Author Archives: Daniel Perry

Lometa Student Looks for Glowing Future After TSTC Graduation

(WACO, Texas) – Faustino Laessig of Lometa felt right at home in the auto collision labs at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus.

“I’ve always been fixing things up and making them look good,” he said.

Laessig is an associate degree candidate for graduation in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program at TSTC’s Fall 2019 Commencement at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at the Waco Convention Center.

“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “I’m really proud of my welding and metal repairs.”

He said he found motivation for his studies in his desire to complete class projects. Some of his other favorite lessons involved airbrushing.

Marc Garcia of Waco is also a candidate for graduation in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program and took several classes with Laessig. Garcia said he admires Laessig’s welding and measuring skills.

“I think he will do great,” Garcia said. “I can see him going places.”

Laessig placed first in Collision Repair Technology at this year’s SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary State Leadership and Skills Conference held in Waco. The victory catapulted him to represent Texas at this summer’s 55th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I really enjoyed it,” Laessig said. “It brought experience I would not get in class. You got one-on-one time with the instructors. It didn’t feel like work. It was really fun.”

Jacob Pevia, an instructor in TSTC’s Auto Collision and Management Technology program, taught Laessig during his first semester. Pevia also worked with Laessig as he prepared for SkillsUSA competitions.

“I’ve seen him flourish from a guy who knew absolutely nothing about the technology to the best guy I have had this semester,” Pevia said.

Laessig graduated in 2017 from Lometa High School, where he played multiple sports and learned welding in his agriculture classes.

He visited TSTC on campus tours organized by his high school during his junior and senior years. He said TSTC was a good choice for him because of the cost.

“I was a little nervous for the first few weeks,” Laessig said. “I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do. I told myself to stick with it, and I liked it.”

Laessig is looking at job possibilities at auto collision businesses in Central Texas.

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

Leander Student Eager to Mark Graduation Milestone at TSTC

(HUTTO, Texas) – Nick Short of Leander copes daily with his challenges, using determination and heart.

Short, a Cybersecurity student at Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus, has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He is reaping the rewards of his hard work as a candidate for graduation at TSTC’s Fall 2019 Commencement at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at the East Williamson County Higher Education Center in Hutto.

“I like the feeling of getting over certain milestones,” Short said. “I have had to really push myself to do what I need to be doing. I struggle some.”

Working in the technology field runs in Short’s family. His father works at Cisco in Austin and his brother is a network engineer.

“I feel really confident with what I know,” Short said.

Joshua Schier, a TSTC Cybersecurity instructor, said he admired Short’s natural instinct to understand concepts.

“Nick has made my job easier,” he said. “Nick will go wherever he wants to go. He is confident in his abilities.”

Short was home-schooled and attended public school until going to college.

“In eighth grade, I had a third-grade reading and spelling level,” Short said. “At that point, my mother taught me to push through it.”

He attended another two-year college in the Austin area before enrolling at TSTC, which he chose because it offered the program he was interested in and was close to home.

“The people I have met are pretty cool,” Short said. “The people here are passionate about getting the material down.”

Short plans to take the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification test in December. After that, he will leave in January for Colorado, where he will participate in a Youth With A Mission Discipleship Training School curriculum focused on film, journalism and photography. Short said he will use the trip as an outlet for creativity and to grow in his faith.

“Six months is a long time taking a hiatus from what all I have been doing, but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Short also wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree and work in the security field in the Austin area in the future.

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

San Angelo Student Driven by TSTC Toyota Program

(WACO, Texas) – Ricardo Echeverria of San Angelo did not go to college right after graduating from the city’s Central High School in 2017.

He went to work at Mitchell Toyota in San Angelo as a lube technician, but said he knew he needed to advance his career.

A dealership employee recommended that Echeverria give Texas State Technical College’s Automotive Technology – Toyota Technician Training and Education Network, or T-TEN, specialization a look. He began classes at the Waco campus in fall 2018.

“It’s been really good,” Echeverria said. “It’s a lot of hands-on and very informational. The instructors have been good teaching and spending one-on-one time with us.”

Echeverria said his favorite lessons have dealt with engines.

“We get to take the engine apart, and we put it back together and make sure the specs are correct,” he said.

During the summer, Echeverria went back to work at Mitchell Toyota as a main line technician diagnosing and fixing customers’ problems.

“The technicians are very helpful and understood I was a student,” he said. “It opened my eyes to the real world.”

