(HARLINGEN) – As a U.S. Navy and Coast Guard veteran Jeromy Jeffries has lived across the United States and overseas, but he now calls the Wind Energy Technology program at Texas State Technical College home.

After more than two decades, the 44-year-old decided it was time to return to college and earn a degree.

“The military was my life. It was my career,” said Jeffries. “I never imagined that I would be a college student, much less be this close to graduating.”

Jeffries expects to earn his certificate and associate degree in Wind Energy Technology in May and currently boasts a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

“This is a second career for me and I expect it to sustain my family and me until I retire,” he said. “I did a lot of research before enrolling and I’m confident that I’m going to have a great paying, stable job for a long time. There is a lot of growth and opportunity in this industry.”

Employment of wind turbine service technicians is projected to grow 96 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And with wind electricity expected to continue growing rapidly opportunities are expected to increase.

In an article by Rio Grande Valley Partnership President and Chief Executive Officer Sergio Contreras, Texas is a leader in wind energy power with close to 25,000 Texans working in support of the wind industry.

He states that the impact of these thousands of jobs is also felt in the Rio Grande Valley.

“Opportunities range from the fastest-growing middle-wage position in Texas, wind turbine technician, to the construction workers and suppliers that support continued growth of the state’s wind industry,” said Contreras. “In fact, TSTC in Harlingen Wind Energy Technology program graduates are earning an annual average salary, with a two-year degree, of $53,000, which can go to $90,000.”

Jeffries said knowing the type of opportunities that lay ahead, he made it his goal to work hard and maintain an “A” average and a knowledge that would be impressive to employers.

His determination paid off because he recently accepted an internship position with transition to full-time employment with One Wind Renewable Energy Services in Willacy County as a Wind Turbine Technician starting in April.

“I treat school as a job and I do my very best,” said Jeffries. “And I’m excited for the opportunity I have been presented with and I look forward to beginning my career.”

He credits his success to not only his instructors, who have been a source of knowledge and experience for him, but also the TSTC Veteran Center for helping him in his transition from military to civilian life.

TSTC is a Gold-Level Military Friendly School and the TSTC Veterans Center serves veterans and their dependents as a centralized one-stop shop to get assistance with admission, financial aid, GI Bill and Hazlewood applications, in addition to other internal and external services and referrals to ensure a successful college experience.

“It’s been a difficult transition, but the Veterans Center helping me with all of my documents and processes, and my instructors and classmates who have become family, have made it a bit easier,” he said. “And I know that my two-year degree is going to take me far.”

Wind Energy Technology is also offered at TSTC’s Sweetwater campus.

For more information on Wind Energy Technology, visit tstc.edu/programs/WindEnergyTechnology.

(HARLINGEN) – Mariela Ramirez, 20, is pursuing an associate degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics at Texas State Technical College.

The Harlingen native maintains an impressive 3.9 grade-point average while working as a mentor with the TSTC Office of Student Success.

What are your plans after graduation?

This month I will begin an internship with Garver, an engineering, planning, architectural and environmental services firm, in Harlingen and hopefully if all goes well I will be hired at the end of my internship and gain employment immediately upon graduating.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become an architectural engineer or civil engineer. I’ve always had a fascination on how things work and are built so I hope to continue this curiosity by also pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment is my GPA. I’ve been listed on the Chancellor’s Honor Roll and the Vice Chancellor’s Honor Roll for my grades. It’s been a great honor.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that it takes a lot of hard work and determination to find success. Success isn’t handed over on a silver platter and opportunity doesn’t seek you; you seek opportunity.

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

My supervisors Jennifer Porras, pre-technology advisor, and Norma Salazar, director of instructional tutoring, have had the greatest influence on my success. They are the best motivators and are always pushing us to be the best self we can be for those we mentor.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to never give up; keep going. School is not a race and can be done at a person’s own pace. What matters is that you finish. There’s no exact time frame.

(HARLINGEN) – Yordan Rueda has gone from confused young man undecided about his future to successful business owner – all in a matter of three years.

The 24-year-old graduated from TSTC Welding Technology with a certificate in 2016.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do. I didn’t even have a prior interest in welding,” he said. “But after speaking with some TSTC advisors and doing some research I found that welders were in demand and making great money.”

Rueda enrolled in Welding Technology for the opportunities he knew lay ahead and said he is blessed to have found TSTC, because the college helped him find his way.

“The hands-on training and the program’s experienced instructors are what sold me,” said Rueda. “By the time graduation rolled around I had experience and I felt prepared and confident to enter the workforce.”

The Harlingen native worked with a metal structural construction company as a welder the year after he graduated, but then he joined forces with his best friend and opened up R&Z Welding in Dallas.

“This was a scary move. I was making good money already and I left it all behind to become a business owner,” he said. “I knew it would be a challenge, but also knew that the reward could be worthwhile.”

