welding Technology instructor at TSTC in Waco.

Del Rio on the Texas-Mexico border and Waco in Central Texas are more than 300 miles apart. But what connects the cities is Tod Townsend, Del Rio High School’s welding instructor and his passion for the field he wants to pass on to his students. He estimated 25 Del Rio students have traveled in the last seven years to Waco to study for certificates and Associate of Applied Science degrees in Welding Technology.

“Every year I take some of my juniors and seniors on a tour around Texas for three days and we visit all the welding schools we can,” Townsend said. “When I was at TSTC and met all the instructors and saw the rigor of the courses, it looked like the best program for sure.”

Arturo Ponce, 19, took one of the college tours and liked the hands-on tradition of attending TSTC.

“You can go anywhere there is a job,” he said about welding. “There is always a need.”

Ponce and Luis Saucedo, 19, are already connecting their college learning experiences to industry by working part time at a fabrication shop in Crawford. Luis Saucedo’s brother graduated from TSTC in Waco earlier this year with an associate degree in Welding Technology and worked at the same business.

Saucedo said he likes learning additional skills in gas tungsten arc welding that build on the basics he learned in Del Rio.

Jose Munoz, 20, a second-year Welding Technology student, said he wants to learn about metalworking so he can work on older automobiles and hot rods.

Most of the students live on campus in the Village Oaks Apartments, though not all are roommates. The apartments the students congregate in typically have the newest video games and occasionally flow with musical sounds from the border.

“Here in Waco you need money to do something, but down there in Del Rio, not really,” Munoz said. “You can go to the creek, the lake.”

Some of the students said it has been an adjustment getting used to Waco, particularly with traffic and stop lights. Some students have learned that Spanish is not the dominant language in the area, while others crave Del Rio’s locally made tortilla chips.

“We feel like we are taking care of each other,” Ponce said.

Roberto Lopez, 19, a second-year Welding Technology student, does not think the drive to Del Rio is that lengthy. He grew up on a ranch and often helped his father with welding projects.

“I go home almost every weekend,” he said “The biggest thing I have miss is my family.”

Townsend sends his students off with other skills to help them in classes, and later, jobs.

“Pretty much anyone can teach the skill of welding,” he said. “But I can teach them how to be professional. I meet them in the hall, look them in the eye and shake their hands. I believe you have to be professional before anything. If you teach them that, no matter what field they are in, they are going to be successful.”

Townsend thinks more of his welding students will be on their way to Waco in years to come. Del Rio’s welding program has at least 60 students this year, Townsend said.

“He actually cares about the program and the reputation it has at the high school,” said Joshua A. Garcia, 19.

The San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated School District is finishing construction on the Gerardo J. Maldonado Career and Technical Education Center, which will house welding, automotive, construction and other technical programs that are now taught at Del Rio High School. Townsend expects all the technical programs to grow because there will be more learning space. Classes will begin at the new building in January.

For more information on TSTC, log on to tstc.edu.

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TSTC Alumnus Drives Consumer Data For Brand Impact in Austin

(WACO) – Just like the tools he uses in his job, Jerry McNeal has had to evolve and learn new methods and tasks.

From starting as an illustrator with pens and boards in the 1980s at a Fort Worth defense and aerospace company to now using sophisticated software as a member of Austin’s growing technology sector, McNeal, 52, has to keep up. He is a technical success manager at Bazaarvoice in north Austin where he works with the company’s more than 5,000 global clients on technical issues.

McNeal graduated in 1985 from Texas State Technical College in Waco with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Design and Technical Illustration (now an Associate of Applied Science degree in Visual Communication Technology).

“There are a lot of students that are best suited to go to TSTC because they need to go to work,” McNeal said. “They don’t have the time to invest in going to school for five years. I really do like TSTC. I think it’s a great school and offers a great education.”

Bazaarvoice sets up platforms used for global consumer-generated reviews and content for brands and companies, and it maintains search engine optimization for clients. Social media also plays a role in keeping information relevant to consumers, driving their buying habits.

“It is a very casual place to work,” McNeal said. “It’s much like other technology companies that you run into. We are about 12 years old and that is fairly new.”