Tony Palmer, Mitchell Toyota’s service manager, said he likes Echeverria’s motivation to better himself. He said students like Echeverria are good for programs like T-TEN.

“If they (students) just had the knowledge that the program is there and if they want to do that type of work in the field, it would be a great option for them,” Palmer said.

After graduating from TSTC, Echeverria said he wants to return to San Angelo to work at the Toyota dealership and later work in San Antonio.

TSTC’s Waco campus is one of four two-year institutions in Texas offering the Toyota curriculum, along with more than 30 two-year colleges nationwide. T-TEN is a consortium of Lexus and Toyota dealerships and two-year colleges developing students with industry-backed training to work in more than 1,500 dealerships nationwide as factory-certified technicians.

“We can take them from almost knowing nothing to being good technicians,” said Roy “Rip” Plumlee, a TSTC Automotive Technology instructor who teaches some of the T-TEN courses.

The program curriculum was revamped this year to have students spend half of their semesters in classes learning about automotive electrical systems, brake systems, climate control systems and other topics, and the remaining weeks working at Toyota dealerships. Plumlee said students who come from throughout Texas to attend TSTC must maintain work at a Toyota dealership to stay in the program.

Plumlee said he has an agreement with his students for them to send him an email when their salaries reach a high level after graduation.

“I hope they go on to long-term, successful careers at Toyota,” he said.

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

TSTC Hosts School Counselor Update

(HUTTO, Texas) – More than 20 counselors from school districts in Williamson County attended on Friday the Counselor Update hosted by Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus.

The gathering was at the East Williamson County Higher Education Center in Hutto and included tours of TSTC’s Culinary Arts, Cybersecurity and Precision Machining Technology programs. Attendees also learned about TSTC’s admission requirements, funding formula and recruitment efforts.

Kari Schroeder, a counselor at Taylor High School, said she was glad to learn more about TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee that enables program-enrolled graduates to receive their tuition money back if they do not have a job within six months after graduation. The eligible programs are Diesel Equipment Technology, Electrical Lineworker Technology, Electrical Power and Controls, Instrumentation Technology and Welding Technology.

“I feel like for me that gave me a glimpse of the actual jobs they are being placed in before or at graduation,” Schroeder said.

Travis Clark, career and technical education coordinator for the Hutto Independent School District, said he was impressed with the Cybersecurity program’s labs.

Clark said some of the challenges in career and technical education include getting students and parents to understand there is financial aid available to pursue an array of college options. He said teachers and counselors need to help students figure out what can work best with the skills they have.

Attendees heard from an early afternoon panel made up of representatives from National Oilwell Varco in Cedar Park, the Texas Workforce Commission and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area. Representatives talked about ways they provide support in developing Texas’ workforce.

The event was a way to thank counselors for encouraging students to attend TSTC, said Viña Asayas, a TSTC student recruitment coordinator.

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

Waco Transit System Offers Free Rides to TSTC Students

(WACO, Texas) – Current students at Texas State Technical College can now ride on the Waco Transit System’s fixed routes for free.

TSTC students can get a personalized TSTC/Waco Transit identification card at the campus Student Services Center to begin riding.

“TSTC has partnered with Waco Transit for years to provide service to our campus, but this arrangement expands the service for our students to ride any fixed route on Waco Transit at no cost,” said Adam Hutchison, TSTC’s provost for the Waco campus. “Some of our students don’t have access to reliable transportation on their own, and now they can use Waco Transit anywhere in the city — not just TSTC — for free.”

TSTC is included on Waco Transit’s Route 5, which includes stops at H-E-B, Walmart and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Students can ride on any of the transportation system’s 10 routes encompassing all parts of Waco and some locations spread out in McLennan County.

“We do our best to hit all the time points,” said Joseph Dvorsky, Waco Transit’s director of service development. “We have major construction going on with Interstate 35, and what we do is we detour routes to keep them on time.”

Waco Transit uses a flag-stop system for its routes, which means people can flag down buses to be picked up along fixed routes. Dvorsky said bus drivers can pick up riders if they are on the correct side of the street and if there are not traffic-flow issues.

Waco Transit had 1.3 million unlinked passenger trips in 2018, according to Dvorsky. 

To see Waco Transit’s bus routes, go to waco-texas.com/transit/routes.asp or download the Ride Systems app on a smartphone.

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

Groesbeck Students Look to TSTC for Career Goals

(WACO, Texas) – Jake Pringle and Fernando Venegas have known each other for as long as they can remember.

