Author Archives: Daniel Perry

TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology students gain experience during winter weather

(WACO, Texas) – At least 50 students in Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program signed up to work as wire-down guards and drivers for damage evaluators during the state’s recent winter weather event.

The students were on-call contract workers for Irving-based J&S Inspections, a utility contracting firm. Robert Mitchell, lead instructor in TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program in Waco, became familiar with the firm’s work while working at Oncor.

Mitchell said he considers this work a paid field trip for students, giving them work experience that will prove valuable as they pursue their careers in the electrical lineworker industry. He said many of the students made at least $3,000 for their work during the winter storm.

Mitchell volunteered to serve as a damage estimator for 13 days, while TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology student Conner Woodall of Hubbard was his driver. The two worked from the Austin suburbs to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to East Texas. Mitchell said the Lufkin and Nacogdoches areas were heavily impacted.

“It was the tree situation,” Mitchell said. “There were big pine trees hanging over the lines. There were bad ice storms where limbs accumulated a half inch of ice. The limbs fell and broke lines and broke poles on a big scale.”

Woodall said he saw lots of downed power lines and worked with Mitchell to prepare job tickets to get damaged circulators and insulators fixed. He said the weather was the coldest he had ever endured.

“We have to get out and know what to look for,” Woodall said. “If you cannot get to it by truck, you are going to have to walk the line.”

He said it is the first time he has done work like this in the field. He said the money he earned will go toward college costs and to buy more equipment.

“It actually benefited me being able to see a lot and see real life,” Woodall said. “I saw what the crew would have to do to come out and do the work.”

Mitchell said TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program is called on to provide assistance during major weather events one or two times a year.

TSTC offers the Electrical Lineworker Technology program at the Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall and Waco campuses. TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program is a Money-Back Guarantee program. Students who sign up for the program with a TSTC Career Services representative in their first semester of study can take part in focused workshops as they work their way to an associate degree. If students do not get a job in their degree field within six months of graduating, TSTC will refund their tuition.

Texas had more than 10,000 electrical power line installers and repairers in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those workers made an annual mean wage of $58,570.

Nationally, more than 116,000 electrical power line installers and repairers will be needed by 2029, according to the federal agency. This is due to retirements, workers advancing into management positions, new housing and commercial construction, and upkeep of the interstate power grid.

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

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TSTC Process Operations Technology students utilize virtual experiences

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Students in Texas State Technical College’s Process Operations Technology program in Marshall are getting the most out of some new virtual reality software.

The program’s faculty members and students began using PetroSkills Simulation Solutions’ Distillation VR software last summer. The software can be used in classes focusing on process instrumentation, troubleshooting and process technology.

The software simulates what process operators encounter in control rooms at refineries and petrochemical plants. Randy Clark, an instructor in TSTC’s Process Operations Technology program, said the software is the same kind used at Eastman Chemical Co. in Longview and Pergan in Marshall.

Clark said instructors can set up real-life situations for students to solve, such as failing pumps or equipment fires. Alerts are given through alarms sounding in the software. The students must determine how to fix the problems.

“We can make it like every pump can shut down,” Clark said.

Students can access the cloud-based virtual software through TSTC’s Moodle platform, whether on campus or at their residence. 

Nick George, of Canton, is scheduled to graduate this semester from the Process Operations Technology program. He learned about the program from his aunt, who took a campus tour with students from the Wills Point Independent School District. At that time, George said he did not know what the process operations field was.

George applied to TSTC toward the end of his senior year.

“I jumped at the opportunity to do something,” George said.

George said he enjoys the program’s hands-on labs, some of which include using the simulator software. During one recent virtual scenario, he had to deal with an overflowing condensate tank.

“This is fun,” he said. “Troubleshooting is fun for me. I like to solve and fix things.”

George has been applying at internships and feels good about his prospects. He wants to stay in East Texas to work.

Janna Jones, of Marshall, is scheduled to graduate this semester from the Process Operations Technology program. She said she chose the associate degree program because of the earning potential upon graduation and seeing what her sister, a graduate of the program, has done while working at a company in Kansas.

Jones used the simulation software for the first time during the fall semester. She said it is user-friendly because there are downloadable instructions on how to maneuver through situations. The software uses color coding to indicate problem areas.

