TSTC Biomedical Equipment Technology Programs Teach Students to Defend Security

(WACO) – The United States healthcare system has been targeted this year as having a high vulnerability for cyberattacks because of advanced network connectivity for equipment and data, according to a nationwide healthcare technology organization.

Texas State Technical College’s Biomedical Equipment Technology programs in Harlingen, Marshall and Waco train students to fight off hackers trying to get into critical medical systems.

“We teach them the basics of how to learn what the hackers know,” said Garrett Seeley, associate professor in the Biomedical Equipment Technology program at TSTC in Waco. “We show students how hackers communicate with each other and let people know what they know.”

The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation is a nonprofit organization that released this month its AAMI Pulse: Cybersecurity survey, which included responses from 118 nationwide information technology and healthcare technology management workers. The survey found that about 75 percent of participants thought their medical facilities could react quickly to a cyberattack, while 9 percent of people thought cyber security was considered a low priority in their workplaces.

“The best way to predict is to communicate,” Seeley said. “Hospitals are trying to shoulder the burden.”

Malware is considered one of the main tools to infiltrate hospital security systems, according to the association and the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology. Malware can find its way into network-connected and configured medical devices, smartphones, tablets, implanted patient devices and records systems.

Seeley said it is not specific equipment that people try to disrupt – it is the technology system that ties everything together. He said the goal for hackers is to bring networks down and cause disruptions.

“People are remarkable in that they can find loopholes that you don’t know exist,” he said.

The Food and Drug Administration has also found in recent years that the unauthorized sharing of passwords enables people to undertake cyberattacks.

The need for medical equipment repairers to keep technological systems secure in Texas is expected to grow through 2024 from at least 2,600 workers to a projected 3,300 employees, according to projectionscentral.com, a clearinghouse of short-term and long-term state labor market predictions.

Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas has hired several of TSTC’s Biomedical Equipment Technology graduates.

“The TSTC program is probably the strongest, in my opinion, in the state of Texas,” said Carol L. Wyatt, director of Healthcare Technology Management for BSW’s Northern Region in McKinney. “The graduates we have hired at BSW, in my experience, are ready to hit the floor running. That is exactly what we need – a good foundation. When they come in, we ‘Baylorize’ them and teach them how to use our database and how to be good BSW employees.”

Cyber security plays a critical role in medical equipment security at the sprawling healthcare system spread throughout North and Central Texas. Staff members also consider who emails are being sent and forwarded to as part of security.

“They (biomedical equipment technology workers) have to make sure all patient information is secure and the equipment is secure, whether with a password, a firewall or physical cables,” Wyatt said. “It’s part of our responsibility in the management of maintenance of medical equipment that it is taken care of.”

There are eight two-year programs for Biomedical Equipment Technology in Texas, according to the AAMI. TSTC offers the Associate of Applied Science degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology in Harlingen, Marshall and Waco. The Waco campus also has the Associate of Applied Science degree in Medical Imaging Systems Technology.

“A two-year technical degree in Biomedical Equipment Technology with added Information Technology certifications may provide graduates with an earning potential equal to or greater than that of many four-year degrees at much less cost and time spent in the classroom,” said Nicholas Cram, associate professor and lead instructor in the Biomedical Equipment Technology and Process Operations Technology programs at TSTC in Marshall. “The workforce landscape has radically changed in healthcare technology over the last 10 years and will continue to change in the future.”

One of the courses that TSTC’s Biomedical Equipment Technology majors take is Medical Equipment Networks.

“As a biomedical equipment technician, you are responsible for maintaining, calibrating and troubleshooting problems related to all of the medical devices in the hospital,” said Cram. “With expanded and immersive capabilities of healthcare networks, it is common to have medical devices providing physicians with ‘real-time’ physiological data. Biomeds need to understand this aspect of the data flow if problems occur. It is an extension of the medical device troubleshooting process.”