They grew up together attending Groesbeck schools and now are attending Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus where they are in the Welding Technology program. Pringle is working toward a certificate, and Venegas is studying for an associate degree.

“It’s the best welding program in Texas,” Pringle said.

Pringle was inspired to pursue welding because his father has oil field work experience. Venegas said he developed an interest in welding in high school.

The students said stick welding is their favorite. And, they both said they do better with hands-on learning.

Pringle and Venegas are joined by at least 10 other students from Groesbeck attending TSTC this semester. Other programs the students are studying include Biomedical Equipment Technology, Computer Networking and Systems Administration, and Cybersecurity.

All students in the Groesbeck Independent School District get their hands on technology. Students in pre-kindergarten use school district-issued iPads, while students in kindergarten to 12th grade use school district-issued laptops.

“It is a piece of what we do every day,” said Diana Freeman, assistant superintendent of the Groesbeck Independent School District. “We do this because when they go to work, wherever they go to work, they are going to have to be able to do some kind of technology.”

The school district has a strong history in teaching agriculture and welding.

“For us, everybody starts in agriculture, and then you kind of make your choice whether you want to study animals, plants or welding,” said Freeman.

The school district has had 17 high school seniors graduate with an American Welding Society certification, Freeman said. The school district also offers career and technical education classes in business, culinary arts, construction, graphic design and health science.

Groesbeck High School has two counselors, with one dedicated to the career and technical education needs of its more than 400 students.

“TSTC is a place you can go and get that certificate or associate degree — you can get that training to go out and get a job you can do well with,” Freeman said.

After graduating from TSTC, Pringle wants to weld on power lines and will go  wherever there is a good job. Venegas said he wants to do pipeline work after graduation.

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

TSTC’s Waco Campus Has New FAA Designated Mechanic Examiner

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus is now home to a Federal Aviation Administration designated mechanic examiner (DME).

Carl Stutsman, a TSTC aviation maintenance instructor, attended an FAA training school in Oklahoma City in late 2018 and was officially notified this summer about his DME status.

“To have a DME on staff means the graduates have the option of going to the DME that is right here so they don’t have to travel farther,” Stutsman said.

Stutsman can only work in the FAA’s North Texas Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)  encompassing a portion of northeast Texas. The state’s other FSDO’s are based in Houston, Lubbock and San Antonio.

He does his FAA work after 5 p.m. on days he is teaching and on weekends. He said teaching aviation maintenance courses is still his top priority at TSTC.

“I love aviation. And for me what keeps me teaching is taking a student who has a haze over their eyes and they struggle to understand, and the light bulb turns on and their eyes are bright and they understand,” Stutsman said. “That is a thrill.”

Stutsmanis obligated to test any aviation maintenance graduate as long as they have permission from their FSDO. People who pass the FAA’s testing receive temporary certification, with the FAA issuing permanent certificates to become aviation mechanics.

“They should expect to receive their permanent certificates in about 120 days,” Stutsman said. “As long as they continually work on aircraft and are signing off on aircraft at least six months out of the past 24, they are good.”

Adam Hutchison, TSTC’s provost for the Waco campus, said the DME certification means the FAA is affirming Stutsman’s judgment and professionalism to help certify the next generation of workers.

“It confirms what TSTC students have known for years, and that is Mr. Stutsman trains men and women to perform the highest-quality service to keep aircraft operating safely,” Hutchison said.

Robert Capps, TSTC’s statewide chair of the aviation maintenance department, said having Stutsman’s role on campus means another marketability option for attracting students.

“It lowers the barriers for our students to get this certification done,” he said.

Stutsman had previous experience as a designated mechanic examiner in Colorado, where he administered more than 200 oral and practical exams.

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

Austin Company Finds Quality Employees at TSTC

(HUTTO, Texas) – Tucked among a cluster of brick buildings on Research Boulevard in Austin is a technology company that has found a source for employees in Central Texas.

Contigo Technology has looked to Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus to fill Cybersecurity jobs. And, the company wants to hire more employees.

“Contigo is a great opportunity for our students,” said Joshua Schier, an instructor in TSTC’s Cybsersecurity program. “They are a fantastic employer offering great pay and benefits for entry-level positions. And, they are putting students in a position to succeed and grow with the company.”

Some of the skills students in TSTC’s Cybersecurity program learn include intrusion detection, Linux installation, and server virtualization and intrusion. The program’s goal is to give students a foundation of knowledge in networking and networking security.