“I’m glad it is here and available,” Jones said. 

Jones added that she is optimistic about her job prospects when she graduates.

The Marshall Economic Development Corp. (MEDCO) authorized the purchase of the virtual reality software in February 2020 and donated it to TSTC.

“We would like for those individuals to stay in Marshall and work here,” Rush Harris, executive director of MEDCO, said in July 2020. “It increases our percentage of educated folks in town and increases our annual median and mean income. We are trying to keep the pipeline of employees going to some of these larger companies that pay well.”

TSTC’s Process Operations Technology program teaches students about blueprint reading, industrial processes, process technology, safety and other topics.

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

TSTC Automotive Technology program adapts to teaching during pandemic

(WACO, Texas) – Automotive Technology students at Texas State Technical College continue to gain insight into what their careers can look like upon graduation.

“It’s a good time in the automotive industry because of how everything is advancing,” said George Williams, lead instructor in TSTC’s Automotive Technology program in Waco.

The program’s students and faculty have relied more on technology during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since spring 2020, TSTC’s technical programs have been taught either exclusively online or in a hybrid format that combines online lectures with on-campus labs.

TSTC students, faculty and staff continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in wearing masks, not gathering in groups and sanitizing hands and work areas. All of this is being done to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Rudy Cervantez, TSTC’s statewide chair of the Automotive Department, said the program is using a new e-learning and e-simulator learning management system called Electude. He said students are becoming prepared for what they will see in training at dealerships.

“They need to have a good understanding of the material and theory of the given learning activities, expected outcomes, and objectives before attempting the hands-on skills practicals,” Cervantez said.

Jonathan Tooke, of Teague, is pursuing the Automotive Technology – Chrysler Specialization certificate. He said his cell phone comes in handy to take photos in class of brakes, engines and transmissions before he dismantles them. He is getting experience working at a dealership in Fairfield doing oil changes and minor repair work.

Devontae Bible, of Waco, is working toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Automotive Technology and an Automotive Technology – Chrysler Specialization certificate. Bible, a graduate of Waco High School, said he chose to pursue Automotive Technology because of his appreciation for fast cars.

“I heard TSTC was the best of the best,” he said.

Bible is getting internship experience while working at a Waco dealership doing oil changes and working with technicians on minor problems.

“I like the job,” he said. “The environment is cool. It’s good to be around.”

The Automotive Technology program will adapt to another new way of teaching starting in fall 2022. Williams said the program will shift to a performance-based education model. 

Performance-based education allows students to have flexibility with their schedules as they master set competencies. Students can build on existing knowledge and may have the opportunity to graduate earlier than planned. Students will still have semesters, but the number of classes will vary.

“The students will get more one-on-one time with instructors,” Williams said. “The student will schedule lab times with an instructor.”

There were more than 51,000 automotive service mechanics and technicians as of May 2019 in Texas, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The workers made an annual mean wage that was more than $45,000.

Automotive service mechanics and technicians will have to adapt in the next decade to the development of electric vehicles, and cameras and sensors being added to cars and trucks.

February is Career and Technical Education Month. During this 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. 

TSTC graduate returns to teach in the Industrial Systems program

(RED OAK, Texas) – Jarriet Durham is fascinated by electricity. And he is eager to instruct as many people about it as possible.

Durham began teaching in the Industrial Systems program at Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus in December 2019. Initially he was looking for a second job since he was already working in the industry. What he thought was an offer to teach part time was actually a chance to join the program’s faculty as a full-time instructor.

“I feel like, as an instructor, we look at it as teaching. But on the other side, you are a lifelong learner,” Durham said.

During the spring semester, he is teaching some of the program’s day classes.

“His enthusiasm for what he does each day is very easy to see,” said Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC in North Texas. “Jarriet, or J.D. as we call him, could be out in industry still, but he’s come back to a technical college and a program that he is a graduate of. The work that he does daily directly impacts the lives of his students, giving them a very sought-after skill set that is critical for our industry partners.”

Durham said he sees a challenge in educating others in what industrial systems are. He said there is a big need for women and minorities to pursue the field.

“It is such a varied field,” Durham said. “We touch on some of everything. We teach heating, ventilation and air conditioning; electronics; electrical; mechanical; pneumatics; hydraulics.”

