TSTC Career Services Hosts Mock Interview Sessions for Students

(RED OAK) – More than 20 Texas State Technical College in North Texas students had the opportunity Wednesday morning to sit down with area industry representatives to practice interview skills.

TSTC’s Career Services department hosted mock interviews for the first time for students to learn their strengths and weaknesses. Students had three timed sessions with recruiting and human resources workers from area companies.

“It did what it intended to do,” said Frank Green, a corporate recruiter at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, who was one of the interviewers. “It gave them interview experience and feedback that they would not (otherwise) get.”

Green said he noticed the Industrial Maintenance and Welding Technology students he spoke to had good eye contact and were engaged throughout their interviews. But, he said some students need to work on general interview preparation, like having a resume to present and  not chewing gum.

“They all had individual qualities,” Green said.

Doug Sturdivant, human resources manager at Facility Solutions Group in Dallas, said the interview simulations were beneficial to help students get ready for the job market upon graduation.

“With the three students I saw, their attitudes were good,” Sturdivant said. “They were nervous. Most of them were willing to communicate.”

TSTC Industrial Maintenance major Karlos Alfaro of Terrell said he learned to work on his posture and focus more on eye contact.

One of Alfaro’s classmates in Industrial Maintenance, Alex McDonald of Waxahachie, said he was nervous at first but became comfortable as the morning went on.

“I need to elaborate on my answers and sell myself more,” McDonald said. “I need to ask more questions.”

Fagen Jones, a TSTC Career Services coordinator, said she wants to organize interview simulations each spring and fall.

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

TSTC Career Services Hosts Mock Interview Sessions for Students

Two Employees at TSTC Recognized for Outstanding Service

(Abilene) – Two employees at Texas State Technical College in Abilene have been honored for their dedication and service.

Matt Briggs, the clinical coordinator for the Emergency Medical Services program, and Susan Cowart, an instructor for academic English and Humanities, were selected to receive TSTC’s Chancellor’s Excellence Awards.

“The Chancellor’s Excellence Award is a yearly recognition for teammates who consistently go above and beyond their normal job duties to improve our students’, and/or our College’s, success. Matt and Susan display, on a daily basis, these lofty attributes,” Rick Denbow, provost at TSTC in West Texas, said.

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award began in 2001 and has been given to more than 300 TSTC employees statewide. Recipients are nominated by their peers for their work toward advancing the technical college’s mission.

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s new direction,” TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser said. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

Briggs joined TSTC in 2015 and said he was shocked by the recognition. He says he is determined to find out who nominated him so he can say thank you.

“It’s just such an awesome honor because there are so many people who are doing their job really well, and to be recognized as one of those people makes me want to keep going and do even better,” he said.

Briggs said TSTC has become part of his family and he loves working with people who have the same passion as he has.

“My favorite part of this job is watching our students walk across that stage and graduate because you know they are about to make a positive impact on the world,” he said.

After working as a paramedic for nine years, Briggs felt called to enter the education world and help people in a new way. He hopes to help expand the EMS program at TSTC and spread awareness of the need for more EMS professionals.

Cowart was also surprised to learn she was a recipient of the Chancellor’s Excellence Award.

“I was in a state of shock because I haven’t been here very long, but it felt so validating,” she said.

Cowart began teaching English and Humanities classes at TSTC in 2015. She teaches both online and in-person classes.

“Education is so powerful. And if I can help these students become good communicators, that opens so many doors on top of their technical skills,” she said.

Cowart earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Louisiana State University at Alexandria and her first master’s in English from DePaul University. She decided to pursue a second master’s in Education Technology and Instructional Design from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to better serve her students. She completed the degree while continuing to teach her regular course load.

“I am so glad I am at TSTC in West Texas because there is a definite sense of family and support here. It just makes you want to do your best,” Cowart said.

Briggs and Cowart will join 33 other TSTC employees statewide who will be honored at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration in May in Austin.

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

Matt Briggs, from Texas State Technical College in Abilene, is the Clinical Coordinator for the Emergency Medical Services program. He was awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award. 
Two Employees at TSTC Recognized for Outstanding Service
Susan Cowart, from Texas State Technical College in Abilene, teaches academic English and Humanities. She was awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award. 

