Author Archives: Daniel Perry

TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology program ready to fill area employment needs

(RED OAK, Texas) – The coronavirus pandemic has not slowed down diesel equipment work in North Texas.

“The main thing that comes to mind about our program is that the students who have graduated and were working during this pandemic never lost any wages,” said Matthew Dobbs, lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program at the North Texas campus in Red Oak. “They continued to work and provide for their families due to the need for continued trucking deliveries. The last thing we needed was for the trucks to not be able to deliver the supplies that we needed to survive.”

More than 500 jobs were advertised for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists from September 2020 to February 2021 in the 16-county area that Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas serves. Employers with the most job openings during that time were Love’s Travel Shops, Ryder System Inc., TravelCenters of America and Rusk Truck Centers.

There were more than 7,600 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in the third quarter of 2020 in Workforce Solutions’ service area. The mean hourly wage for the workers was $27.04 in 2019, according to the most recent data from the agency.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that there will be a need for more than 290,000 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists by 2029.

Timco Logistics has called Waxahachie home for about two decades and specializes in brokerage work, hauling, logistics and trucking. The company is working with the city of Waxahachie and Ellis County in a building expansion project expected to break ground later this year. The expansion means the company will need at least 15 new diesel technicians to handle an increased workload.

“They are having to outsource some of their maintenance work because they cannot get it all done with the facility they have right now,” said John Dagg, an area certified public account working as a consultant with Timco Logistics. “It is stretched and not big enough. That costs money when they outsource truck maintenance.”

Brandon Luiszer, manager of talent acquisition for Love’s Travel Shops, said it is a challenge to find qualified job candidates, especially in less populated areas. Love’s has several locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and throughout Texas. The company is having a National Hiring Day event on March 31 with the goal of hiring more than 2,000 workers nationwide.

The company has an apprenticeship program that enables participants to earn competitive wages and work toward becoming diesel mechanics. At the end of the program, participants receive a tool kit that is valued at $3,500 and is theirs to keep after one year of employment with the company.

“There needs to be more visibility into career opportunities within the skilled labor workforce and the rewards that come with these opportunities,” Luiszer said. “There should also be more focus on providing options to high school students besides joining the military or (pursuing) a traditional four-year degree.”

Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus, said there is a pipeline of students who took automotive classes at Red Oak High School and are enrolling at TSTC.

“Diesel Equipment Technology is a campus staple,” he said. “Many of our students come to our campus to enroll specifically in the program, and that is well known for establishing solid baseline skills in this field of study. In addition, we have three very solid instructors in this program, all of whom are TSTC graduates who have returned to teach.”

TSTC in North Texas offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and two certificates in Diesel Equipment Technology – Heavy Truck Specialization.

Registration for the summer and fall semesters continues at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu. 

TSTC Precision Machining Technology program training students to fill area jobs

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program teaches students the skills they need to walk into any company that hires precision machinists and begin work.

“If it’s man-made, we (machinists) made some or all of it in the process of its production,” said Darren Block, statewide lead instructor for TSTC’s Precision Machining Technology program.

Texas had more than 28,500 machinists in May 2019 making an annual mean wage of $46,420, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

TSTC’s Precision Machining Technology program teaches students the skills to operate grinders, metal lathes and milling machines. Students work on both manual and computer numerical controlled machines and design parts using SolidWorks.

“Precision Machining Technology is a small but growing problem at TSTC in North Texas,” said Marcus Balch, the campus provost. “Many industry partners desire these graduates, and like most of the campuses, we just do not have enough graduates to go around.”

North Texas has a big need for people with precision machining skills.

There were more than 1,300 job postings for the machining field in Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas’ 16-county service area from September 2020 to February 2021. These machining-type jobs include CNC machine tool operators for metals and plastics, industrial engineering technicians, and structural metal fabricators and fitters. 

Kyle Kinateder, president and chief executive officer of Midlothian Economic Development Corp., said the need for machinists is being seen more from business prospects inquiring about the city than those that are already established. He said companies eager to come to the city are looking at the basic pool of available workers.

“That is really why TSTC is so important,” Kinateder said. “They can come in and provide these skills within our communities, and the companies can come in with a minimal amount of investment and customize their skills to their equipment.”

