Author Archives: Ben Barkley

TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology instructors preparing for enrollment surge

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – When oil prices decline, eventually they will increase. The biggest question is when.

When oil production increases, the demand for diesel specialists also increases. Texas State Technical College’s Sweetwater campus offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in heavy truck specialization and two certificates in heavy truck specialization.

“We are looking for a really good enrollment this fall, especially with the economy the way it is,” said instructor Shannon Weir. “The oil field is going to bounce back eventually, and companies will need people to work on the trucks and equipment.”

Some graduates of the Diesel Equipment Technology program are employed by established companies like Caterpillar, Peterbilt and Freightliner.

“Our students will be able to get work when they graduate,” he said.

Weir said most graduates have jobs prior to the end of their final semester. That is one of the selling points for the program, he said.

“Most of our graduates from Sweetwater get jobs in the oil field,” Weir said. “People trust our graduates.”

Students spend a majority of the time in the lab. Earlier this month, students returned to the Sweetwater campus to finish spring semester lab sessions.

“It is good to get back to work. This is a very hands-on class,” said second-year student Jacob Rambo of Wichita Falls.

With registration for the fall semester underway, Weir said instructors are preparing for changes.

“When the students returned this month, we did not have any issues. Everyone is following the rules,” he said, adding that those rules include wearing a face covering at all times. “We are going to make sure to practice all of the safety guidelines in place. Safety is our top priority.”

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

Technology key to recruiting students to TSTC

(ABILENE, Texas) – With Texas State Technical College recruiters working from home, creativity is being used to attract potential students.

Daniel Martin, TSTC’s director of Student Recruiting in West Texas, and his team are using technology to gauge the interest of prospective students and keep in touch with current applicants.

“We have been really productive,” Martin said. “Not only are we refining our craft, we have grown together as a team.”

TSTC is offering Virtual Visits on Facebook for prospective students. Each Thursday, a different program is presented from one of the 10 campuses across the state. The West Texas campus virtual visits began with Emergency Medical Services last month.

Martin said TSTC was one of the first colleges to offer Virtual Visits, and he hopes they will continue once on-campus tours are allowed to resume.

“I think we have learned a lot from our Virtual Visits. This will help us connect with high school students because they use social media,” Martin said. “I hope to continue to do more of these once we get back on campus.”

Another avenue recruiters are taking is conducting virtual presentations with high school counselors and teachers.

“We are talking to counselors and teachers about any presentation they would like us to make using Zoom or Google Meet,” Martin said. “This will set up our recruiters with students that are interested in a certain program.”

With open house events canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin and his team had to be creative in recruiting students. Students who have shown an interest in attending TSTC are getting a phone call from a recruiter just to check on them.

“We are doing more of an encouraging phone call to students. We want to know how they are doing and if there is anything we can do for them,” Martin said.

Martin said he hopes all of the efforts being done lead to more students in the summer and fall.

“If we can turn all of our efforts into more students attending TSTC, that will be great,” he said. 

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

TSTC alumnus puts skills to use as oil, gas field inspector

(ABILENE, Texas) – Devan Moore puts the skills he learned at Texas State Technical College to use on a daily basis.

After serving seven years in the U.S. Army, Moore attended TSTC and received Associate of Applied Science degrees in Wind Energy Technology in 2018 and Industrial Systems in 2019. Today, he is an oil and gas field inspector for the Railroad Commission of Texas.

“Not one day goes by that I do not implement some piece of knowledge that I learned at TSTC,” he said. “With the Railroad Commission, it is my responsibility to ensure that the oil and gas industry stays in compliance with rules and regulations.”

Moore, a native of The Colony, is in charge of inspections in Erath, Hood, Palo Pinto and Parker counties.

“I absolutely love what I do. I do not see this as a job; I see this as a new beginning,” Moore said.

Moore served as a field artillery cannoneer in the U.S. Army, and he said that experience gave him an advantage, both at TSTC and the Railroad Commission.

“I had zero oil-field experience,” he said. “Between my military training and my education at TSTC, I am excited about my career.”

He said his instructors and fellow students at TSTC did something for him in addition to academics.

“When I first started at TSTC, I was a little older than most of the students. But I was seasoned. At the same time, I wanted a clean slate,” Moore said. “In life, you can get into one of those slumps. I started to refine my skills, and my morale was higher. The biggest thing TSTC did for me was getting me out of my slump.”