A veteran’s success has reached new heights at TSTC

(HARLINGEN) – As a U.S. Navy and Coast Guard veteran Jeromy Jeffries has lived across the United States and overseas, but he now calls the Wind Energy Technology program at Texas State Technical College home.

After more than two decades, the 44-year-old decided it was time to return to college and earn a degree.

“The military was my life. It was my career,” said Jeffries. “I never imagined that I would be a college student, much less be this close to graduating.”

Jeffries expects to earn his certificate and associate degree in Wind Energy Technology in May and currently boasts a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

“This is a second career for me and I expect it to sustain my family and me until I retire,” he said. “I did a lot of research before enrolling and I’m confident that I’m going to have a great paying, stable job for a long time. There is a lot of growth and opportunity in this industry.”Jeromy Jeffries Wind Energy Technology student

Employment of wind turbine service technicians is projected to grow 96 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And with wind electricity expected to continue growing rapidly opportunities are expected to increase.

In an article by Rio Grande Valley Partnership President and Chief Executive Officer Sergio Contreras, Texas is a leader in wind energy power with close to 25,000 Texans working in support of the wind industry.

He states that the impact of these thousands of jobs is also felt in the Rio Grande Valley.

“Opportunities range from the fastest-growing middle-wage position in Texas, wind turbine technician, to the construction workers and suppliers that support continued growth of the state’s wind industry,” said Contreras. “In fact, TSTC in Harlingen Wind Energy Technology program graduates are earning an annual average salary, with a two-year degree, of $53,000, which can go to $90,000.”

Jeffries said knowing the type of opportunities that lay ahead, he made it his goal to work hard and maintain an “A” average and a knowledge that would be impressive to employers.

His determination paid off because he recently accepted an internship position with transition to full-time employment with One Wind Renewable Energy Services in Willacy County as a Wind Turbine Technician starting in April.

“I treat school as a job and I do my very best,” said Jeffries. “And I’m excited for the opportunity I have been presented with and I look forward to beginning my career.”

He credits his success to not only his instructors, who have been a source of knowledge and experience for him, but also the TSTC Veteran Center for helping him in his transition from military to civilian life.

TSTC is a Gold-Level Military Friendly School and the TSTC Veterans Center serves veterans and their dependents as a centralized one-stop shop to get assistance with admission, financial aid, GI Bill and Hazlewood applications, in addition to other internal and external services and referrals to ensure a successful college experience.

“It’s been a difficult transition, but the Veterans Center helping me with all of my documents and processes, and my instructors and classmates who have become family, have made it a bit easier,” he said. “And I know that my two-year degree is going to take me far.”

Wind Energy Technology is also offered at TSTC’s Sweetwater campus.

For more information on Wind Energy Technology, visit tstc.edu/programs/WindEnergyTechnology.

Student Success Profile – Daniel Rodriguez

(HARLINGEN) – Daniel Rodriguez Student Success ProfileDaniel Rodriguez, 21, is a Computer Maintenance Technology student at Texas State Technical College and maintains a 3.7 grade-point average.

The Harlingen native already holds an associate degree from TSTC in Computer Networking and Security Technology, which he earned in Spring 2018.

Rodriguez volunteers at the Harlingen Public Library for the children/teen department because he hopes to be a role model for those younger than him.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I hope to work for the city of Harlingen or the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District as a computer technician.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to work as a computer or network technician and expand and enhance the Rio Grande Valley’s networking infrastructure.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishments are my first associate degree and becoming a college graduate, maintaining my GPA and making it on the dean’s list for my grades and also earning a President’s Volunteer Service Award for my hours of community service.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is to have patience and perseverance. Don’t let self-doubt keep you from your plan or goal. Be confident and overcome obstacles.

Who at TSTC has had the greatest influence on your success?

I have a number of people who influenced my success, but the ones who have stood out and really pushed me out of my comfort zone and believed in me when I doubted myself are my English instructor Timothy Kikos, Physics instructor Jose Alvarez, Computer Maintenance instructor Alex Alcoser, Computer Science Division associate professor Norma Colunga-Hernandez and Business Management Technology professor Edna Claus.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

Don’t let people shame you because you’re enrolled at a two-year technical college. There are many benefits to a two-year versus a four-year degree. TSTC is a great place to learn, grow and it’ll lead to a great career. I know many people who have found success through TSTC, all anyone has to do is work hard, have confidence and believe.

