TSTC Hosts Drive-In Celebration for Spring Graduates

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus  honored its spring graduates Friday with a drive-in celebration.

“Our students have persevered through a very hard situation, so we wanted to commend them for their efforts,” said Tara Odom, TSTC’s campus enrollment executive. “We are so proud of each one of them.”

Instructors dressed in academic regalia lined the entrance to campus and cheered for graduates and their relatives. Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus, gave each graduate a diploma cover, a pizza and a TSTC alumni bag. The actual diplomas and certificates have been mailed to graduates.

“Moving forward, I do not think there would be anything that could stop this group,” Balch said.

Graduates and their families had the opportunity to take photos in front of a TSTC-themed backdrop. 

Instructors were happy to see their students move forward in their lives.

“This is a mere stepping-stone toward your future and career,” said Elisha Vaughan, an instructor in TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program. “Never lose sight of the things you worked so hard for in your past and the target of your goal in your future.”

Douglas McCuen, lead instructor in TSTC’s Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology program, said graduates will do their best if they enjoy what they do.

“Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world,” he said.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu. 

TSTC spring graduates honored with virtual celebration

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College honored 138 West Texas spring 2020 graduates with a virtual celebration on June 12.

Rick Denbow, who retired as TSTC’s West Texas provost in May, offered his congratulations to the students.

“We are very proud of you and wish you all the best in your careers. I am proud to call each of you a member of the TSTC family,” he said.

TSTC Associate Provost Raquel Mata said it was not the graduation celebration that either TSTC or the students envisioned. Social distancing and attendance limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of May’s commencement ceremony.

“We predicted a roomful of excited graduates and their families, mixed in with proud TSTC faculty and staff,” Mata said. “But COVID-19 changed all that. The virus has created many unique situations worldwide. It has changed the way we learn, communicate and do business. For you, specifically, the pandemic changed your last semester with us. However, you embraced it and continued on.”

Mata said the need for skilled workers is apparent in Texas.

“We know there is a demand for skilled workers in Texas, now more than ever, and the demand will only continue to grow,” she said.

The celebration included a list of names of candidates for graduation representing the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater campuses.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

Texas Farm Bureau offers member scholarships to attend TSTC

(WACO, Texas) – Texas Farm Bureau members have a financial opportunity for family members to attend Texas State Technical College.

“TSTC’s partnership with Texas Farm Bureau is the perfect example of working together for the greater good of Texas. These scholarships help to eliminate the financial barriers for students and families wishing to pursue a technical degree at one of TSTC’s ten campuses across the state,” said Beth Wooten, Chief Executive Officer of The TSTC Foundation. “We are profoundly grateful for the opportunities these scholarships provide in helping TSTC place more Texans in great paying jobs.”

Texas Farm Bureau officials said TSTC was a perfect partner.

“Our members are farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers. The skills students at TSTC learn are valuable to farmers and ranchers,” said Mia Balko, Texas Farm Bureau’s director of Youth Outreach. “That is one of the reasons we started offering these scholarships.”

The Texas Farm Bureau gift allows TSTC to award $1,000 scholarships to eligible first year TSTC students. The scholarships are awarded on a first come, first serve basis to Texas Farm Bureau members.

Other financial opportunities are available for current students, including additional student aid.

Balko said Texas Farm Bureau has been pleased with the success of the scholarship opportunities.

Balko encourages Texas Farm Bureau members attending TSTC to take advantage of this opportunity.

For more information on the Texas Farm Bureau scholarship opportunities, visit tstc.edu/financialaid/scholarships.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Workforce Training Offers Microsoft Office Courses

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training department  is offering nine weeks of online Microsoft Office courses aimed at boosting Texans’ computer skills.

The training will be broken down into three weeks of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word. The lessons will be taught by Haley Chapman, an instructor in TSTC’s Business Management Technology program in Marshall.

“With everything that is happening in the state of Texas, there are a lot of people that either are out of work or are having to drive to do something in order to make money,” said Dirk Hughes, executive director of TSTC’s Workforce Training in Marshall. “I have always felt like the two most important things to do as far as work is to go home at the end of the day and make yourself as marketable as you can.”

Cynthia Mata, statewide chair of TSTC’s Business Management Technology program, said participants might later earn Microsoft Office Specialist certifications on their own.

“Every business, regardless of the type, needs someone to manage the office environment,” she said.

Tuition for the course is $300. Ten people will be included in every online training cohort. Hughes said he can assist eligible employers in securing small business funding from the Texas Workforce Commission to pay for employee training.

For more information on the Microsoft Office training, contact TSTC’s Workforce Training department at 903-923-3374.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Graduates Sought After by Area Companies

(HUTTO, Texas) – Some recent graduates of Texas State Technical College are in-demand by several area companies despite the current economic climate.  

Hunter Henry, a TSTC Career Services associate at the Williamson County campus, said some companies within a 100-mile radius of Hutto have contacted him about multiple open positions they have available. He noticed that jobs for maintenance technicians are among the most plentiful. 

