Ayman Agharbi graduated from Texas State Technical College with an associate degree in Graphics Gaming and Simulation Programming and is now completing prerequisite classes for a bachelor’s degree in the field of computers.

The Harlingen native is also a math tutor at the TSTC Learning Resource Center, helping students understand everything from basic math to calculus.

What are your plans after graduation?

After completing my classes here at TSTC, I plan on transferring to Texas A&M University in College Station to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to work with a hardware development company like Intel, the world’s largest manufacturer of computer processors, and develop the software they need for their technology.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

There are two things I consider a great accomplishment. The first is earning my associate degree; it’s a step in the right direction for my future and my career. Second are the leadership skills I have gained at TSTC by working with Instructional Tutoring. The experience and lessons I have learned are invaluable, have helped me grow as a person and are lessons I will carry with me throughout my life.  

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is the importance of an education. In my first year of college, I was not focused or even into getting an education. It wasn’t until I started doing research on successful people, with and without an education, that I realized that it was going to be difficult to get through life without a formal education.  

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

There are so many people at TSTC that have influenced me and my success: first and foremost my father, Mohamed Agharbi, who is an associate professor of mathematics, and of course my supervisors and mentors, Norma Salazar and Linda Barron. They have all guided me, pushed me and given me opportunities.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to learn time management, take advantage of the tutoring services TSTC offers and, most importantly — something I had to learn the hard way — don’t be afraid to ask questions. My first year of college was challenging just because I was afraid to ask about things I didn’t understand or know, but honestly that’s the only way things make sense sometimes.

Texas State Technical College recently hosted its fifth annual Empowerment Conference focused on getting students industry-ready.

Mary Morales, a TSTC Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics student, was one of nearly 50 students who attended the event.

The 30-year-old said that as a nontraditional student there are challenges she will face, and this event helped her learn the steps to break the barriers.

“As someone who has worked in retail for many years, soft skills are something I subconsciously practice,” said the Brownsville native. “So this has been a great reminder and excellent educational opportunity.”

Morales expects to earn her associate degree in Spring 2020.

TSTC Support Services coordinator Patty Flores said the event, which was open to all TSTC students, was a success if it helped at least one student like Morales.

The conference was aligned with TSTC’s statewide Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) on student success: Improve students’ job readiness for the attainment of gainful employment.  

“Our job is to not only teach our students technical skills for the workforce, but also soft skills,” said Flores. “We need to create well-rounded students who can face any challenge in the industry. A lot of times it’s these soft skills that will make them or break them.”

Soft skills are personal characteristics that allow a person to interact effectively with other people such as communication skills, time-management ability, problem-solving skills, adaptability and teamwork.

Conference sessions and interactive activities were led by TSTC faculty and staff.

TSTC assistant department chair and psychology instructor Frank Coronado covered collaboration, General Academics instructor Monica Villarreal covered communication and interpersonal skills, TSTC counselor Alex Galan shed light on problem-solving, and Student Life coordinator Belinda Palomino reviewed interview skills and resume writing.

“A degree alone doesn’t suffice,” said Coronado. “Success in industry is dependent on the graduate’s soft skills, so I hope these students take my examples and those of the other presenters and apply them. We need to fill many jobs, and our students need these skills to do well.”

For TSTC Education and Training student Angel Flores, who is enrolled in a female-dominated field, every presenter had something meaningful and useful that he can use in his everyday life and in the classroom.

“I’m so glad TSTC hosts events like this for us. This conference in particular has allowed me to realize that I need to become a better listener,” he said. “Now I can work on this to become a better teacher and teammate to my colleagues. This event really exceeded my expectations.”

Angel expects to earn his associate degree in Fall 2019.

Patty Flores said conferences like this are about bringing awareness to important topics and issues. Past Empowerment Conferences have covered topics such as human trafficking, cultural awareness and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).   

“To educate is our main purpose,” said Flores. “It’s crucial that we empower our students and community with the services and resources available to them.” For more information on the services and conferences offered by TSTC Support Services, call 956-364-4520.