Les Monk, an instructor in TSTC’s Industrial Systems program, admires Durham’s attention to detail — something that he first noticed when Durham was one of his students.

There is something else that Monk noticed early on: Durham’s love of motorcycles. Monk said Durham rides to and from campus occasionally on a motorcycle.

“He’ll ride it when it’s cold outside,” Monk said.

Durham grew up in Dallas and is a graduate of H. Grady Spruce High School. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he worked as a postmaster and radio operator. 

“Some of the soft skills transfer when you manage a post office,” Durham said. “In my role, I had clerks under me. I am not completely new to it (teaching) in an administrative role.”

After he left the military, Durham worked in construction and studied to be an electronic systems technician.

“I was not making the money I wanted to make in construction and decided to go to TSTC,” Durham said. “I wanted to do work on electrical systems. I was doing some research, found out about TSTC and gave them a call. And the next thing I knew, I was enrolled and going to school.”

Durham graduated in 2019 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems – Electrical Specialization from TSTC in North Texas.

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

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

TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program and AEP Foundation celebrate financial pledge

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Leaders from Texas State Technical College and Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) recently gathered in Marshall to celebrate a financial pledge made through The TSTC Foundation to TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program.

The American Electric Power Foundation has pledged $100,000 to the program to help ease the financial burdens of students in need, enabling them to complete the program’s associate degree and/or certificate of completion. The AEP Foundation is funded by American Electric Power and its utility operating units, including SWEPCO. The first $50,000 of the contribution has been received, with an additional $50,000 gift planned for 2022. The gift adds to an existing endowment that the foundation created a few years ago.

“We are exceptionally grateful for AEP’s outstanding support of our Electrical Lineworker Technology program and the great benefit this gift brings to the students,” said Barton Day, provost of TSTC in Marshall.

Riley Hodges, lead instructor in TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program in Marshall, said the endowment can help students who might leave TSTC due to program costs.

Wade Cumbie, of Carthage, is pursuing an associate degree in the Electrical Lineworker Technology program and is scheduled to graduate this semester. He said he is happy that the AEP Foundation’s gift will help future program students at the Marshall campus long after he is working in the industry.

“It’s a big deal for people who cannot afford the program,” Cumbie said. “The work we do is very fun. It is about the friendships you have with the guys. The instructors are very good.”

Bryan K. Blanton, Distribution System manager for SWEPCO’s Longview district, said about 50 Electrical Lineworker Technology graduates from Marshall have been hired by SWEPCO in the last four years. Blanton said graduates start off in a four-month internship, then go into a three- to four-year apprenticeship program to progress into becoming an electrical journeyman.

“We have had huge success with being able to hire students that are from the area where we are trying to place positions,” Blanton said.

Blanton also is chair of the Electrical Lineworker Technology program’s advisory board in Marshall. The advisory board is made up of industry personnel who give input on what students need to learn to match what is being done in industry.

“The program’s curriculum is in line with AEP’s curriculum, and this is a huge benefit because the students come out of the program with the knowledge that we need them to have,” Blanton said.

Mark A. Robinson, SWEPCO’s external affairs manager in Longview, said the electrical lineworker industry continues to see people move into less physical jobs or retire as they get older. Newer workers will be needed.

“What we are seeing in our community is almost an expectation that some go to college, and for some, a four-year degree may not be right,” Robinson said. “They (students) are being encouraged to go toward a certificate or two-year degree. They can stay in the community, get a high-quality education, go to college and go into the workforce.”

To motivate people to pursue the electrical lineworker field, it will take entities partnering together to promote technical education.

“TSTC and AEP are essential partners in economic development,” said Rush Harris, chief executive director of the Marshall Economic Development Corp. “Our EDC is proud to have them both in the community. This is a very generous contribution by AEP that provides additional opportunities to our area’s youth and future workforce.”

TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology program is a Money-Back Guarantee program. Students who sign up for the program with a Career Services representative in their first semester of study can take part in focused workshops as they work their way to an associate degree. If students do not get a job in their degree field within six months of graduating, TSTC will refund their tuition.

The Ohio-based AEP Foundation works in AEP’s 11-state service region to support education in the areas of engineering, mathematics, science and technology. The foundation also works to support cultural arts, the environment, health care and quality-of-life efforts.