TSTC’s Industry Job Fair places students, helps meet industry demand

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College was created to place more Texans in great-paying jobs, fill the middle-skills gap and meet industry demand, and it leads numerous initiatives throughout the year to accomplish its mission.

One of these initiatives is the biannual Industry Job Fair, where TSTC students and alumni can meet potential employers. The event was recently hosted not only in Harlingen, but also at several other campuses throughout the state.

“This event is growing in popularity statewide,” said Viviana Espinosa, director of Talent Management and Career Services. “Industry is looking for qualified, highly-skilled graduates, and they know they can find that right here at TSTC.”TSTC Spring 2019 Industry Job Fair

More than 500 TSTC students and alumni, and more than 60 company representatives, attended this month’s fair in Harlingen.

The event served as an opportunity for recruiters and students to connect and network. TSTC students and alumni were able to submit resumes and applications, and numerous companies conducted on-site interviews.

“Our students’ skills and knowledge really make an impression with employers,” said Espinosa. “A number of our students are usually hired during this event, even before they graduate.”

TSTC’s overall job placement rate is 94 percent, and many TSTC graduates land jobs with good starting salaries and full benefits packages.

“Two-year degrees are enough for these students to find very successful positions,” said Espinosa. “They’re work-ready, and many of our certificate graduates find similar opportunities.”

Because many of TSTC’s students gain the hands-on training and experience they need to be successful in the classroom, Espinosa said they are ready to hit the ground running when they enter the workforce, with little on-the-job training needed.

Robert Salazar, who is in charge of senior talent acquisition at Tenaris, said he hires most of his employees from TSTC’s Industrial Maintenance and Engineering programs.

TSTC Spring 2019 Industry Job Fair

“The training that students get at TSTC encompasses everything from the basic skills to troubleshooting and real-world experience that help companies like us because they don’t require much training when they get hired,” he said. “And it’s great that TSTC puts us in connection with these students before they even graduate. They help us fill an immediate need.”

Joe Lopez, senior superintendent at Joeris General Contractors in San Antonio and a TSTC Building Construction Technology alumnus, said they currently employ about seven TSTC alumni and are ready to hire more TSTC graduates.

“At the moment, we’re focused on hiring carpenters. And from my experience, TSTC students possess the skills they need to go far with the company,” he said. “There’s always a demand for skilled labor, and we can find qualified candidates at TSTC.”

Espinosa said this semester’s Industry Job Fair was a success, thanks to industry partners, TSTC faculty and staff, and her Talent Management and Career Services team.

“Our Industry Job Fairs are a success because of the support we receive from everyone,” she said. “I’m grateful for everyone’s efforts in ensuring that our students find success and get that job offer.”

TSTC’s Talent Management and Career Services department offers Industry Job Fairs, interview practicums, resume building, and interview coaching statewide for all TSTC students and alumni.

For more information on the services offered, call 956-364-4940.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC in Marshall ELT Program Adding CDL Course

(MARSHALL) – Students enrolling this fall in the Electrical Lineworker Technology program at Texas State Technical College will have the opportunity to take commercial driver’s license lessons.

Students will first need to get a commercial learner’s permit before the end of their second semester, said Eric Carithers, TSTC’s statewide chair for the Electrical Lineworker Technology program.

“The students are required to have their permit and also a copy of their driving record,” he said. “They need a driving record for every state they have lived in the last seven years. They also need to undergo a drug screening.”

Students will take a new commercial driving course through the Texas Workforce Commission in the third semester of the associate degree program. The first group of students will start learning how to drive in summer 2020, Carithers said. The class is backed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates all registered commercial motor vehicles for interstate freight, passenger and hazardous materials transportation. .

“It cuts down on the costs for the employer and makes the student more sellable,” Carithers said.

Representatives of area electric providers said the new course is vital for job candidates.

“As an electric utility, it’s imperative for us to have employees with a CDL,” said Bryan Blanton, a distribution system manager at Southwestern Electric Power Co. in Longview and chair of TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology advisory board. “It will be a huge success when graduates come out of TSTC’s linemen program already having their CDL.”

Kathy Wood, general manager of the Panola-Harrison Electric Cooperative (PHEC) in Marshall, said it is a challenge to finding job candidates who already have commercial driver’s licenses.