The first year in business was tough for Rueda, it wasn’t until the end of that year that the company landed its first contract.

“There wasn’t a lot of welding going on that first year,” said Rueda. “But because I was able to save and didn’t have any student loan debt I wasn’t too worried, I just worked hard at making sure our business would be successful.”

A welding certificate at TSTC costs about $12,300, an amount that Rueda said was affordable and he was able to pay with earnings from his night job as a cashier at a local convenience store.

Fast forward a couple of years and R&Z Welding is now making about half a million dollars a year and working with large contractors such as Ranchers Group of Companies, LLC, welding steel structures for the construction of Hilton Hotels and Resorts.

Rueda and his friend are now booked through next year for jobs in Dallas, Iowa, New Mexico, among other states.

“None of this would have been possible without the support and care from my TSTC instructors and the training they provide,” said Rueda. “I’m so accomplished at such a young age. There’s some pride in that.”

TSTC Welding Technology graduates can find careers as welding, soldering and brazing machine setters, cutters and pipefitters.

Upon graduating, TSTC students can make more than $40,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But for Rueda the return of investment on his education has tripled.

“I owe so much to TSTC and the moment that our business expands and we begin hiring welders I plan on giving back and hiring TSTC grads,” said Rueda. “I know the quality of training they receive and I’d be proud to have them working for us.”

All 10 TSTC campuses statewide offer Welding Technology.

For more information, visit tstc.edu/programs/WeldingTechnology.

(HARLINGEN) – Ivette Cruz started her journey at Texas State Technical College as a biology major with the dream of becoming a nurse. And while it’s been a long road for the single mother, t she can finally call herself a licensed vocational nurse.

“Aside from the program being demanding, I had the challenge of also being a present mother,” said the 26-year-old. “But I was blessed because I had a support system like none other.”

The New York native, who moved to the Rio Grande Valley her senior year in high school, graduated from TSTC’s vocational nursing program in December 2018 with a certificate and honors.

She maintained a 3.8 grade-point average while at TSTC making her valedictorian of her graduating nursing class, and earning her a membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

“None of this success would have been possible without my family and boyfriend,” she said. “My sister moved in with me to help me with my son. She was pretty much his mother during this time.”

And although she said she missed some special moments with her six-year-old, everything she is doing is a childhood dream come true and a chance to give him a better life.

“When we were kids my sister had her gallbladder surgery I remember how attentive and caring all of the nurses were. They were patient advocates and I loved that. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a nurse.”

So becoming a licensed vocational nurse is not the end for Cruz.

And although she has received numerous job offers from hospitals and clinics, even before graduating, she has made the personal decision to not work in preparation for the Fall Semester when she expects to begin TSTC’s Registered Nursing program.

“This is something I need to do,” she said. “I’m ready, my son is ready and my family is ready for me to finally become a registered nurse.”

Cruz said as a registered nurse there will be more job opportunities for her and better pay.

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics licensed vocational nurses average about $45,000 a year, while registered nurses double that amount.

This makes the return of investment for Cruz, and for others like her, significant and well worth the time and financial investment.

“Many encouraged me to go to a four-year university, but I knew TSTC was the place for me,” she said. “I would be receiving the same, if not better, training and be in line for the same jobs as anyone who had a bachelor’s degree.   “Plus, TSTC’s training is top-notch and recognized throughout the medical industry. Why would I want to go anywhere else?”

Cruz did have to take out some student loans, but primarily because working during the program was not an option for her, but she said she is not worried because she knows once she starts working she’ll be able to pay them off without a problem.

“I did what I had to do to support my son, but everything is going to be worth it,” she said. “I have no doubt that this next year will be another challenge, but I’m ready because TSTC is helping me make all of my dreams come true.”

TSTC Vocational Nursing has a 100 percent job placement rate or continuing to registered nursing school, and has a 96.9 percent National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate.

The program is enrolling now through May 17.

For more information, call 956-364-4762 or visit tstc.edu/programs/nursing.

Texas State Technical College, in partnership with Valley Metro, recently started a Professional Bus Driver Training course through TSTC Workforce Training and Continuing Education to help fill a regional need.

The first class began the 80-hour, two-week course on March 5 and students in the class will receive preparatory training for both written and driving exams, and will receive hands-on training thanks to a bus donation from Valley Metro.

“This course was created to provide advanced training that can lead to a good paying job,” said Adan Treviño, TSTC Continuing Education special projects coordinator. “With this class we’re filling a demand and providing highly-skilled individuals into the workforce.”

Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council Valley Metro Director of Regional Transit Tom Logan said the bus donation not only ensures that students in the bus driving course receive the hands-on training they need to be successful but also helps fill an employment need.

“Public and private bus agencies are in need of certified and trained bus drivers,” said Logan. “TSTC’s training program gives us the source to hire drivers to fill our vacancies.”  