The 86^th Texas legislative session has begun and two Texas State Technical College students serving as interns for local state representatives will get a first-hand look into the legislative process.

 “These students are about to embark on an experience that will change their lives,” said TSTC Executive Vice President of Governmental Affairs Javier Deleon. “This is a great stepping stone toward any career path they choose.”

TSTC student leaders Iris Juarez and Jennie Remington will intern for State Representatives Armando Martinez and Oscar Longoria, respectively.

This is the second year that TSTC partners with local representatives to provide this type of opportunity for its students.

Both women will serve as interns with the state representatives for five months and have the chance to work in a professional office setting, communicate with constituents and attend networking events.  

“In the past, we have had great responses from the legislators and their staff,” said Deleon. “Our interns are a value to their offices, help wherever help is needed and represent TSTC, their respective office and the state representative in the best light.”

This is a great way to showcase our college and what our students are made of,” added Deleon.

Juarez, who recently earned her associate degree in Business Management Technology and is completing her Academic Core, said this opportunity came at just the right time.

The San Benito native took the lead with TSTC’s voter registration initiative this last midterm election, is a student orientation leader with TSTC’s New Student Orientation Office and serves on TSTC’s Leadership Academy and Service Squad.

“I was actually looking for an additional position where I could grow my skills,” said Juarez. “So when this opportunity came up, I couldn’t pass on it. I’m confident and ready.”

The 21-year-old also said she hopes to be a great asset to Martinez’s team. She is looking forward to taking what she has learned at TSTC in her program and through her leadership roles and applying it to her position.

“I’ve gained the confidence I need here at TSTC to excel in this internship,” said Juarez. “And I plan on learning a lot and embracing this new experience.”

Remington is also a student leader on and off campus, serving as lead for TSTC’s Leadership Academy, as a volunteer for TSTC Student Life and Engagement, as a youth leader with her church and as a volunteer with the Harlingen Community Theater.

“Never did I imagine I would be given this type of opportunity,” said the 28-year-old. “And I’m excited about working with Longoria and his team and the growth a position like this can bring.”

The Harlingen native is pursuing an associate degree in Education and Training at TSTC and hopes to pursue a career in early education.

She said this internship will give her a glimpse into policies that affect the community and education, so she is looking forward to shadowing professionals and networking with those who will help her grow as a person and future educator.

“I hope to represent TSTC well, help in the best way I can and learn a lot,” said Remington. “And I know this will help me be better informed and build new relationships. And knowing how much my mentors believe in me, helps me believe that I will be successful during this internship.”

Those mentors are TSTC Student Life Director Adele Clinton and Student Life Coordinator Belinda Palomino.

“When it comes to opportunities like this we are always looking for committed student leaders who are articulate, organized and comfortable with taking initiative and making decisions,” said Palomino. “And these two women were a perfect fit. They will bring great attitudes, organizational and leadership skills and will show that TSTC students can not only thrive in industry, but also in a professional environment with public servants.”

Palomino added that co-curricular experiences like these internships will ensure that TSTC not only trains students in their vocation, but also gives students the opportunity to network and learn more about themselves and the community.

Deleon said he has no doubt that Juarez and Remington will succeed and he hopes to give other students the chance at serving as interns or student ambassadors with other local lawmakers in the future.  

It all started with a Home Improvement 1-2-3 book for Kristen Perales, who was among a group of 40 students who graduated Friday from TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Construction level 1 course.

“My family was spending a lot of money doing simple repairs on our home,” said Perales. “What these workers were fixing I knew I could do, so I did.”

The 28-year-old isn’t only a graduate from NCCER, but also from the college’s Building Construction Technology program. She earned her associate degree in Spring 2018.

“TSTC has really opened doors of opportunity for me,” said Perales. “I haven’t been without work since graduating. I feel like l’m taking leaps within my career.”

Immediately after earning her degree, Perales accepted a job offer with Davaco Inc. doing retail remodels and installations throughout the United States.