He said the skills that machinists have are applicable to running many kinds of equipment.

“We continue to see manufacturing relocate from overseas to the United States,” Kinateder said. “The only way those companies are doing this to be successful is by relying on technology and relying on automation, and at the heart of all those are machine operators.”

The federal labor statistics agency has estimated there will be a need for more than 404,000 machinists by 2029. This is attributed to the development of autoloaders, CNC machines and high-speed machines.

Balch said the campus is partnering with a local school district to provide dual enrollment classes to train more students to work in the field.

TSTC in North Texas offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology and a machining certificate.

Registration continues for the summer and fall semesters at TSTC. For more information, go to  tstc.edu.

TSTC and Marshall ISD offer dual enrollment opportunities to high school students

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Marshall High School juniors and seniors are being encouraged to think about their futures beyond graduation.

Dual enrollment classes through Texas State Technical College and the Marshall Independent School District’s Mav Tech program are one way to do that.

“Our main focus is to increase the numbers in dual enrollment,” said Garreth Durrant, MISD’s career and technical education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) coordinator. “I would say the challenge is being able to allocate the funding to get more students enrolled and participating in dual enrollment.”

Marshall High School students are taking TSTC classes this year online in the Business Management Technology and Health Information Technology programs, as well as in person on TSTC’s Marshall campus for the Diesel Equipment Technology and Welding Technology programs.

“The Mav Tech program does continue to gain interest, and presents a terrific opportunity for students to explore careers in STEM fields,” said Barton Day, provost of TSTC’s Marshall campus. “We continue to work alongside MISD partners to increase awareness of these very affordable head starts to college completion and great careers.”

Durrant said the goal of the Mav Tech students is to graduate from high school with dual credit hours or complete a certificate awarded by TSTC.

“They are getting a lot out of it,” he said. “There are challenges. The challenges are simply based on the maturity level of the students. They have to want to do it.”

Durrant said the school district designated a computer lab at the high school for students to take online TSTC classes. Dual enrollment classes are included in the students’ schedules so that they have designated times and days to be in the lab.

TSTC and the school district announced the initiative in 2017. Technical programs are chosen to fit in with the high school’s career clusters that students are grouped into.

Durrant said he and Kadie Svrcek, TSTC’s dual enrollment recruitment representative, have worked to let the high school students know about the array of technical programs available to them.  Durrant said the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down plans that the entities already had to promote Mav Tech.

“I can see eventually things are going to pick up and things are going to get better,” Durrant said.

TSTC is also working with the Longview Independent School District, Panola Charter Schools, Queen City Independent School District and Waskom Independent School District to offer dual enrollment opportunities for students this year. These are separate from the Mav Tech initiative.

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

TSTC Welding Technology instructors eager to share knowledge with students

(HUTTO, Texas) – The majority of instructors in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program at the East Williamson County campus happen to be women.

Kristin Burke, Samara Flener and Charli Wright bring decades of professional experience to teach their students to be the best welders they can be.

“Three of the five welding instructors at the East Williamson County campus are women, and they are setting a great example for our students and future generations,” said Lissa Adams, provost of TSTC’s East Williamson County campus. “The more women that choose technical careers, the more encouraged other women and young girls will be to explore these options. Welding is currently one of the top in-demand jobs in our region, making it an attractive and viable career choice.”

Burke, of Georgetown, has been an instructor in TSTC’s Welding Technology program for three years. She was inspired to pursue teaching by the welding instructors she had at Austin Community College.

“I figured it would be pretty awesome to be able to not only share my passion for welding with my students, but also be able to train the next generation of workers,” she said. “I get to weld all day, and impart knowledge on my students and see that light bulb come on for them.”

Burke became interested in welding by way of her sister-in-law, Angela Cockrum, who once taught at TSTC’s Waco campus.

“They were offering a free welding program through the Fluor Corp.,” Burke said. “I signed up because I was interested, and as soon as I struck an arc for the first time, I knew welding was what I was meant to do.”

Burke said she looked to Cockrum as a role model because she always looked for the next step to better herself and her career.

“Every move I have made in the welding industry in the last 14 years is a step up from the previous one,” Burke said. “The sky’s the limit, and I strive to make every move better than the last to continue to grow as a person and in my career.”