Logan added that through a long-time partnership with TSTC, he has witnessed the college produce high-caliber drivers and employees.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a steady job growth in the bus driving industry, growing six percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Also, data shows that Texas has a demand for drivers, employing more than 12,000.

Hoping to become one of those bus drivers is Gloria Garza, currently the only woman in the course.

The 45-year-old already holds a Class A license to drive tractor trailers, but said it is time for her to slow down and stay closer to home.

“I’ve worked hard all my life, and sometimes not the easiest work,” she said. “So this is a career change for me. It’s something stable, with benefits and close to home.”

Ruiz worked several years in Washington and Minnesota as a migrant driving tractors and harvesting corn, strawberries and blueberries. And because she was a migrant, the Motivation Education and Training (MET) program, a non-profit corporation that provides rural communities in Texas with employment training and family services, is covering her tuition, supplies and exams.

“I’m currently receiving unemployment, and having to make it stretch,” said Garza. “So receiving this kind of help is invaluable. I know there are good things, better things, ahead for me because of this course and assistance.”

TSTC Provost Cledia Hernandez said training students like Garza is what these types of partnerships and courses are all about.

“We’re continuously looking for ways to collaborate with organizations like Valley Metro to develop the workforce in the region,” said Hernandez. “So when they (Valley Metro) approached us about this partnership and helping them fill a bus driver shortage, we were on board.”

Hernandez said this is not the first time they host a bus driver training. Several years back TSTC worked in partnership with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council and local transportation entities to get drivers trained and employed.

“We’ve seen great success with this type of training and we’re confident we’ll see success again,” she said. “This is what TSTC is created to do: provide our regional and state workforce and industry stakeholders with the trained workforce they need to help fill the skills gap.”

TSTC’s Professional Bus Driving Training will be hosted monthly.

Those that complete the course and pass all exams will earn a Class B license through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and can work as drivers for transit systems such as Valley Metro, Metro McAllen, Brownsville Metro and Greyhound Lines.

For more information on, or to apply for the Professional Bus Driver Training, and to learn more about the other services offered by TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education call 956-364-4503 or visit tstc.edu/workforce/ce.

For Amber Vega, every day brings new challenges as a registered nurse at the emergency room in Harlingen Medical Center.

But as an alumnus from three TSTC nursing programs, the 25-year-old said she is more than ready to handle what comes her way.

“I’ve seen everything: birth to death, and everything in between,” said Vega. “But I’ve never had a doubt that nursing is where I’m supposed to be.”

The Harlingen native followed in the footsteps of her mother, brother and many other family members who have pursued a career in the medical field.

“My mom and brother are nurse practitioners and many others are nurses,” she said. “Nursing is definitely in my blood.”

Vega graduated from the Nursing Assistant program in 2012 when it was still offered at TSTC, and also from the college’s Vocational Nursing and Registered Nursing programs in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

She had a number of nursing schools she could have chosen, but Vega decided on TSTC because of its proximity to home, affordability, length of program and class size.

“TSTC was a perfect fit for me,” she said. “I had plenty of one-on-one with instructors, a focus on hands-on training and patient care. I was well prepared and confident entering the workforce.”

When asked why a two-year degree over a four-year degree she said, “For me there was no difference. The degree wasn’t going to change the fact that I was going to be a registered nurse.  I had to take the same courses, same exams and do the same clinical rotations. Plus, I got to start working a lot faster.”

She added that pursuing a two-year degree also saved her and her family money, leaving them debt free.

TSTC’s registered nursing program takes approximately 20 months, or two years to complete and costs around $12,300.

According to the Nurse Journal, a worldwide social community for nurses, on average a bachelor of science in nursing takes nearly four years to complete and can cost on average anywhere between $40,000 to $65,000.

“It’s great not owing any money and saving what I’m earning to make a better life for myself,” she said.

Vega said nursing has changed her perspective on life, decision making and leadership; and it all started when she began her clinical rotations at Harlingen Medical Center.

It was also here where her skills were recognized and she immediately hired after passing her National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

“My goal as a nurse is to always give my best to my patients,” she said. “Patient care is number one, especially during this difficult time in their lives. I’m here to provide the best quality care whether it’s mental, physical, emotional or spiritually. With me my patients are never alone.”

She also said she is happy and relieved that TSTC has helped her find success in such a short period of time.

“I’m only 25, and most people my age are still looking for their place in this world,” said Vega. “But I found mine and TSTC helped me get there.”

Vega said she does hope to follow in her brother’s and mother’s footsteps and eventually become a nurse practitioner.

Nursing is also offered at TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses.

For more information on the vocational nurse to registered nursing transition program at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/program/nursing or call 956-364-4983.

Information sessions are now being held twice a month through August 2019.