TSTC Courses for Red Oak Students to be Featured This Week at Meetings

(RED OAK) – Red Oak High School students and parents can learn about dual enrollment offerings, including those from Texas State Technical College in North Texas, this week at two special information meetings.

The Red Oak Independent School District will host Dual Credit/Advanced Placement Parents Night meetings at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24 and Thursday, Jan. 26 at the high school at 220 Texas Highway 342 in Red Oak.

“In Red Oak, we are committed to preparing students for the world they will enter after graduation,” said Brenda Flowers, Red Oak’s deputy superintendent and chief academic officer. “Dual credit and college programs can prepare the students to go straight into a college or go into a career.”

Students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors in the 2017-18 academic year can take dual credit classes in Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair and Visual Communications Technology – Design Specialization Technology. Students can also take classes in programs that TSTC in North Texas offers: Computer Aided Drafting and Design Technology; Computer Networking and Systems Administration; Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technology and Welding Technology.

“Some of these programs will be taught by credentialed instructors at the high school and for some programs, the students will come to TSTC for on-site instruction,” said Kori Bowen, interim director of dual enrollment at TSTC.

Flowers said flexible scheduling between the high school and TSTC enables students to walk to and from the campuses to take classes.

“It is a very unique partnership because very few school districts in the state have a full college campus adjacent,” Flowers said.

Career and technical courses are a school-wide effort. The high school has about 1,800 students in grades 9 to 12.

“As part of our graduation plan, everyone takes a career and technical class,” Flowers said.

Red Oak High School students will begin advising and registering for next year’s classes in February.

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

For more information on the parents meeting, go to rohs.redoakisd.org.

TSTC Students Volunteer for Hutto has Heart

(HUTTO) – Students from Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Electrical Systems program volunteered Thursday to help run electrical wire in a Hutto resident’s home.

The job, part of a Hutto has Heart project, will help a local family make their home more accessible for their daughter, who has used a wheelchair since an accident last year.

Hutto has Heart provides assistance to families through requests for help, including car repairs, assistance with medical and utility bills, gas money, food, clothing and more.

TSTC recruiter and Hutto City Councilman Michael Smith said TSTC was excited to lend a hand for the project.

“Hutto has Heart’s program coordinator reached out to us with the general need, and instructor Mike Jenkins, (TSTC Provost) Edgar Padilla and I sat down to make sure that we had the manpower and that our students would be properly prepared in time,” Smith said. “Everything lined up, so we jumped at the opportunity.”

Smith said the occasion presented a way not only to make Hutto aware of what TSTC students are doing, but also to help out in the community.

“It is great to give back, “Smith said. “We don’t just have a building here in Hutto; we’re part of the community and a responsible part of that is giving back and helping out when we can.”

Industrial Electrical Systems instructor Mike Jenkins said the experience would benefit the students by learning on the job.

“They’re getting hands-on experience,” Jenkins said. “It’s not what you get in the classroom under clean conditions. You actually see what it’s like to come out and work around people’s personal belongings.”

Eight students helped to install the lighting and electrical power for the handicapped-accessible bathroom. Second-semester student Eddie Santos said he was glad to help.

“I wanted to help out other people,” Santos said. “Our teacher told us about the situation, and us going out there to help was a good thing.”

Santos said the experience helped him learn new job skills.

“Since the Sheetrock was already put in, we got to learn some of the remodeling aspects of the job,” he said. “We’ve done wiring before, but it was before any of that was done, so we learned how to go over those obstacles.”

Padilla said the school couldn’t be more proud to partner with Hutto has Heart.

“We care about our community and are thankful for the opportunity to give back,” Padilla said. “We want to offer a huge thank-you to our friends at The Home Depot in Hutto and the efforts of our students and staff.”

TSTC will begin registering for the summer semester on April 3. The Industrial Electrical Systems certificate is a two-semester program that teaches students residential and commercial wiring.