Before teaching at TSTC, Burke worked in the welding industry for 14 years, doing power plant work, heavy equipment repair, high-end fabrication, structural welding and metallurgical testing.

“I’m a certified welding inspector, so I have done welding inspection on structural components for commercial buildings and in a production shop setting,” she said.

Burke said her advice for women curious about welding is for them to know they will have to work harder than everyone else to prove themselves.

“Don’t let that discourage you, though, because you definitely belong here,” she said. “If this is your passion, stick with it because being part of a select few that get to do what they love on a daily basis is amazing.”

Flener, of Austin, has taught for eight years in TSTC’s Welding Technology program.

“I had considered the possibility of teaching at some point and was fortunate enough to be offered an opportunity to come teach at TSTC by a former work colleague that was a TSTC instructor,” she said. “I had the opportunity to pass on my welding skills and experience to the next generation of welders, just as it was passed on to me, by my former teachers.”

Flener first began welding while working at a salmon cannery in summer 1990 in Alaska.

“I immediately fell in love with welding and returned to Austin to attend Austin Community College,” she said.

Flener counts Warren Donworth, her former welding instructor at ACC, as a role model.

“I learned from him what it means to pursue excellence, be of service to others, and that 90 percent of success is having a positive outlook,” she said.

Flener went on to work for 15 years as a pipe and structural welder and also did welding fabrication. She also worked for 10 years as an American Welding Society certified welding inspector, and she still holds the certification.

“I love welding, and I am fortunate that I had the opportunity to pursue welding as a career and am grateful to the women who paved the way for me and the other women in the industry,” Flener said. “I am also grateful to the men who acknowledged my ability and work ethic and who also helped me gain the skills I needed to excel in the trade.”

Wright, who has taught for two years at TSTC after spending four decades in the welding industry, credited Burke and Flener in making move the welding lab 

“Their knowledge of this trade, passion for teaching and willingness and patience with me as a new instructor definitely helped me immensely in transitioning into a teaching role,” Wright said. 

During the month of March, TSTC wants to honor women in history and right on our campuses who work to make strides in STEM fields every day.

“My hope is that more women will begin to see themselves in skilled trades and technical careers and will boldly enhance the opportunity that they provide, including increased earning potential, job choice and career stability,” Adams said. 

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

TSTC’s Office of Information Technology guided by the work of women

(WACO, Texas) – It is a woman’s world in Texas State Technical College’s Office of Information Technology. Sixteen women work in a range of roles statewide to keep the college functioning, from serving as applications administrators to help-desk technicians.

Gladia Escobar and April Falkner have roughly three decades of combined service to TSTC. Both are based in Waco, but their work touches all of TSTC’s 10 campuses.

“One of the things I learned about Gladia and April is that they aren’t afraid,” said Shelli Scherwitz, TSTC’s executive vice president of Information Technology Support Operations. “These two are never afraid of identifying the hard issues and work with the team to resolve them.”

Escobar is a technical consultant who works to approve software and hardware for the college. She has been at TSTC for eight years, having started on the help desk giving advice to employees regarding technical issues. She keeps up to date on technology’s evolution by watching YouTube videos and reading on Reddit.

“I really love what I do,” Escobar said.

Some of her favorite pieces of education technology are the clear-touch interactive displays that are starting to be used in some of TSTC’s labs. 

At home, Escobar enjoys her security system.

“I hard-wired a DVR (digital video recorder) with four cameras mounted,” Escobar said. “I like looking and seeing what is going on.”

Escobar became interested in technology when her family got their first home computer when she was young. She spent time downloading music and burning compact discs.

Escobar took dual enrollment classes in drafting and design at TSTC while she was a high school student. She went on to earn three technology-based associate degrees at TSTC’s Waco campus.

Going to TSTC runs in Escobar’s family. Her two younger sisters have graduated from TSTC, and her son is planning his return to studies at TSTC’s Waco campus. 

Falkner is TSTC’s lead Colleague programmer and analyst. Colleague is the software system that runs the business side of TSTC, from billing to student registration. She also develops custom programs written specifically for TSTC that Colleague does not provide.

“I like solving problems, and also I like the fact that what I am doing is helping someone else do their job better or make it easy for them,” Falkner said.

