Category Archives: West Texas

TSTC offers Basic Automotive OSA program in Sweetwater

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – A fast-track program to teach basic automotive skills will be taught at Texas State Technical College this fall.

Sweetwater Automotive Technology instructor Gerod Strother will teach the 15-week Occupational Skills Award (OSA) program. The OSA is part of TSTC’s Rapid Industry Skills and Employability (RISE) program that helps students learn skills quickly in order to start a career.

“This class will teach students the basics that can get them a job that pays $10 to $15 per hour,” Strother said. “People who have this certification can find employment at a quick-service automotive business or at a dealership where they can be paired with a veteran mechanic.”

Strother said this program would be especially helpful for a student who completes the program and works at a dealership. They would gain the knowledge to expand their skills.“They would probably work with the mechanic for six months to a year. Once the mechanic is confident in their abilities, they would add to the employee’s responsibilities.”

Strother said students interested in the program do not need any mechanical experience.

“They need to be willing to learn quickly,” he said.

Students will begin by taking Introduction to Automotive Technology. This course focuses on automotive history, safety practices, shop equipment and tools, vehicle subsystems, service publications, professional responsibilities and basic automotive maintenance.

“Some people only want to know the basics and get a job. This will help fill our workforce needs in the automotive industry,” Strother said.

Students will also take the Automotive Brake Systems course, in which they will learn the operation and repair of the braking system. Strother will review brake theory, diagnosis, repairing the power anti-lock braking system, and parking brakes.

The final course will be Automotive Suspension and Steering Systems. In addition to steering systems, students will learn alignment procedures, and tire and wheel service techniques.

“A lot of people do not want to be tied down to one specific area of a vehicle, like the transmission. This program will provide some range for students,” Strother said.

One goal that Strother set for himself is to have students return to earn additional certification or an Associate of Applied Science degree.

“I hope once they complete the program they come back and want to learn more. I would like to see students become certified,” he said. “Having the Automotive Service Excellence certification will open the door for them.”

TSTC is offering several Occupational Skills Award programs this fall. With unemployment increasing in Texas, TSTC is partnering with business and industry through the RISE program to get Texans back to work. The short-term, skills-focused courses provide students with the ability to gain basic technical skills to start an entry-level career.

For more information on the Occupational Skills Award courses, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programslist/rise.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Safety top priority at TSTC this fall

(ABILENE, Texas) – Safety will be the top priority at Texas State Technical College when the fall semester begins Aug. 31.

The four West Texas campuses, located in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater, will have a different look this year. Students who need to complete labs will be allowed on campus, but all other instruction will be delivered online.

“Our primary goal is the safety of our students, faculty and staff in this era of COVID-19,” said Lance Eastman, West Texas’ interim provost. “We have put in several safety measures to ensure that safety.”

Everyone must wear a facial covering while on campus, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced, Eastman said.

“I know it is hard sometimes to maintain social distance. But for the safety of everyone, we are going to practice it,” he said. “We not only want the students, faculty and staff to protect themselves, but everyone around them.”

Buildings will be marked with directional signage to show entrances and exits. Hand-sanitizing stations will also be available in each building.

Since March, TSTC has provided online lectures for students, and Eastman said it will continue in the fall. In May, students were allowed to return to campus to complete lab sessions.

Eastman said continuing to provide hands-on lab sessions is important to the college’s mission of placing people in the workforce.

“We will still do a lot of the hands-on lab sessions because it is important the students get that training,” he said.

Daniel Martin, TSTC’s director of student recruiting in West Texas, said students are excited about the new way of learning.

“The students are pleased with how the courses are being constructed. The online lectures, coupled with lab time, are perfect for them,” he said. “This is a better use of a student’s time. It is not a classroom-heavy situation for them.”

Martin said prospective students will also be able to tour campuses, but with limitations. Tours must be reserved and will be limited to three guests per tour.

“We are excited to get people back on our campuses to show students what we offer,” he said. “We had some tours during the summer, and everyone followed all of the protocols we had in place.”

In Sweetwater, safety is also the top priority for housing director Jose Navarrette. Since it is the only West Texas campus with student housing, additional safety measures are in place.

Navarrette said each student will have a private bedroom but share a bathroom. He said students will learn the proper way to sanitize the area to help prevent the spread of contagions.

“We will have room checks to make sure all the rules are being followed,” he said. “We had some students living on campus this summer, and everyone followed all the rules.”

Navarrette said students were assigned days to move in prior to Aug. 31. He said that was done to help limit the amount of people on campus.

“Safety is the key for us. We want students to know that we have things in place for their safety and the safety of everyone on campus,” he said.

Rick Nelson, supervisor of TSTC food services in Sweetwater, said meals will continue to be sold only to go. Students will enter the Student Center’s main entrance and leave through the cafeteria’s glass-door exit.

TSTC will also provide three new programs in West Texas this fall.

In Breckenridge, an Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety Compliance Technology will be offered. Students will learn the hazards of machines, safe work methods, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedures during the five semesters.

Two Occupational Skills Award programs are scheduled this fall. Basic Welding – Multiple Processes will be available in Abilene, while Basic Automotive will be taught in Sweetwater. Both courses will be 15 weeks and are part of TSTC’s Rapid Industry Skills and Employability (RISE) program that helps students learn skills quickly in order to start a career.