“TSTC including the CDL with its Electrical Lineworker program is very beneficial,” Wood said. “It will save PHEC the cost of driving the employee to the testing site for testing. It will also benefit the applicant because the CDL makes the applicant more valuable to the cooperative.”

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

TSTC Industrial Maintenance Students Needed to Fill North Texas Jobs

(RED OAK) – Students who pursue industrial maintenance careers play a critical role in keeping their workplaces operational.

“I feel like a student that will do well will be curious in nature and want to learn,” said John Walker, an instructor in Texas State Technical College in North Texas’ Industrial Maintenance program.

Walker said the program’s students make up three groups: traditional ones just out of high school, those studying to get promotions, and workers already in the field wanting to improve their skills.

“For us in this area, a lot of the companies have gone from wanting mechanical to electrical to wanting people who are multicraft or considered technicians,” Walker said. “With those job changes, they are looking for one person that can fit two roles and reduce some of their labor costs. The market for the electrical specialization is ridiculously good right now.”

Joe Razza, a regional recruiter for Crown Lift Trucks in Arlington, said many of the learned industrial maintenance skills can be used in manufacturing forklifts. Employees undergo company training once hired.

“We have to look for the best candidates possible,” Razza said. “There is no forklift school.”

Jonathan Williamson, human resources talent lead at Owens Corning in Waxahachie, said the company hires for industrial mechanic and electrical specialist positions.

“Our ideal candidate would be somebody with a journeyman certification through an apprenticeship program or a two-year degree and ideally five years of experience on the job,” he said. “That is really hard to get. If we could snap our fingers and find candidates like that, we would be tickled pink.”

Williamson said employees starting out in electrical and mechanical tasks at the company working a 40-hour week could have a base pay in the $60,000 range with overtime opportunities.

“You just have so much earning potential than a lot of other careers,” Williamson said. “We have mechanics and electricians making six figures each year because they work the extra hours.”

A lot of the jobs graduates can pursue in the field only require an associate degree.

Electrical and electronics engineering technicians had an annual mean wage of more than $67,000 in Texas in May 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Technicians are needed in computer design, natural gas distribution, petroleum manufacturing and other industries.

Electromechanical technicians can work in the aerospace, energy, piping and semiconductor industries, according to the agency. The annual mean wage for electromechanical technicians in Texas was more than $57,000 in May 2018, according to the agency.

Students attending TSTC in North Texas can pursue the Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Maintenance with an Electrical Specialization, or a certificate in Industrial Maintenance Mechanic-Electrical. Some of the classes students take include Basic Electrical Theory, Commercial Wiring, Machinery Installation and Programmable Logic Controllers.

Students have opportunities to get apprenticeships as early as their second semester, Walker said.

“The student now has income coming in, and it’s generally in the field they are going into,” he said. “The company wins because …  they have somebody to bring up and grow in-house.”

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

 

TSTC development officer, local leader earns prestigious award

(FORT BEND) – Field Development Officer John Kennedy, who has been with Texas State Technical College since the expansion in Fort Bend County in 2014, has recently been named a Chancellor’s Excellence Award recipient.

The Sugar Land native has worked diligently with TSTC donors to raise funds for scholarships, has collaborated with local industry partners and has served as an ambassador throughout the community for TSTC.

“I never expected this,” he said. “There are scores of people who I know deserve this award, so I am humbled.”

Kennedy was nominated by his peers, provost and vice chancellor and chosen among 160 faculty and staff members nominated for his distinguished service and dedication to the college, community and the state.John Kennedy

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s new direction,” said TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

For nearly two decades, the Chancellor’s Excellence Award has celebrated employees who exhibit TSTC’s core values of Excellence, Accountability, Service and Integrity.

Coming from a long-time career in the hospitality industry and tasked with the mission of expanding TSTC in Fort Bend County, Kennedy realized his favorite part of the job immediately: giving someone the chance at a better life.

“Everyone at TSTC shares a unique opportunity; and that is to give the people in our community an education and a skill that will change their life,” said Kennedy. “There is nothing like seeing our students with their families at commencement. It’s moving and motivating.”

Kennedy said his goal is to continue increasing engagement and interest in TSTC statewide, so that students can continue to have scholarship opportunities.

“Many of our students rely on these scholarships,” he said. “For many, this is a game changer.”