For more information on TSTC’s Industrial Electrical Systems program, or to apply, visit tstc.edu.

Student Success Profile – Amber Dutton

(HARLINGEN) – La Feria native Amber Dutton is pursuing her General Academic Core at Texas State Technical College and expected to complete the program by 2018.

What are your plans after graduation?

After completing my basics at TSTC, I hope to transfer to Del Mar College in Corpus Christi to pursue a bachelor’s degree and career in Radiologic Technology. With this degree I will be able to work toward becoming certified to perform ultrasounds, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CAT Scans.

What’s your dream job?

I have always been fascinated with X-rays, so just being able to work in the field is a dream come true.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

I would have to say my accomplishment has been passing all of my classes. I’m so proud to have been able to achieve this.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

I have learned that I am capable of doing more things than I thought. I’ve learned to juggle work and school, while keeping up my grades. I can say I have taught myself time management.

Who at TSTC has influenced your success the most?

My TSTC 1101 Instructors Richard Kirk and Anneliese White, had a huge impact on my academic success. They constantly worked with us on improving our homework assignments before they were due, and they were always available to answer questions or discuss concerns. They were always there for us.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

I want to tell future TSTC students to make sure they stay on task and always look at the big picture. Never give up, because everything you go through is worth it at the end.

Pink Champagne Cake – Serves 12

(HARLINGEN) – Have some pink champagne left over from your New Year’s celebrations? If so, here is a simple, yet delicious recipe from the students at Texas State Technical College Culinary Arts that you can enjoy with family and friends.

Cake

Butter and flour for preparing the pans

3 cups cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 large egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup pink Champagne, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Tiny amount of pink food coloring

Pink Champagne Buttercream Frosting

1 ¾ cups (3 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

4 to 5 tablespoons pink Champagne

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tiny amount of pink food coloring

White chocolate shavings, sliced strawberries, coconut, or edible rose petals for garnish

1. For the cake, place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch layer pans. Shake out the excess flour, and set the pans aside.

2. Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-size bowl, and sift to combine well. Set aside.

3. Place the egg whites, Champagne, vanilla, and oil in a large mixing bowl, and whisk by hand until well blended. Set aside.

4. Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Add the flour mixture and the egg white mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the pink coloring.

6. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and place the pans in the oven.

7. Bake until the cakes just pull back from the sides of the pans, 23 to 27 minutes.

8. Remove the pans from the oven, and place them on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan, give each cake a gentle shake and invert it once, then again onto the rack to cool completely, right side up, 30 minutes.

9. While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 minute. Add 6 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the Champagne and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, adding what you need to make the frosting thick but spreadable. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, add the pink coloring, and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 30 seconds.

10. To assemble the cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate. Spread about 3⁄4 cup of the frosting to the edges. Place a second layer on top and repeat. Place the third layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish as desired, depending on the occasion. Slice and serve.

TSTC Promotes Social Diversity with Empowerment Conference

(HARLINGEN) – Student Support Services at Texas State Technical College will host its Third Annual Empowerment Conference on January 26 to increase awareness about Chicanos and the lowrider movement.

“The purpose of the conference is to provide a cultural awareness to the unfamiliar,” said Patty Flores, TSTC Student Support Services coordinator.

Past conferences have focused on Human Trafficking, and Gangs Next Door, aimed to educate a law enforcement, caseworker and advocate audience. This year’s conference is open to the general public.

The idea for this conference stemmed from a session held last year at TSTC’s Humanities Symposium during which the Chicano history and the culture surrounding it was highlighted.

According to Flores, response from students was impressive, so her department decided to take it to the next level.

“People belonging to the lowrider communities are always facing stereotyping which has negatively affected this subculture said Flores. “This population in the RGV is large, making it time to show the positive impacts they have on the community.”

There are a number of lowrider car clubs across the Rio Grande Valley, resulting in the RGV Lowrider Council. In addition to cruising the cities and participating in car shows, many of the clubs are also fundraising for their communities.