He wants other veterans to know about the opportunities available at TSTC, especially since he was part of the first Industrial Systems graduating class in Abilene.

“I am an active member of the Abilene area’s veteran community. I want our veterans to know that TSTC can offer a career path,” Moore said. “I know that other veterans may feel the same way after leaving the service. They need to know that TSTC will help them get out of that slump and be there for them.”

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

Perkins Grant helps TSTC students with expenses

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – With help from a Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Grant, Texas State Technical College student Rebecca Fortuna does not have to worry about gas money.

Through the grant, Fortuna is able to travel from Rotan to Sweetwater to study Wind Energy Technology. Without the grant, Fortuna said she might not be able to complete school.

“If it was not for this grant, I would probably have to work more just to pay for gas,” she said. “I saved a lot of money driving back and forth, even with gas prices fluctuating. Every little bit helps me.”

Michael LeRoux, coordinator of Retention Services for TSTC’s West Texas campuses, said helping with transportation costs is not the only benefit of the grant. The Perkins Grant also allows nontraditional students to receive funding for child care.

“We also have a lending library available where students can borrow books or tools for their courses,” he said. “We wanted to dedicate our money to our assistance programs.”

Fortuna, 35, learned about the grant opportunity by talking to her classmates.

“It was not a difficult process. With a lot of grants, it is a large essay, but this was not that way,” she said. “Michael helped me through the entire process.”

She has even paid it forward by telling other female classmates about the grant program.

“I wanted to help get the word out that this is available,” she said.

LeRoux said funding helps relieve some stress on students.

“I hope people take advantage of this program. One of my main goals is to get as many students to apply for funding as possible,” he said. 

To receive funding, the student must be in good academic standing, be classified as full time, and take classes on campus.

“We accept applications each semester, and students are eligible to reapply,” LeRoux said. “It is rewarding because it helps a lot of people.”

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

TSTC to offer OSHA-compliant degree program in Breckenridge

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Safety on worksites is important.

The person behind the scenes making sure that all of the rules and regulations are being followed is a certified Occupational Health and Safety Administration technician. Texas State Technical College will offer an Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety Compliance Technology at the Breckenridge campus this fall.

TSTC had planned to start classes in the program in Breckenridge last year, but Martin Knudsen, the program’s department chair, but did not have enough applicants. Knudsen said he expects to see the program thrive in West Texas, where oil fields and wind farms are in need of safety compliance officers and directors.

“A lot of our students are those that were in the trade industry and are getting older. We tell them we will retrain you so you will know the hazards in your industry,” he said. “When you learn the compliance side of the industry, that is what makes a good safety person.”

Knudsen said he has seen enrollment increase when the economy drops.

“When the economy hiccups, we explode (with enrollment),” he said. “I am expecting that to happen this fall in Breckenridge and Waco. People always say they want to go back to school and they need to go back to school. This is the best time for a person in the field to become an OSHA technician.”

The reason for that, according to Knudsen, is the fact that the need for OSHA technicians will never end.

“Once you learn (OSHA training), you learn it for life,” he said. “The technician position is not going anywhere.”

Teresa Purcell will be instructing the five-semester course in Breckenridge. She and Knudsen both said the OSHA technician position is misrepresented as being the “bad guys.”

“A lot of people, when they hear OSHA, they say, ‘Oh, my God.’ They are not the bad guys,” Purcell said. “They are on the sites training workers and providing the knowledge to better educate people to be safe.”

Knudsen said the primary objective for technicians is to “make sure people do not get hurt.”

“Safety is enormous on the job site,” he said. “Technicians want to make sure all areas are in compliance with all of the current regulations. They want to make sure that mom or dad gets to go home safely at the end of the day.”

Students will learn the hazards of machines, safe work methods, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures during the five semesters.

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

TSTC students practice social distancing during lab sessions

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – A limited number of Texas State Technical College students returned to campus Monday, May 4.

Students allowed back on campus are studying in programs that require them to complete hands-on lab work in order to finalize their semester. While on campus, students and instructors practiced social distancing guidelines and wore face coverings at all times.

Students were glad to be back on campus and have social interaction with classmates.

“I am excited to be back,” said Diesel Equipment Technology student Jacob Rambo, of Wichita Falls. “While we were away, I did a skills test and had to align my own vehicle.”