A major project for her now is the college’s conversion in early 2022 to Workday, a cloud-based software.

“Right now, we are in the middle of implementing the software for the human resources and finance offices, and once that is implemented, then we will start on the students’ system in Colleague and move it to Workday,” Falkner said.

Falkner has worked in TSTC’s Office of Information Technology since 2000 and has been in her current role since 2015.

“You have to be organized and detail-oriented,” Falkner said. “You have to see it through in working on a program and getting the bugs out. You have got to have perseverance. You have to be organized.”

Falkner grew up in Odessa and cites her mother as being an inspiration for her pursuing the technology field.

“I kind of thought I would like to get into computers and started doing that,” Falkner said. “When I graduated from high school, I decided to pursue that at Odessa College. I started taking programming classes. One of my instructors recommended me for the job there at the college in programming. I started to work there actually before I got my degree.”

During the month of March, TSTC is honoring women in history and on its campuses who work to make strides in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields every day.

“Women bring special skills to the IT field,” Scherwitz said. “Men and women see things differently, and this diversity brings new solutions to the table when resolving problems. The technical field is growing each day, and it needs women to help it grow. It is a tremendous opportunity for those who are willing to grasp it.”

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

TSTC Building Construction Technology program adapts as lumber prices increase

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Hands-on work with lumber is essential to Texas State Technical College’s Building Construction Technology program.

And as students hammer, nail and saw to create a range of projects, program instructors are keeping an eye on the dollars and cents of lumber.

“We use the cheapest framing lumber we can find for our framing projects,” said Rick Vargas, lead instructor in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program. “We do still purchase treated lumber when needed to show the students exactly how it should be done, but that does take a big chunk out of our budget to get it.”

Prices for softwood lumber have undergone a 73 percent unadjusted increase from January 2020 to January 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index.

“Lumber prices do seem to just keep climbing up, but thankfully we’ve been ordering slightly more than what we need so we can create a small stock of lumber when we need it,” Vargas said. “We do not have a lack of projects in the shop, which the students love because they can always work on something to learn.”

Lumber prices have caught the eye of some national construction organizations.

The National Association of Home Builders has attributed price increases to not enough domestic production of lumber. John C. Fowke, the NAHB’s board chairman, asked in a Jan. 29 letter to President Biden to end tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments into the United States.

The Associated General Contractors of America, which has a Rio Grande Valley chapter in Harlingen, has said the slowdown in the supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in rising prices.

Stephen E. Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, wrote a letter on Feb. 18 to the president seeking for the administration to ask domestic lumber producers to increase production to make up for growing shortages and improve delivery methods.

“While lumber is sometimes considered a product that is important only in single-family house construction and remodeling, in reality lumber and other wood products are used in every type of building construction,” Sandherr wrote.

Vargas said there are alternatives for the Building Construction Technology program to use, some of which include metal finish materials.

“We do not sacrifice the learning experience because of that,” he said. “If we can, we try to salvage whatever pieces of lumber we can to use somewhere else. We will sometimes even take down a structure that we built just to reuse the lumber for the next class. It is unfortunate, but we use it as a training opportunity and discuss how to properly salvage lumber during a renovation and remodel.”

The uncertainty of lumber prices is a learning experience for TSTC’s Building Construction Technology students. 

“The students run their take-offs and estimates and see how much we are going to pay for those materials and explore other alternatives,” Vargas said. “It helps in the value engineering portion of construction, where the goal is to save money but still accomplish the same design outcome.”

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

Recent winter weather provides TSTC plumbing students with real-life lessons

(WACO, Texas) – February’s winter weather experienced in Texas is giving Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology students plenty to think about.

“There’s a lot of money in plumbing right now,” said Austin native Jack Guerrero, who is scheduled to graduate in December with a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate. “A lot of things broke that I know how to fix now.”

Guerrero not only had a health issue to deal with during the winter weather, but he and his family had to heat water in a fireplace as they endured a loss of electricity and heat in their home for several  days.

Guerrero, who wants to work in Austin after graduation, recommends that people keep their faucets dripping to reduce the chances of freezing water pipes.

Jimmy Maldonado, of Gatesville, is also scheduled to graduate with a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate in December. He said people should think about covering their windows and doors to cut down on cold air seeping in. He also recommends using outside faucet covers to provide wind and freeze protection.