She is now the construction supervisor for Habitat for Humanity in the Rio Grande Valley.

“Davaco was a great place for learning and gaining experience,” she said. “But I’m glad to be home and doing what I love; all thanks to TSTC and its programs.”

NCCER Construction level 1 is a 262-hour course and focuses on the NCCER core and NCCER basic framing. It is an introduction to carpentry, wood frame structures, layout, walls, roofs and floors and also includes a safety and forklift component.

Graduates of the course earn an NCCER certification and become forklift and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certified.

TSTC Continuing Education coordinator Myra Deleon said these certifications are recognized internationally so they can be used to work across the country and abroad.

“These are credentials that most, if not all, large contractors require their employees to have,” said Deleon. “They are precursors to an individual looking for a career in construction. They become more marketable and employable.”

For Robert Young, who also graduated Friday with an NCCER certification, this course has allowed him to begin his career.

With no prior college under his belt, this certification has allowed him to gain employment with Davaco Inc. as a retail installer.

“I enjoy working with my hands, creating and building things,” said the 27-year-old. “But I was undecided on a career path. Thanks to the TSTC NCCER course I now have a job and a direction.”

Young said he will return to TSTC to pursue a degree in Building Construction Technology and hopes to open a business building residential cabinetry and furniture.

“I’m so excited to have graduated, and it’s all thanks to my mom’s encouragement and TSTC,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my future.”

For more information on the upcoming NCCER courses or on the services that TSTC Workforce Training and Continuing Education offers, call 956-364-4567.

The Workforce Training and Continuing Education office at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen was recently recognized by the Texas Workforce Commission for its small business training across the lower Rio Grande Valley.

The award was presented during the Texas Workforce Commission annual conference to recognize top performing workforce training providers serving small businesses in city populations between 50 and 100 thousand.

“This small business award means we’re doing something right among many small business training centers in the area,” said Isidro Ramos, TSTC Workforce Development executive director. “TSTC is a leader in preparing the workforce against the latest industry standards.”

TSTC has served small businesses in Cameron County for the last six years.

“Serving small business employees created a multiplier effect because a better trained workforce means growth, efficiency, product development and expansion,” said Ramos. “Small businesses are always looking for ways to be more competitive in the market, improve operations and business bottom line.”

TSTC trains to enhance the skills of the small business employees that will ultimately improve operations and how the customer is served by offering various courses such as QuickBooks, Marketing, Customer Service and beginner Microsoft Office training.

Ramos said future plans for TSTC’s workforce training include tracking key performance indicators that the small businesses are recognizing when the training is complete.

“We want to make sure that the training we are offering is producing the bottom line results the customer is expecting. Our goal is to continue improving and evolving what we offer,” said Ramos. “It’s a win-win for TSTC and the small businesses we work with.”

TSTC has trained employees from businesses such as MediForce, Harlingen Glass and Mirror and Just Bead It receiving positive reviews.

“I really enjoyed the QuickBooks class I took,” said Romie Arellano, owner of Just Bead It, a jewelry and bead store in Harlingen. “I was able to learn about features I didn’t know QuickBooks offered and I had overlooked. It was beneficial to me and my business. I highly recommend this class and I hope to sign up for others.”

Ramos added that small businesses are the backbone to the economy and combined hire the most workers.

 “Our community is made up of small businesses, and it is our responsibility to provide them with the resources they need,” said Ramos. “And our focus is to provide the training needed to create innovation and spur growth.”

TSTC Workforce Training is preparing for its upcoming small business Marketing series that is aimed at providing marketing skills and tactics that will enhance business marketing and outreach performance.

The classes are driven by applied activities and hands on learning in subjects such as Marketing Communication Channels, Marketing with Social Media, Creating a Marketing Campaign and Developing a Comprehensive Marketing Plans.

For more information on the Marketing Series or other trainings offered by TSTC Workforce Training and Continuing Education, call 956-364-4615.