Devyn Johnson from Lubbock, who is also a Diesel Equipment Technology student, said he spent time at work and with his family while away from campus.

“It feels good to be back. I missed the bonding with my friends and the coming together we had before getting started with class,” he said. “I have learned a lot from these guys.”

The return to on-campus instruction is specifically authorized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which has identified career and technical education as one area of education that may continue under the Texas governor’s Executive Order No. GA-16.

“CTE programs that require hands-on instruction that cannot be delivered online can continue to be delivered, but in strict accordance with CDC guidelines,” the executive order states.

“It is good to be back in the groove,” said Diesel Equipment Technology student David Wilson, of Brownwood..

Welding students in Sweetwater were also excited to be back on campus. Brian Naza, of Colorado City, admitted he did not do any welding at home.

“It is important that I improve my cutting and torch skills,” he said about what his focus would be on during the on-campus lab sessions.

Welding student Hector Mendez, of Senora, said returning to campus was a fresh start.

“I am looking forward to finishing what I started. I want to make good grades and put my skills to use,” he said.

Mendez said that before starting the lab session, his classmates talked about what they did during the past five weeks.

“We were really glad to see each other, but more importantly we want to finish and graduate,” he said.

For more information about how TSTC has prepared to return students to campus, visit https://tstc.edu/coronavirus.

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

TSTC graduate finds career in computer programming

(ABILENE, Texas) – Haley Howdeshell started taking Computer Programming Technology classes at Texas State Technical College only knowing the basics.

Howdeshell is graduating this semester with an Associate of Applied Science degree. Even before receiving the degree, she has found a career opportunity at Funeral Directors Life in Abilene.

“They have so many career paths available,” she said. “I am pretty much set for life. It is thanks to TSTC that this happened, and I have a goal of staying here and working my way up.”

Howdeshell said that even though she did not have much experience with computers, Computer Programming Technology was a perfect fit.

“The more that I looked into the program, the more in love with it I became,” she said. “The only experience I had was turning on my computer at home and working on it. A lot of people do not even know how to hook up a printer. I really enjoyed my time in class and the labs.”

She credits her instructors, including Julie Rhoades, for opening her eyes to a different career.

“TSTC has a lot of different people there to help you,” Howdeshell said. “They helped me with my resume and coached me for interviews. TSTC showed me how to carry myself and provided me with a lot of good tips and tricks during the interview process.”

Rhoades knew Howdeshell would succeed.

“Haley has been a responsible student who’s dedicated to getting her work complete and submitted on time. She actively sought employment before she graduated and was able to dedicate hours to the job search, and the position she landed, while continuing her school work,” Rhoades said. “She has the self-discipline required to complete her goals and succeed in life.”

Rhoades had pulled Howdeshell aside to tell her about the Funeral Directors Life job opening.

“She was always helpful and encouraging to the students,” Howdeshell said. “I really appreciated what she did for me.”

TSTC prepared Howdeshell for a career, and she hopes more students, especially high school students, take advantage of the available programs.

“TSTC does some amazing things for students,” she said.

Howdeshell said she had one goal when she started at TSTC.

“I knew I was going to have to work hard. Graduation was my goal, and I graduated,” she said.

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

Kahl receives TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award

(ABILENE, Texas) – Carly Kahl believes in Texas State Technical College’s values.

Kahl, who has worked at TSTC for the past 12 years, received a 2020 Chancellor’s Excellence Award for her dedication to the college and willingness to help others.

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s mission,” said TSTC Chancellor & CEO Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

Kahl, a graduate of Andrews High School, is a Social/Behavioral Science master instructor in Abilene. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from McMurry University and a Master of Arts degree from Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia. She is currently working on a Ph.D. at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award, and I am excited to join the ranks of previous Chancellor’s Excellence Award winners,” she said.

As an assistant department chair, Kahl does more than teach students. She leads the TSTC General Education department at the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and Sweetwater campuses, as well as with other department chairs statewide within the department.

“I love that I get to do so many things at different levels,” she said. “I enjoy meeting and working with various departments and divisions across the state who all have a common mission: Place more Texans in great-paying jobs. The General Education department is full of wonderful faculty, and I couldn’t ask for better team members. I also love teaching students, and I especially love seeing that moment when students get it, when something they’ve been thinking about clicks and understanding happens.”

Kahl’s willingness to help her students and others is among the reasons she received the award.