Chris Porter, an instructor in TSTC’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program, said the winter weather should show students how to come up with their own solutions for problems. He said students in the program are learning the proper way to do work, which can benefit them as they advance in their careers.

Porter said he wants the students to pay attention to weather reports and know when to stock their work vans with supplies once they are working after graduation. He said the students need to be prepared for pipe breaks and not always having access to the right equipment. 

Porter said the winter weather did have a positive aspect: It brought attention to the plumbing profession once people realized how valuable the workers are. He said consumers and business owners should be aware of who they hire to do repair work and that social media is not the place to seek plumbing recommendations. Porter said people can go to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners’ website to search for plumbers’ professional information.

Porter said insurance companies will need invoices from plumbers for completed work.

“If you want good quality work, you will pay a plumber for good quality work,” he said.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a need for more than 511,000 plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters by 2029. The agency attributes this to maintaining existing plumbing systems, along with the construction of new residences and buildings.

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

TSTC Culinary Arts provides dual enrollment opportunity for Hutto High School students

(HUTTO, Texas) – Hutto High School students with an interest in culinary arts have a quicker pathway to earning an associate degree at Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus through dual enrollment classes.

“Dual enrollment students have the benefit of seeing the culinary world before having to pay,” said Brian Bohannon, a Culinary Arts teaching lab assistant at TSTC. “It has been great having the dual enrollment students from Hutto.”

Dual enrollment enables high school students to take college-level courses as they work toward high school diplomas and earn college semester-credit hours.

Hutto High School’s Culinary Arts program averages 60 students per year. Freshmen and sophomores choose two prerequisite classes before moving on in the Culinary Arts program. 

There are two levels of classes within the program that high school juniors and seniors can take. When students become juniors, they can also decide whether to enroll in dual enrollment classes with TSTC’s Culinary Arts program. 

“I have a lot of successful students that have gone through my program and have graduated from TSTC’s program,” Said Farraje, a Culinary Arts instructor at Hutto High School, said. “It is something to be proud of.”

Alexis Gamboa is in his second semester in the Culinary Arts program at TSTC. The Hutto High School graduate took dual enrollment classes.

“I didn’t know that the classes had dual enrollment at the start, but when I found out how useful it was, I was elated,” he said. “The classes really helped me be prepared for TSTC and make it so much easier to enroll.”

Gamboa said his TSTC classes have been a good experience.

“The program that we have used for online learning has been very easy to work with and makes classes much easier,” Gamboa said. “I have enjoyed the program so much that I am excited for the next semester and to see what new things I will learn.”

Farraje said he sees a need for trained culinary workers to fill positions as Austin and its suburbs grow. He said having a degree provides graduates with the expertise, knowledge and skills to progress within the culinary industry’s ranks.

“When you get a formal education, it reinforces whatever you are doing,” Farraje said.

TSTC in East Williamson County also has dual enrollment partnerships with Dillard McCollum High School in San Antonio for Automotive Technology, Jubilee Academy in San Antonio for Business Management Technology, Jubilee Academy in Wells Branch for Medical Office Specialist, Liberty Hill High School for Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology and Digital Media Design, and Texas Can Academy in San Antonio for Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, more than 151,000 Texas high school students took dual enrollment classes in fall 2017.

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

TSTC works with Texas school districts to offer dual enrollment classes

(RED OAK, Texas) – Red Oak High School students do not have far to go for dual enrollment classes. All they have to do is walk across a parking lot to Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus.

Dual enrollment enables high school students to take college-level courses as they work toward high school diplomas and earn college semester-credit hours.

Red Oak High School students are taking classes this year in the Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology, Automotive Technology, Computer Networking and Systems Administration, Digital Media Design, Electrical Power and Controls, and Welding Technology programs. Classes are taught by TSTC-accredited teachers at Red Oak High School, at TSTC or online.

Lisa Menton, the Red Oak Independent School District’s career and technical education director, said dual enrollment offerings are decided upon using employment data from the Texas Workforce Commission, along with information forecasting high-demand careers in the future. Student interest can also factor into decisions.

Menton said the district’s goals for the future are to grow the number of students taking Electrical Power and Controls and Precision Machining Technology classes.