Flores said many lowrider car club members join forces to hold benefits, fundraisers and toy drives for the less fortunate, in addition to assisting local military veterans.

“It is these positive contributions we want people to become aware of during our conference,” said Flores. “This is a multi-generational lifestyle and the majority aren’t troublemakers, like many may think.”

To help dissolve negative stereotypes, there will be several keynote speakers who will discuss the past, present and future of the lowrider community. Representatives from the RGV Lowrider Council; Boss Entertainment; Vatos, Rucas and Ranflas; and car clubs will lead discussions.

Adan Hernandez, whose art was used for the 1993 movie “Blood In and Blood Out,” will also speak. A banner replica of Hernandez’s famous “Carnalismo Portrait” and his art work will be on display during the event.

“Not only do we want to send out a positive image, but we also want students and our community to be exposed to different cultures and lifestyles,” said Flores. “This will be an educational experience for everyone.”

TSTC students, faculty, staff and the surrounding communities are invited to attend this conference. It runs from noon to 5 p.m., and will conclude with a Show and Shine Car Show from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

There is no fee to attend the conference or car show.

To register, TSTC Support Services has set up an Eventbrite page at http://bit.ly/2gdp9bb.

For more information call TSTC Support Services at 956-364-4525.

TSTC Challenger Learning Center Hosts First Students

(WACO) – Texas State Technical College’s Challenger Learning Center is taking the first groups of students on their own space adventures this month.

Last week, more than 20 students from Eagle Christian Academy (ECA) in Waco and 16 juniors and seniors from Bruceville-Eddy High School visited the center to participate in the simulated space mission, “Rendezvous with a Comet.”

The learning center on Airline Drive was formally opened in September. The Challenger Learning Center is only one of three in Texas and is affiliated with the not-for-profit Challenger Center for Space Science Education in Washington, D.C. The center was established to honor the seven astronauts who died Jan. 28, 1986, when a booster engine failed on the Challenger space shuttle launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Glenna Kendall, a Bruceville-Eddy biology and scientific research and design teacher, said the excursion marked the first science field trip she has been part of in six years teaching at the high school. She prepared her students by having them watch movie accounts about the Challenger space shuttle and conduct research on comets.

“Science can be fun and engaging,” Kendall said.

At the learning center which promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies), students were assigned roles in the laboratory and Mission Control and learned about star fields, sampling and analysis. Students also put communication and critical thinking skills to good use.

Bruceville-Eddy senior Megan Attaway, 18, said the lessons made her see the stress and pressure that people in aerospace deal with daily.

“It is kind of interesting but I never thought about a career in space,” she said.

Eagle Christian Academy students also visited the center’s planetarium.

“I liked the planetarium because we got to look at different star combinations and comets,” said Matthew Mathis, 14, an eighth grade student at ECA.

Josh Bridges, the academy’s science teacher, said the trip was made possible with donations from parents. He prepared students for the visit by leading discussions on the solar system and space exploration.

“Most of the kids are curious yet excited,” Bridges said. “There may be some future teachers and engineers.”

The Midway Independent School District, Abilene Independent School District and Brownwood Independent School District are scheduled to send groups to the learning center in the next few weeks.

The learning center’s programs are tied to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills tests administered by the Texas Education Agency. The state guidelines indicate students should progress through school knowing about planets, the role of gravity, asteroids, comets, the history and future of space exploration, temperature and other concepts.

The Cooper Foundation and the Rapoport Foundation, both in Waco, made substantial financial gifts to create the local learning center.

For more information on the Challenger Learning Center or schedule a tour, go to tstc.edu/challenger.

TSTC Building Construction Technology Programs Aim to Fill Growing Industry Demands

(WACO) – Qualified workers for construction trades are expected to be in demand in 2017 amid a projected increase in building projects along with a wave of personnel retirements, according to a nationwide construction survey released earlier this month. Texas State Technical College is preparing to fill that demand.