“Each year TSTC employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees who display our core values on an ongoing and consistent basis. Regardless of their daily demands, these nominees have risen to the top through their dedication to TSTC customers, both internal and external,” said Rick Denbow, provost at TSTC in West Texas. “With multiple levels of vetting, only a small percentage of those nominated are awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award.”

Kahl said she is excited about TSTC’s new commitment campaign, “Shaping You to Get Hired.”

“I believe our new commitment campaign is a game changer. Companies want employees with good communication and professional skills, and (the) campaign ensures that all our students have the chance to learn those essential skills,” she said.

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

TSTC, PMI team up to provide COVID-19-specific training sessions

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training department and the Practice Management Institute, which trains and certifies administrative professionals working in medical offices, are featuring a comprehensive bundle of courses focusing on telemedicine and the impact that COVID-19 is having on medical administration.

The courses are being offered through the TSTC/PMI Online Learning Resource Center for Medical Office Staff.

The training bundle includes 10 educational sessions designed to guide health care practitioners to bill properly for telehealth services before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The first nine sessions are available online, and the 10th session will be held live on May 7.

Topics will include Essentials of Telehealth Reimbursement; How to Get Paid for Providing Virtual Services; Staying Calm and Strategic During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Private Payers and Telehealth in the Age of COVID-19; Telehealth Billing Q&A; Telemedicine Cybersecurity Challenges; EZ Provider Enrollment During the COVID-19 Crisis; How COVID-19 Impacts HIPAA; Claims Issues Arising During COVID-19; and Billing and Documentation Tips for Telemedicine Services.

The live session will delineate between telehealth services provided during the public health emergency and beyond to prepare medical practices for transitioning to prior telehealth requirements when COVID-19-related interventions expire.

“We are thrilled with our continued and expanded partnership and remain committed to providing exceptional curriculum during this time of uncertainty and into the future,” said Michael Moore, PMI’s vice president of Partner Development.

Now in its fourth year of working with TSTC to bring quality training to the Abilene and Harlingen service areas, PMI is expanding the partnership to bring continuing education opportunities to medical staff in other TSTC markets, including Fort Bend County, Marshall and Waco.

“There are a lot of topics that are important to what we are facing today,” said John Dosher, TSTC’s executive director of Workforce Training. “This information will be good for people in clinics and hospitals.”

Medical clinic and hospital employees may be eligible to participate in these and other courses at no cost through the Texas Workforce Commission’s Skills for Small Business program. For information, contact Cindy Brunett, TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education project manager, at cindy.brunett@tstc.edu .

The COVID-19 bundle also includes PMI certification tracks online. For registration information, visit https://www.tstc.edu/workforce/onlinelearningcovid-19.

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

Collins receives TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award

(ABILENE, Texas) – After working for Texas State Technical College a few years, Annette Collins knew it was going to be a career-defining opportunity.

Collins’ work with veterans in West Texas earned her a 2020 Chancellor’s Excellence Award.

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s mission,” said TSTC Chancellor & CEO Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

Collins, a native of East Cleveland, Ohio, is the Veterans Program officer in West Texas. Her support of students is evident. She went as far as calling one student daily to make sure he made it to class on time.

“My top goal is a base residency establishment at Dyess Air Force Base that eventually will open doors for other military installations. I have set goals for myself, and one of them is to increase the veteran enrollment by 10 percent every semester,” she said.

Collins said TSTC offers an education beyond books and classrooms.

“We have an opportunity to gain hands-on training, and TSTC gets you prepared for employment on the outside,” she said.

That is one of the reasons Collins received the award.

“Each year TSTC employees have an opportunity to nominate fellow employees who display our core values on an ongoing and consistent basis. Regardless of their daily demands, these nominees have risen to the top through their dedication to TSTC customers, both internal and external,” said Rick Denbow, provost at TSTC in West Texas. “With multiple levels of vetting, only a small percentage of those nominated are awarded the Chancellor’s Excellence Award.”

Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant, credited her time in the military for the work she does helping veterans.

“I learned that accountability, loyalty and providing excellent customer service were the key elements in making an organization successful. I live by the values of Integrity, doing the right thing at all times, service before self and excellence in all we do,” she said. “The values I have presented to TSTC and to all the veterans, co-workers and others I encounter amplified my ability to provide outstanding customer service and an uplifting, caring attitude each day. A simple greeting and smile can actually make someone’s day.”

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