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

 

Round Rock-area computer technology jobs show promise for TSTC graduates

(HUTTO, Texas) – Before enrolling at Texas State Technical College, Melissa Wykes studied criminal justice and became a licensed esthetician.

But she said she needed to make a career change for financial security. 

The Round Rock resident chose to attend TSTC’s East Williamson County campus in Hutto to pursue an Associate of Applied Science degree in Cybersecurity. She is scheduled to graduate this semester.

“Cybersecurity is a wide-ranging field,” Wykes said. “It has been really interesting getting exposure to different aspects of it.”

TSTC transitioned several programs to an online format last year so that students who are not close to a TSTC campus can have the opportunity to take classes in Computer Programming and Systems Administration, Cybersecurity and other TSTC programs.

“We (industry professionals) have been telecommuting and working this way for a decade,” said Joshua Schier, an instructor in TSTC’s Cybersecurity program. “We are the most unaffected by this pandemic. I would say this is the right career at the right time if you have the skill set and think you can do this.”

There are 14 students from Round Rock enrolled in the statewide Cybersecurity program this semester, along with two students in the statewide Computer Programming Technology program, according to TSTC enrollment information.

Wykes said during this time of COVID-19 that people interested in a career change should pursue cybersecurity.

“This is an amazing career field, and because it is so widely varied, there are these pockets and niches,” Wykes said. “The work is going to be so secure for the next several decades. Everything is going to the cloud. That is all cybersecurity and information technology.”

Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area in Cedar Park has designated several computer-related jobs in its nine-county area, excluding Travis County, as target occupations. Some of these include computer systems analysts, database developers and information security analysts.

There are more than 3,100 computer-related jobs in Round Rock, according to Workforce Solutions. More than 1,300 of these were in software development and software quality assurance analysis and testing. There were more than 500 for computer user support specialists and more than 300 for computer systems analysts.

Workforce Solutions predicts that in the next three years there will be a need for 400 more workers trained for computer occupations in the Round Rock area.

TSTC’s Computer Programming Technology program and Web Design and Development Technology program are taking part in the Austin Technology Council. The council focuses on supporting businesses and professional growth, providing networking and business mentoring opportunities, and giving public policy representation to the tech industry. 

Shannon Ferguson, statewide lead instructor in TSTC’s Computer Programming Technology program, said his vision is to see students in the two programs promoted to companies throughout the Austin area.

Some of the Round Rock companies that have sought technology workers in the last month include Revature, which is seeking an entry-level computer programmer, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which is looking for a software developer, and VCL Technologies, which is seeking a software developer, according to Indeed.com.

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

Smashed pumpkin leads Building Construction Technology student to TSTC

(WACO, Texas) -Vanessa Loredo, of Waco, is working toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction Technology at Texas State Technical College. She is scheduled to graduate in December.

What inspired you to study Building Construction Technology at TSTC? 

My mother surprised us with a pumpkin for Halloween when I was seven years old. The next day, we walked to the store to grab some milk for my little brother. When we were walking back, we could see something in the middle of the road, but it was too far to see exactly what it was. We continued walking to only find our beloved pumpkin smashed in the middle of the road. Older kids from the neighborhood were going around smashing pumpkins. 

My mother hurried us in the house to calm us, just to walk in the door and see the electricity was cut off. My mom quickly lit a few candles and sat with all of us on the living room floor, reassured us everything was going to be okay, and pulled out a few pieces of blank paper. She said we should draw our dream houses just to get our minds onto something else. With tears in my eyes, I began drawing a house with big gates around it so no one could take anything from me. The house I drew had electricity, unlimited food, water, toys, new clothes, and a car for my mom. I joined TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program inspired to give my mother that house.

What is a typical class day like for you? 

A typical class day is driving to school and not leaving my truck until my personal protection equipment is in hand. I head into the building through approved entrance doors. I enter the classroom on time and ready to learn.

What have you enjoyed learning so far in the Building Construction Technology program? 

I have enjoyed everything about the program. My instructors are excellent mentors and push me to my fullest potential. I enjoy creating with my hands the most.

What challenges have you had during the pandemic as you attend TSTC? 

I do not have too many challenges due to the hard work and endurance of my instructors. Without my instructors, the challenges I face would be astronomical.

What are your plans for after graduation, and are you optimistic about the job market? 