More than 60 percent of Texas construction companies are expected to increase their payroll this year, according to the Associated General Contractors of America’s survey “Expecting a Post-Election Bump: The 2017 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook.” More than 130 construction firms responded to the organization’s Texas survey.

“We are very worried about where the next generation of subcontractors are going to come from,” said Scott Bland, president of Jim Bland Construction in McGregor and board president of the Heart of Texas Builders Association in Waco.

More than 30 percent of construction businesses indicated they were having a challenging time finding salaried and craft workers. Some companies have resorted to providing bonuses, incentives, increased pay and better benefits to attract workers, according to the survey.

Texas State Technical College’s campuses in Harlingen and Waco have Building Construction Technology programs which have experienced enrollment boosts.

The Harlingen campus offers a three-semester Certificate in Building Construction focusing on residential and light commercial construction. There is also a five-semester Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction Technology concentrating in heavy commercial construction and construction project management.

“The Building Construction Program numbers have doubled compared to this time last year, telling me that the need for a trained construction workforce is growing at a faster pace than the past,” said Rolando Cuellar, lead instructor of TSTC in Harlingen’s Building Construction Technology program. “The program plans to continue recruiting and working with elementary, middle schools, high school students, continuing education students, local cities and nonprofit organizations to help get the word out that the construction industry wants you.”

The Waco campus offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction Technology – Project Management Inspection Specialization and a Certificate in Building Construction – Craftsman. Students can also work toward certifications in Energy Efficiency Specialist, Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology and Electrical Construction Technology and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Solar Energy Technology.

“In six semesters you can get an associate degree and two certificates,” said Earl Leonard, lead instructor in TSTC in Waco’s Building Construction Technology program. “We get calls for tradesmen, plumbers, carpenters and solar installers. There are also management requirements. We have some people call for estimators.”

There are efforts underway to create a pathway for potential students to follow.

Bland said the addition of a construction science division at the Waco Independent School District’s Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy in the 2017-18 academic year should help build a crop of high school students who have desires to study at TSTC and eventually enter the construction industry.

“The main thing is to get the information out to the kids that there are wonderful careers in our industry and that it is dying for applicants,” Bland said. “You can make good money and raise a family and have a good career. It’s a message we haven’t been getting across the last 20 years. I think that is why we have a manpower deficit right now.”

Bland said he wants potential employees to be goal-oriented and have good time-management skills.

“We massively encourage girls to get into this field,” Bland said. “There is no reason why we need a male-dominated industry. These kids – 22-, 23-years-old – have certifications and making money and don’t have student loan debt. They are the ones buying cars and these are our consumers. It’s a win for everybody.”

Perry A. Vaughn, executive director of the Associated General Contractors Rio Grande Chapter in Harlingen, said work is occurring with TSTC and Rio Grande Valley school districts, including the Harlingen Independent School District, to revamp construction trades programs.

New workers are expected to be needed in Texas for hospital, public building, retail, warehouse, lodging and school construction – the areas projected to have the most building projects this year, according to the survey.

“The strengthening of the peso would help us in the Valley, but we anticipate a strong year in 2017 regardless,” Vaughn said.

Towering Opportunities Available in Wind Energy

(SWEETWATER) – Wind Turbine Technician tops the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual list of fastest-growing jobs with a whopping 108 percent growth over the next eight years. With Texas State Technical College’s Wind Energy program, students can break into the industry in as little as one year with a certificate of completion or two years with an associate degree.

According to a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency, more than 8.1 million people worldwide are working in renewable energy jobs. Students in the Wind Energy program at TSTC learn to safely troubleshoot and repair all components of a wind turbine.

Lead Wind Energy Instructor Heath Ince said the program has seen a jump in enrollment this fall, but the biggest change came in TSTC’s industry partners.