Bazaarvoice has about 800 employees worldwide. Some of TSTC’s technical programs that fit the company’s mold include software development, computer science, web design and development technology, and digital media design, said Graham Pionkowski, Bazaarvoice’s director of talent acquisition in Austin.

Challenges, risk, striving for innovation and collaboration are some of the qualities Bazaarvoice’s potential and present employees should have besides technical knowledge, Pionkowski said.

“I feel the company is on a path of growth in the coming years,” he said. “It’s important to have a foothold in the talent market and the employer brand to make sure we are filling the organization with the right lifeblood to continue to succeed. We are built around our employees.”

McNeal grew up in Austin and is a graduate of Reagan High School. He heard about TSTC from his brother, who studied aviation maintenance in the early 1980s in Waco.

“When I got out of high school I wasn’t interested in a four-year college at the time,” McNeal said. “I liked working more than I wanted to go to school. That is why I chose to go to TSTC. It allowed me to take all the courses I wanted to take that were of interest. I worked full time when I was going to school.”

He said he had three job offers upon graduation from TSTC. From Fort Worth, McNeal went on to work in College Station and Tennessee before returning to the capital of Texas.

“Names like Google, Facebook, Amazon and well-known brands in the United States and worldwide are setting up shop and expanding in Austin, which has made it more competitive but also welcome because we are getting some of the best talent across the world in this wonderful city,” Pionkowski said.

For more information on Bazaarvoice, go to bazaarvoice.com.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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TSTC Employer Spotlights Offer Job Preparation, Careers

Texas State Technical College aims for its students to get in, get out and get a job. One way the college is working toward fulfilling this goal is by hosting employer spotlight events at each of its 10 campuses.

Employer spotlights are unique, personal demonstrations where industry employers are brought in to teach students about their company and, often, hire new employees.

“These spotlights are an interactive showcase of a company’s culture and values, current openings, and even salary structure and employee benefits,” said Julia Humphrey, Director of Talent Management for TSTC in West Texas. “The setting usually begins as a company presentation, but also offers students the opportunity to ask questions and really get a better understanding of what it takes to get a job in that industry. Employment partners welcome these recruiting opportunities and may also review resumes, conduct interviews and make employment offers.”

One company who participates in TSTC’s employer spotlight program is NextEra Energy Resources. NextEra employs approximately 5,000 people in 25 states and Canada. Last month, the company visited with eight Wind Energy Technology students at TSTC and made four job offers at their employer spotlight event. Aaron Chavarria, who graduates in December, was one of the students hired. He will begin working as a Technician III in Panhandle, Texas, in three to four weeks.

“I’ll be performing basic maintenance and troubleshooting procedures,” Chavarria said. “The first thing I’ll be doing when I get there is training. They will send me to a two-week boot camp in Woodward, Oklahoma, to train me on their standards.”

Humphrey believes that employer spotlights are an important exercise.

“These spotlights begin that shift from the student mindset to that of a professional candidate,” she said. “These events are an important tool that the Talent Management department uses for building the future workforce.”

Chavarria also recognized the significance of the exercise.

“I took it very seriously,” Chavarria said. “The night before, I got my dress clothes – some khakis and a nice button-up shirt – and ironed them. I went over some interviewing procedures online, because I knew I would have the opportunity to interview with them. I got my notes ready with what questions I would want to ask the employers when they’re there. I prepared myself. The day and night before I was pretty much living like I was already there.”

He began the day dressed for success and well-prepared.

“I was very confident, but did I expect to walk out with a job? No,” Chavarria said. “I thought I had a great opportunity to have a follow-up interview in the future, but I didn’t think they would hire me on the spot.”

Chavarria is thankful and relieved to have reached his end goal ahead of schedule.

“The instructors mentioned to us when we started that there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. For the longest time, for three semesters and going into your fourth, that light isn’t there. You begin to feel antsy and anxious. Once you see that light, like mine with NextEra, when I actually got offered the job, it was a big sigh of relief knowing that everything I worked for over the last 15 months paid off. That’s what I came to school for and it’s truly worth it.”

For more information on TSTC and the college’s Talent Management resources, visit www.tstc.edu.