I plan on purchasing a few pieces of land and breaking ground for new homes. I want to buy a few already built homes and refurbish them, then flip them. I want to build my company from the ground up and provide opportunities for so many people. I am being optimistic, though life has prepared me for anything. So I know with my heart, mind, body and soul that whatever the job market looks like, God will guide my way.

Why should more women consider pursuing the construction industry? 

More women should pursue this industry because we as women are natural perfectionists, organizers, and are determined to finish what we start.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that there will be a need for more than 517,000 construction managers by 2029 due to new construction, infrastructure for upgrades and replacements, and retrofitting structures to make them more efficient. In Texas, construction managers made an annual mean wage of more than $97,000 as of May 2019, according to the agency.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction Technology and a Building Construction – Craftsman certificate at the Harlingen and Waco campuses.

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

TSTC Building Construction Technology adapts to teaching during pandemic

(WACO, Texas) – Wearing a mask and hard hat, Chelsea Wallace hoisted a long piece of wood on her shoulder to carry so her classmates could start a project framing a floor in a Building Construction Technology class at Texas State Technical College.

She is grateful to be making good use of her hands during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s hard, and it’s challenging,” said Wallace, of Euless. “Everyone is hands-on with building construction.”

Since spring 2020, TSTC’s programs have been taught either exclusively online or in a hybrid format that combines online lectures with on-campus labs. Building Construction Technology is using virtual lectures and labs in two-hour blocks to give students the knowledge they need — safely.

TSTC students, faculty and staff continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in wearing masks, not gathering in groups, and sanitizing hands and work areas. All of this is being done to fight the spread of COVID-19.

“Nobody would deny we have a challenge,” said Tony Chaffin, statewide lead instructor in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program.

Program staff sanitize tools, work tables and classrooms up to nine times a day. The program recently bought three fogging guns to spray disinfectant mist, making it easier to clean tools.

In late December and early January, program staff created wooden training stations divided by plexiglass. Students use them in classes early on in the Building Construction Technology program, enabling them to work on projects with more personal space.

The number of students in classes has been reduced to create more working space for projects. In labs, students work in small groups. They work together for less than 15 minutes, wash their hands, then start again. 

Chaffin said students continue to be required to wear safety glasses, work boots, heavy pants or jeans, and masks.

“It’s getting them used to what will be required on a job site,” he said.

Wallace has a degree in hospitality management and was laid off in 2020. Building construction comes naturally to her. Her father owns a residential construction company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and her mother is in interior design. She also has a brother and a friend from high school who have graduated from TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program.

Wallace’s goal is to take over her father’s business someday.

“It’s a total 360, but it is for the better,” she said.

Corey Hartis, of Montgomery, feels good about his job prospects during the pandemic. He is scheduled to graduate this semester and is looking for internship and job opportunities in the Houston area.

“I think the construction market has not been affected that much,” Hartis said. “I found a lot of good entry-level jobs I am definitely going to apply to.”

Hartis was exposed to construction by watching his father do projects and also building deer stands in the family’s backyard. After graduating from Montgomery High School, Hartis attended a four-year university to study agribusiness but left because he felt it was not the right fit for him.

“I like how TSTC’s program is set up from start to finish, from swinging a hammer and reading blueprints to framing walls and the management classes,” Hartis said.

K. Paul Holt, president and chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America’s Central Texas Chapter in Waco, said during times when the nation’s economy takes a downturn, workers typically take advantage to go back to college and learn new work skills.

“We have an entire generation of older workers that are retiring, while at the same time we need even more employees than if they were all staying,” Holt said. “Trades workers of all sorts, such as electricians, HVAC, plumbers, are in short supply. We need to feed these pipelines with younger people who can learn their chosen craft and make very good livings.”

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

Granger student builds on new welding skills at TSTC

(HUTTO, Texas) – Among the drywalling and framing tasks she was doing with her father for a barn project last spring at the family home in Granger, Mikayla Larremore picked up an affinity for welding she did not know she had.

“I got into it because everything I had done in my life before, I was good at,” she said.

The discovery changed her mind about what she wanted to do in her career. Larremore went from studying psychology at a university to enrolling last fall at Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus in the Welding Technology program. She said she enjoys welding because it means job security.