TSTC’s Vice President of Development Pete Rowe has worked with Kennedy for almost five years. In fact, it was Rowe who invited him to join the team.

“As soon as you meet Kennedy you can feel his confidence and see his intelligence. We have a tremendous respect for John,” said Rowe. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the Chancellor’s Award than John. His passion for the college and its students is what drives his work and his success. He always puts TSTC and helping others first.”

In addition to serving his community through education, Kennedy also serves the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston as an ordained deacon at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land.

“I enjoy the possibility of helping people and making a difference in their lives,” said Kennedy. “My passion is serving and I carry that over to TSTC and I want to thank those who nominated me and see this. I hope to be able to continue fulfilling expectations now and in the future.”

TSTC Electrical Lineworker Students Do Morning Emergency Simulation

(MARSHALL) – Students in Texas State Technical College’s Troubleshooting Distribution Systems class were doing hands-on learning before the sun rose Thursday.

The third semester students in the Electrical Lineworker Technology program experienced their first in-the-dark emergency simulation lab at the Marshall campus campus’ pole yard behind the South Building.

“It went really good,” said Stephen Woods, an instructor in TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker

Technology program. “They learned about what happens in the middle of the night. There were real-world situations they got to get in.”

The students spent the night on campus and were awakened at 2 a.m. for a simulated emergency call. When they arrived at the pole yard, they found it “damaged” by a hypothetical storm. The students broke into two teams to fix problems that included a broken power pole, downed power lines and other issues.

The students adapted to their first work in the dark by using their own light sources.

“In the dark, things get slowed down quite a bit,” said Dalton Simmons, a TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology major from Henderson. “You are working with a flashlight. In this humidity, your glasses fog up.”

Lee Russell, a TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology student from Tyler, said he learned about safety while adjusting to the dark.

“It was fun learning something new,” he said. “Everyone remained calm and got the job done.”

The hands-on lab was a teaching lesson for faculty also.

“We see a lot of areas we need to cover better to help them out,” Woods said. “In the end, it makes our program better.”

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

TSTC Electrical Lineworker Students Do Morning Emergency Simulation

More Than 50 Companies Represented at TSTC Industry Job Fair

(SWEETWATER) – More than 180 Texas State Technical College students and alumni attended the TSTC Industry Job Fair in Sweetwater on Tuesday, April 2. They had the opportunity to meet representatives from some 50 local, national and international companies.

TSTC provided free transportation to the Sweetwater campus for students coming from the Abilene, Breckenridge and Brownwood campuses. Students talked with representatives from companies looking to fill positions in various fields such as diesel, electrical power and controls, industrial maintenance, nursing, welding, and wind energy.

It was the first time some companies had visited the West Texas campus.

“I was surprised that TSTC had an RN program out here, and now that I know, we fully intend to take advantage of having this local resource,” Tara Camp, community marketing liaison for Cogdell Memorial Hospital, said.

For others, this was an event marked on their calendar every year.

“I go to as many of the job fairs that TSTC does as possible because of the type of training the students get and just the type of personality these students have. Their hands-on experience shows, and they have the willingness to keep learning on the job,” Bret A. Martinets, Human Resources manager at M&S Engineering, said.

The event was a homecoming for TSTC diesel program alumnus Josh McBride of Bruckner’s Truck Sales Inc.

“I hope these students just keep their eyes open and learn from every opportunity because it pays off,” McBride said.

Representatives from Oncor Electric Delivery spoke with students from TSTC’s Electrical Power and Controls, Industrial Maintenance, and Wind Energy programs and offered on-site interviews.

“We’ve got 10 positions we need to fill in Odessa alone, so there is a huge need across the state,” Brad Villa, M&C supervisor at Oncor, said.

TSTC in Abilene Electrical Power and Controls student Anthony Neighbors said he was impressed with the company turnout and hopes to find a job that allows him to travel.

“I’m a single dad, so I want something that provides for my son but that also lets me enjoy new places,” Neighbors said.

Neighbors spoke with representatives from Koenig & Bauer and said he felt like he had found the place for him.

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

More Than 50 Companies Represented at TSTC Industry Job Fair

More than 180 students and alumni attended the TSTC Industry Job Fair at TSTC in Sweetwater. More than 50 companies were represented.