“We’ve always had good placement in our program, but what I’ve noticed is that now we have more companies competing for our students,” Ince said. “They want to get in here and get them hired before they even graduate because of the demand for skilled wind technicians out there right now.”

NextEra Energy is one company that competes for TSTC graduates. The company, which employs a significant number of wind technicians in the United States and Canada, made job offers to several TSTC students who graduated in December.

“We’re the largest producers of renewable energy in the world, so we think about this growth every day,” said James Auld, director of External Training Initiatives at NextEra. “We come to TSTC to recruit twice a year. We present to the students and interview every student who’s interested in interviewing. We are pleased to have made job offers to several promising TSTC graduates.”

Auld attributes the company’s strong relationship with TSTC to its location in the Big Country area.

“We have very large wind farm sites very close to Sweetwater,” Auld said. “It allows us to take local folks who are educated locally and put them to work near home. It’s a big win for everyone.”

Ince said the fact that the job is the fastest-growing in the nation didn’t come as a complete shock to him.

“We were kind of expecting it,” Ince said. “Our other wind instructor and I have been going to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) conference every year, so we’ve been kind of up to date. We knew there was going to be growth and that the demand was going to be there. We’re just now really starting to see it.”

Last week Zippia, a company that helps people find the right career, named wind turbine service technician as the top-growing job in Texas, with 129.2 percent growth.

Classes at TSTC began Monday, Jan. 9. TSTC will begin registering for the summer semester on April 3.
For more information on TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology, or to apply, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Welding Grad Lands Job with Growing Company

(HUTTO) – When the oil industry crashed in 2015, Cedar Park resident Stephen Price found himself unemployed and looking for a new career.

Price’s brother had enrolled at Texas State Technical College in Williamson County and told him about it. Price wanted something in which he could use his mechanical military background, so he followed suit after learning about TSTC’s welding program.

Price said he learned a lot at TSTC.

“When I started, I knew almost nothing about welding,” Price said. “I think I picked up pretty quick. I’m a quick study. There were some things that took more time to get proficient at.”

The Air Force veteran graduated in December 2016 and found employment at 101 Mobility in Cedar Park. Price wanted to stay close to home after spending six years traveling the world with the Air Force. He served three years at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, three in Aviano, Italy, and some time in Iraq and Qatar.

“Those years in Italy were the best years of my life,” Price said. “I traveled all over Europe. I was an hour north of Venice. In three hours I could be in Poland or Germany.”

Now, he is working as the fifth member in a growing company, and he was excited to get in early.

“101 Mobility installs handicap accessibility items like stair lifts, elevators and ramps,” Price said. “I assemble and install them to the customer’s specifications. It’s what I want to do, the pay is good and I’m getting in on the ground floor.”

101 Mobility began in 2008 in Wilmington, North Carolina. The company opened in Cedar Park in 2012, and current owner and president Kellye Jennings purchased the location in 2015. At the time, the company had two employees, making her the third. She’s since almost doubled the head count.

“I’m really trying to develop more resources and offer more products,” Jennings said. “I’ve invested in additional employees with the expectation that we’ll start realizing the additional revenue. I feel that it’s more important to have the people in place first and then experience the growth, instead of experiencing the growth and scrambling to find people. With growth comes opportunity, and I think that’s what drew in Stephen.”

Jennings was initially drawn to Price’s resume because of his military experience.

“I think it’s important to hire someone with a military background because of the connection with our customers,” Jennings said. “The discipline and the skills you develop in the military really lend themselves to the business. The fact that he recently graduated was the icing on the cake. With him focusing on his next objective, which is developing his skill, shows focus and initiative, and those are two qualities that I really feel are important.”

Spring classes at TSTC in Williamson County begin Tuesday, Jan. 17. TSTC begins registering for the summer semester on April 3.

For more information on TSTC’s welding program, visit tstc.edu.

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