Michael Smith, a senior field development officer for The TSTC Foundation, said TSTC’s Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology programs are also in demand from employee-seeking companies.  Smith works with area companies to build relationships with the college.

“We push for quality,” he said.

Some of the common questions Henry has received from company representatives include how students are doing and if they are looking for jobs.

“I have gotten a lot of questions on what students are expecting to make after they graduate,” Henry said. “They are asking me for that information, which I thought was interesting.”

TSTC’s Williamson County campus had about 40 candidates for graduation in the spring semester. 

Some of the companies that have hired TSTC’s Precision Machining Technology graduates in the past include Athena Manufacturing in Austin and TASUS Corp. in Georgetown. Babeco Fabrication and Machining in Taylor has hired Welding Technology majors, and Cisco systems in Austin has hired Cybersecurity graduates. 

John Newman, owner and chief financial officer of Athena Manufacturing, said his company looks for good students in the high-demand programs at the Williamson County campus. He said the company has about 30 open positions.

“We find students that are interested in what we do and are being educated to do what we do and we find that to be very helpful,” Newman said.

The current economic challenges are calling for creativity for TSTC and area companies alike.

Henry envisions virtual employer spotlights for companies to showcase their work to students, who are their prospective employees.

“One of the things I am excited about in the future is the fact that despite everything that has been happening, the unemployment rate in Texas has been significantly lower than the national average,” Henry said. “I can expect at least in the job market in my area, we will see a lot of resiliency and companies that are innovating and changing the way they do business.”

Lissa Adams, associate provost of TSTC’s Williamson County campus, said she envisions a gradual shift to keep supply chains local. She said TSTC plays a role in economic development discussions as companies are enticed to come to Hutto and the surrounding area.

“They look at how quickly they can get talent and are trained,” Adams said. “Beyond our graduates, that speaks to our workforce. The sheer volume of companies that are interested in this sector, the manufacturing industry, highlights that need.”

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu. 

Industrial Systems program offers a diversity of classes for TSTC students

(ABILENE, Texas) – The Industrial Systems program at Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Technology Center in Abilene offers a diverse curriculum for students.

Instructor Daniel Diaz said students learn different aspects of industrial systems, from hydraulics and electronics to welding and small engine repair.

“We have had students get jobs with the wind industry, prisons and hospitals,” Diaz said. “We teach a lot of different facets, and that helps students in the job market. No matter what the market is doing, we will train students with the skills they need to go where they want to.”

During the three-semester program for the Industrial Systems Mechanic certificate, students perform industry-standard safety procedures, learn mechanical and electrical skills, perfect diagnostic techniques, and read and interpret schematics. In addition, students work with motors, pumps, chillers, boilers and programmable logic controllers.

Current students returned to the Abilene facility this month to complete required lab sessions. Diaz said students are practicing social distancing and have adapted to new safety guidelines, including facial coverings.

“This has taught students to adapt to what has been given to them,” Diaz said. “At any job, you are going to have to adapt and change some things on the fly. This is a good way for students to learn that.”

Diaz said the new safety guidelines have helped him as an instructor.

“It is a good teachable moment. We have to show the students how to be able to adapt to something new,” he said.

Diaz said classes include online lectures, but the most important portion of the course takes place in lab sessions.

“All of the skills students learn come in the form of the labs,” he said. “That is where the bulk of the learning is done.”

TSTC also offers Industrial Systems programs at the East Williamson County, Fort Bend County, Marshall, North Texas and Waco campuses.

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Environmental Technology Program Gets New Decontamination Trailers

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Environmental Technology program has purchased two mobile decontamination trailers for students to use in labs at the Fort Bend County and Waco campuses.

The trailers will be used in the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Training and Related Topics class offered in the fifth semester of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Environmental Technology – Compliance program.

Yvette Vaughan, a program instructor at the Fort Bend County campus, used one of the trailers  at the end of the spring semester. She said her students were excited about the trailer, which led to a discussion about hazardous materials-related jobs in the Houston area.

“The trailer provided an additional three stages of decontamination, which demonstrated a closer replica of a real-life scenario, along with the donated decontamination portable shower received during spring break,” Vaughan said. “The trailer sparked interest in the field. For me as an instructor, I couldn’t have asked for more.”

The trailers, which are constructed of fiberglass and steel, have shower heads and hand wands, external drains, lighting, water hookups and 150-gallon quick-catch pools. 

The trailers improve how instructors teach the class, which is based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. Students who complete the class receive an OSHA certification.

Lester Bowers, TSTC’s statewide chair for Environmental Technology in Waco, said a lot of environmental health and safety jobs require the HAZWOPER certification. He said students who receive the certification have an advantage over others.

“The initial certification is good for one year, then they have to take a modified refresher training course for eight hours once a year to validate the certificate,” Bowers said. “We like to give them that completion when they are graduating so they are current.”

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Hosts Drive-In Celebration for Spring Graduates

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College honored its spring graduates Saturday morning with a drive-in celebration.

Instructors lined up on both sides of the entrance to TSTC to cheer graduates and their relatives as they drove by in decorated vehicles.  