“Many of the students have done projects and assignments together as a team while in school,” Schier said. “They developed friendships and team-building skills while here at TSTC, and that is being carried over into their work environment at Contigo.”

The company has 22 employees who work with clients using Microsoft platforms. Fuller said a majority of the company’s work is preventive maintenance, while project work is also undertaken.

“Everyone has a role to play,” said Bryan Fuller, president of Contigo Technology. “Everyone is being taken care of as long as the customer is taken care of.”

Travis Hoffmeister played baseball and graduated from Texas Tech University before finding his way to TSTC’s Cybersecurity program. He said attending TSTC gave him more focus for his career. He said a hiring company recommended that he give Contigo Technology a look when he was job searching.

He is a project engineer who migrates data and email between hosts at the company.

“I’m happy with it,” Hoffmeister said about his job. “I didn’t know what to do outside of Texas Tech. At TSTC, it was a broad curriculum. It helped me see a wide swath of fields to get into.”

Kyle Banks and Isabelle Pomeroy are remote operator technicians at the company. The two had classes together at TSTC and graduated a semester apart from the Cybersecurity program.

“We are the main contacts when it comes to issues with the clients and with their devices or technical questions,” Banks said. “We troubleshoot and get them fixed.”

Pomeroy said she enjoys her job because she discovers and figures out problems for customers.

Javier Bustos is a candidate for graduation for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Cybsersecurity at TSTC in December. He has worked part time since May, troubleshooting and setting up customers’ computers.

“TSTC has hooked me up with a job, which is awesome,” said Bustos, who grew up in Manor.

Bustos said he does not have a problem asking for help from his co-workers when needed.

“I really enjoy it,” he said. “At first it was intimidating. It was my first exposure to a business environment with information technology.”

Fuller said the quality of life for his employees is important. Company employees work in staggered shifts to manage Austin’s traffic. There are also opportunities for employees to work from their homes.

“I don’t want turnover,” Fuller said. “I try to make it a fun environment. I require them to be good at what they do.”

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

TSTC Expanding Night Classes for Programs

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus is expanding its offering of night classes for students.

The Industrial Systems – Electrical Specialization program will have its first night cohort starting in January for the spring semester. Students will attend classes two nights a week and during the day on Saturdays.

Nathan Cleveland, TSTC’s associate provost in Marshall, said the program was selected because of industry demand.

“We have more requests to fill jobs than we currently have graduates,” he said.  “For a nontraditional student that is working, they can come in the evenings and they can move up further in their job at their current employer.”

The first program to offer night classes on campus, Precision Machining Technology, is thriving this semester and will offer a second night cohort in January.  

Danny Nixon, a Precision Machining Technology instructor, said more than half of the 12 students in the program this semester work full time during the day and attend classes four nights a week. The students range in age from 19 to 33, Nixon said.

“They are so mature and willing to learn and attentive,” he said.

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

TSTC Hosts Industry Job Fair in Marshall

(MARSHALL, Texas) – About 150 Texas State Technical College students met potential employers from Texas and throughout the nation on Thursday at its semiannual Industry Job Fair on the Marshall campus.

Attendees talked to representatives from about 30 companies set up at tables in the South Building. Some of the companies were seeking students interested in jobs as diesel technicians, fleet management supervisors, industrial painters and powerplant operators.

Cheyenne Riordon, a regional recruiter for Equipment Depot in Irving, said it was the company’s first time at the Marshall event. She was interested in talking to Diesel Equipment Technology students about forklift mechanic positions. The materials handling and equipment rental company’s only East Texas location is in Longview.

“I just want to get our name out there,” Riordon said. 

TrinityRail, which is headquartered in Dallas and has locations in Hallsville and Longview, was interested in insulators, paint preparers and welders.

“The employees that come out of TSTC are ready to start their careers and are very moldable,” said Hunter Hembrough, a TrinityRail talent acquisition specialist. “They are ready to work.”

Students asked questions and clutched company brochures as they explored the event’s information tables.

Dakota Smith, a Welding Technology student from Gladewater, is scheduled to graduate in December from TSTC. She said she talked to as many employers as possible and liked what she heard.

“I’m keeping a clear head about it,” she said. “I will go wherever the job is as long as it is a good fit.”

Lucas Wilson, an Industrial Systems – Electrical Specialization student from Mount Enterprise, attended his first campus Industry Job Fair. He said he was interested in internship opportunities but also wanted to see what East Texas companies are looking for.

“I am here to network and get my name out there,” Wilson said. “A lot of the companies are looking for industrial maintenance.”

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

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