“We will offer more opportunities for our students as we begin to see if those can fit in pathways to meet career needs in our area,” Menton said. “That makes it easier and more convenient. Students can do the online learning and work it into their schedule.”

Besides Red Oak ISD, TSTC in North Texas is working with the Castleberry Independent School District, Texas Can Academies and two home schools to provide dual enrollment opportunities.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, more than 151,000 Texas high school students took dual enrollment classes in fall 2017. The percentage of Hispanic students taking dual enrollment classes grew from 38 percent in fall 2007 to 46 percent in fall 2017, according to the THECB.

Some of TSTC’s most popular dual enrollment programs statewide include Automotive Technology, Cybersecurity, Digital Media Design and Welding Technology. The classes can be taught by TSTC-accredited teachers at the students’ home campuses, or students can travel to a TSTC campus. High school students can also take some dual enrollment classes online.

“Our main goal with dual enrollment is matriculation, to expose them (the students) to TSTC earlier so they can pick a career they can go into and matriculate to one of our campuses,” said Kadie Svrcek, TSTC’s dual enrollment recruitment representative. “Students are able to have that freedom to have dual enrollment with us and continue on with us while online.”

Spring is the time when private schools, along with charter and public schools, can reach out to TSTC to inquire about dual enrollment opportunities in time for fall. The TSTC programs that schools are interested in for their students are vetted to ensure that there is no overlap with neighboring colleges.

“For us, it is all about exposure,” Svrcek said.

COVID-19 has impacted dual enrollment for students in the past year. But Svrcek is optimistic about the future.

“I think now everyone has gotten a grasp and handle on what their plans are, and they are more comfortable pivoting from an in-person setting to a 100 percent online or a hybrid setting,” Svrcek said. “Our school districts are coming around and being more active.”

As we close out Career and Technical Education Month, TSTC is proud to showcase the students, staff and faculty who support its mission of being the “most sophisticated technical institute in the country” every day. To learn more about the programs offered at TSTC, go to tstc.edu/programs.

Semien brings facilities management expertise to TSTC

(WACO, Texas) – Kevin Semien knew that the recent weather events experienced in Texas were not something to take chances with.

Semien is executive vice president of facilities and maintenance, as well as interim airport operations manager, at Texas State Technical College. 

During the weather crisis, he worked with TSTC’s physical plant, custodial and maintenance staff to identify power issues that affected TSTC’s campuses statewide. He was grateful that some staff members could get to their campuses to check on buildings.

Edgar Padilla, TSTC’s provost in Waco, said Semien was a key member of the Waco campus’ incident command team, which met several times daily to ensure the health and safety of all students.

“His calm, thoughtful and expert insight proved to be invaluable not only to the facilities and maintenance considerations, but also the student services, housing, public safety and communication pieces of the event,” Padilla said. “His commitment to TSTC will pay dividends for years to come.”

Semien sees the root of his work as having a desire to solve problems. He likes to get an idea of what is happening on each campus.

“You can’t know every single thing, but you can keep me in the loop for anything outside the norm,” Semien said.

Some of Semien’s goals at TSTC include creating standards to be used in support departments at all of TSTC’s campuses. He wants to encourage employees to be open to new ideas to make work easier. Semien wants to build relationships and foster a teamwork concept that easily allows directors and staff members to make suggestions and have productive discussions.

“He (Semien) has great ideas,” said Arturo Aguilar, TSTC’s custodial supervisor in Waco. “Overall, he is a great leader and also great as a person to work with.”

Terry Pritchett, the TSTC physical plant’s senior executive director in Waco, said Semien brings a high measure of professionalism to his position.

“He is down-to-earth and easy to talk with, whether in a work or personal matter,” Pritchett said. “He is understanding and caring of the TSTC mission and makes his decisions based on our organizational goals. I look forward to many years of service under his leadership.”

Semien said his advice for people interested in the facilities and maintenance field is to be ready to learn and work well with other people.

“The opportunity is there if they jump into it early,” he said.

Semien’s previous work has been in the casino and health care industries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

“All of the experiences have rolled into the opportunity here,” Semien said.

Semien is a graduate of Lamar University in Beaumont.

During the month of February, TSTC wants to honor the Black students, staff and faculty who make TSTC a special place to learn.

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