Larremore, now in her second semester at TSTC, did not see the program’s work area until her first day of classes. She is taking three classes at night this semester and said she enjoys using what she learns and applying it.

“I like being around people who like the same kinds of things I like,” she said.

Charli Wright, an instructor in TSTC’s Welding Technology program, said Larremore is exceptional at what she does.

“She is motivated, organized and is not afraid to get behind the hood and put in the practice to become a good welder,” Wright said. “Mikayla is very inquisitive and is able to take constructive criticism and turn it into success.”

Larremore said she has adjusted well to the hybrid teaching that program instructors are doing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lectures and reading are done online, and hands-on work is done in labs.

“It has not been a big deal for me,” she said. “I thought a lot about that. I have always grown up in the middle of nowhere. I’m used to doing things remotely anyway and not being around a lot of people.”

Larremore is around horses a lot. She said she learned how to ride horses before she could walk.

“I barrel-raced the entire time I was in school until I started playing sports in seventh grade,” she said. “I took a break and started back roping. I do calf roping and started team roping. There is an arena in Georgetown where I go to rope once a week.”

Larremore took dual enrollment classes while at Granger High School and was quickly able to earn an associate degree in psychology. She continued her education at a university and completed a semester before taking time off and deciding to enroll at TSTC.

Larremore’s career plan is to start her own business, possibly focusing on farm and ranch welding, in Central Texas. Her advice to women interested in welding is not to feel discouraged and just to be themselves.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that more than 452,000 brazers, cutters, solderers and welders will be needed by 2029.

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

TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology program adapts to teaching during pandemic

(WACO, Texas) – Erik Trujillo worked with two other students on a recent morning assembling an engine in Texas State Technical College’s Diesel Engine Testing and Repair II class.

Trujillo, of Elgin, is in his second semester working on a certificate in the Diesel Equipment Technology program at the Waco campus. He is optimistic about the future as he dons a campus-required mask during the class lab.

“I enjoy learning and being here, but I also want to get started working,” he said.

Trujillo, like all of TSTC’s students, has adjusted to learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since spring 2020, TSTC’s programs have been taught either exclusively online or in a hybrid format that combines online lectures with on-campus labs. 

For Trujillo, he said he has adapted well.

“I enjoy getting the experience of learning every day,” he said.

TSTC students, faculty and staff continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in wearing masks, not gathering in groups, and sanitizing hands and work areas. All of this is being done to fight the spread of COVID-19.

The Diesel Equipment Technology program is emphasizing the disinfectant spraying of tables before and after classes and requiring everyone to wear Level 1 masks. Faculty members also use timers to ensure that students who work in groups only spend 15 minutes at a time together, then take a break to wash and sanitize their hands before returning to work.

David Folz, the program’s lead instructor, said there is a lot of material to cover in labs while students are on campus. He said even one missed day can put students behind and make it tougher to catch up.

Brad Brownlee, of San Antonio, is in his fourth semester in TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program in Waco. He works at a tractor-trailer-washing business, where he gets to look up close at engines. He said he likes in-person lectures better because questions can be asked quicker and there is more interaction. He said instructors try to include as much information as possible during in-person labs.

“The labs here are pretty amazing,” he said. “The instructors are amazing. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.”

The Diesel Equipment Technology program has more than 180 students this semester, Folz said. He said with smaller classes, more sections are created to accommodate everyone. The program accepts students each fall, spring and summer.

“That’s a good thing in a way,” he said. “We are limiting students to 15 per class.”

Folz said the pandemic has not diminished employers’ interest in the program’s students.

“There is still a lot of work out there,” he said. “People are wanting to get in to do interviews with our students.”

Due to campus visitor restrictions, emails are sent to program instructors to let students know where jobs are available.

Jacob Welker, of Gatesville, was recently offered a part-time paid internship at United Ag & Turf in Temple. He said the internship will work well for him because of his class schedule.

Welker is scheduled to graduate this semester from TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program and is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Equipment Technology – Off-Highway Specialization. He is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

Welker said he was glad to take classes focusing on brake systems and how tractor-trailers function.  

“I am glad I got the extra classes I needed,” he said.

The demand for diesel service technicians and mechanics is projected to rise to more than 290,000 nationally by 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Texas, workers made an annual mean wage of more than $49,000 in 2019, according to the agency.

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