Barton Day, provost of TSTC’s Marshall campus, read off the names of graduates and gave them diploma covers. An area was designated  for graduates to take photographs with their relatives. The actual diplomas and certificates have been mailed to graduates.

“Our congratulations are sincere and our pride in your accomplishments enduring,” Day told attendees. “Coursework completion was made especially challenging this semester, but you stuck with it and here you are today.”

Instructors were happy to see their students take the next big step in their lives.

“Our students graduating have seen unprecedented changes in their lives in a short amount of time,” said Philip Miller, an instructor in TSTC’s Welding Technology program. “They have pushed through the hard times and shown their mettle. Though the future is uncertain, they will help forge the next great generation and be the leaders we need moving forward.”

Edward Chaney, lead instructor in TSTC’s Industrial Systems program, said he admired the students’ work in completing their classes in trying circumstances.

“I applaud each and every one of them for climbing the hurdles placed before them and never giving up,” he said. “Their perseverance and drive to succeed is what makes TSTC what and who we are today. We are totally focused on changing the lives of our students, as our lives are equally changed by our students.”

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu. 

 

TSTC Health Information Technology students benefit from online classes

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Medical office specialists are often among the first faces that patients see as soon as they enter a clinic. Compassion, care and a genuine desire to help others are a few of the traits that define those in this profession.

Remote learning at Texas State Technical College has made earning a Medical Office Specialist certificate accessible for these prospective students in the comfort of their own home. The program allows students the chance not only to start a rewarding career, but also to experience the hands-on learning that TSTC prides itself on.

“In our program, the instructors make themselves readily available to each student by offering virtual office hours and virtual learning labs every week at various times,” said TSTC’s Health Information Technology department chair Sarah Brooks. “The program also utilizes a variety of real-world software applications that students will gain hands-on experience in.”

Medical office specialists heavily rely on the use of computers and technology. While their direct contact with patients is minimal, they are still a vital piece of the puzzle that keeps a clinic running smoothly.

“A medical office specialist’s main job function is to ensure the information found in the patient’s electronic medical record is timely, complete and accurate,” said Brooks. “This is typically a fast-paced working environment with little downtime.”

Though online learning does offer an advantage because of the ability to study at home, it is necessary that students understand that earning a degree or certificate remotely does require focus.

“Self-discipline, self-motivation and time management are traits that are critical in being successful as an online student,” added Brooks.

Despite not being physically on campus, Brooks reiterated that potential and current students in these programs need to know that TSTC will be right beside them through their journey.

“Students need to know they are not alone,” she said. “Our instructors and students work together as a team, sharing their work, life and educational experiences during the online learning process.”

To learn more about TSTC’s online Medical Office Specialist certificate, visit tstc.edu/programs/HealthInformationTechnology.

TSTC Alumnus Solving Environmental Challenges in West Texas

(WACO, Texas) – Ethan Sessums sees his job as a way to give back to the environment to make it better.

“I am always looking for a challenge,” he said.

Sessums is an environmental scientist at New Tech Global Environmental in Midland. He began work shortly after graduating from Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus in spring 2019. His work focuses on creating and implementing remediation plans to fix environmental problems.

“People are overlooking the decontamination procedures,” Sessums said. “It is absolutely essential in this environmental industry to focus on decontamination management and handle issues.”

He works with regulatory agencies like the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“They want you to send them a detailed list and a detailed job plan of what you are going to do to clean up,” Sessums said. “They don’t want to know what the regulatory issues are. They want it cleaned up.”

Sessums grew up in Whitney and is a graduate of Whitney High School. He said he knew his postgraduation plan would include TSTC because of cost-effectiveness.

“I did not want to put myself in a position like friends and others have been where they can’t find a job and are buried with student loan debt,” he said.

Sessums began in a different program at TSTC before shifting to pursue associate degrees in the Environmental Technology and Occupational Safety Compliance Technology programs. He changed majors because of his interest in government, prevention and regulations.

“I have always been good at the inspection side in noticing and documenting things,” he said.

Sessums said he enjoyed much of the hands-on work he did, from learning how to put on pressurized suits and face masks to using air tanks.

Sessums credited Lester Bowers, statewide chair of TSTC’s Environmental Technology department, for giving hard-earned knowledge to him and his classmates.

“You can talk about theory and look at scenarios all day, but until you have someone who has been through it and been on-site and run into trouble and come up with solutions, that is what makes an instructor special,” Sessums said.

Bowers said Sessums exhibited honesty and efficient time management skills as a student.

“Ethan was an active participant in classroom discussions and activities, encouraging an environment of inclusion for all other students as well,” Bowers said. “He was adept at fostering healthy discourse in small groups of peers as well as effortlessly capturing the attention of larger groups.”

Sessums’ career advice for students is to focus on hands-on learning to back up the theories they learn. And, he said students should be prepared to go where the jobs are. 

“You have to be willing to move,” he said. “If you want to start out making real good money like you expect to make, you have to put yourself out there. You have to put your time in. You have to do the three to five years to where you can pick the job you want in the future.”

For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.