“It is always good to provide new programs at TSTC,” Eastman said. “We want to provide our students with the tools to prepare them for the workforce. The OSA programs will allow us to quickly educate students to get them to work. That will help better our economy.”

To schedule a campus tour, contact Chris Johnson, TSTC’s lead recruiter for West Texas, at christopher.johnson@tstc.edu.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Welding Technology offers Occupational Skills Award certification in Abilene

(ABILENE, Texas) – Many construction companies are looking for entry-level welders.

To help fill that need, Texas State Technical College will offer an Occupational Skills Award certification program in Welding Technology this fall at the college’s Industrial Technology Center in Abilene. 

Three basic welding courses will be offered over 15 weeks, said instructor Anthony Lewis.

“There is always a need for welders in every region of Texas. Between 80 and 90 percent of those jobs are for entry-level positions,” he said.

The Occupational Skills Award is part of TSTC’s Rapid Industry Skills and Employability (RISE) program that helps students learn skills quickly in order to start a career.

“When students complete this OSA program, they will have no trouble finding a job,” Lewis said. “The skills we will teach are what employers are looking for in a welder.”

Lewis will spend five weeks covering three different areas of welding.

The first five weeks will be the Introduction to Welding Using Multiple Processes class. Lewis said students will learn basic welding techniques using several different processes, including Oxy-fuel welding and cutting, gas metal arc welding and gas tungsten arc welding.

“The first five weeks, we will cover just the basics of welding to get the students ready for the next class,” Lewis said.

The second course will be Introduction to Shielded Metal Arc Welding. Lewis said emphasis will be placed on power sources, electrode selection and different joint designs.

The final five weeks will be Intermediate Welding Using Multiple Processes. Lewis said this is a more advanced class, but it will prepare students for a job. Students will receive instruction on using layout tools and blueprint reading that will include demonstrations.

Students will not spend the entire time in the classroom. Lewis said they will put what they learn into use during lab sessions.

“It will be fast and furious, but the students will get enough knowledge and information that it will not overwhelm them,” he said.

While in the classroom, students will hear firsthand about Lewis’ knowledge of welding and working on a job site.

“I have a lot of knowledge to give them. I have done a lot of work and will bring that experience into the classroom,” he said.

TSTC is offering several Occupational Skills Awards programs this fall. With unemployment increasing in Texas, TSTC is partnering with business and industry through the RISE program to get Texans back to work. The short-term, skills-focused courses provide students with the ability to gain basic technical skills to start an entry-level career.

“From there, through hard work and determination, students can enhance their skills and earn promotions,” Lewis said.

For more information on the Occupational Skills Awards courses, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programslist/rise.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Computer Networking students to use virtual software program

(ABILENE, Texas) – A new program will allow Computer Networking and Systems Administration students at Texas State Technical College to work on equipment virtually.

TSTC will use the NetLab program for virtual lab sessions, instructor Adrian Medrano said.

“NetLab is very popular for remote training,” Medrano said. “The benefits are amazing.”

Students will use the program to work on a computer system online just like the real instruments. Medrano said students will operate instruments with knobs and buttons the same way they would an actual computer. Measurements will be displayed on the computer screen to help students during the lab session, he added.

“Having NetLab is huge. Companies like Cisco and Microsoft use this for training their employees,” Medrano said. “With the push to move everything online, we are looking forward to getting this content to our students.”

Medrano is no stranger to the program. He said TSTC instructors have used it for their own training sessions held throughout the state.

“I enjoy working with this program. It is easy to navigate,” he said. “I see nothing but smooth sailing for our students when they use NetLab.”

The program will allow Medrano and other instructors to achieve their goal of providing companies with a “well-rounded individual for an IT (information technology) department.”

“We are not going to focus on one certain area. By the time a student graduates, they will learn how to take apart and put back together a computer system,” Medrano said. “They will know how to put a computer on a company network, share files, and other aspects of computer networking.”

That knowledge is important in today’s business world, according to Medrano.

“Sharing information between computers in a business is the main aspect of the network,” he said.

Another area in which students will gain knowledge is security settings.

“We are going to teach students how to make a computer virus-free and to make sure no one hacks into the system,” Medrano said. “We are going to teach all of the security tactics they will need, as well as the difference between a virus, worm and Trojan software.”

Medrano said students will become knowledgeable about routers and switches.

“They will know the difference between a home router and routers used at small businesses,” he said. “Students are going to know exactly how the internet happens when they complete the program. They are going to know how they can send something from their home to around the world with just one click.”

Medrano said the online classes will benefit students.

“This will give students a lot of flexibility, and they can remain safe,” he said. “We are going to deliver our content via video, but it will still have a classroom feel.”

Medrano said instructors were recorded during classes last spring, and those videos will be used for classroom lessons during the upcoming school year.

“Students will be able to watch the video at their convenience and then practice what they learned with NetLab,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Dental assistant course to be offered at TSTC’s Abilene campus

(ABILENE, Texas) – To help fill the need for dental assistants, Texas State Technical College will offer a special workforce training program this fall.

The nine-week course will be held in Abilene and include 100 hours of classroom instruction and 40 clinical hours. Classes are scheduled to begin Sept. 21.

“The purpose of the program is to familiarize students with all areas of administrative and clinical dental assisting, focusing on the responsibilities required to function as an assistant in a dental practice,” said Cindy Brunett, TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education project manager.

Nationwide, there is a need for health care-related services, including dental assistants.

“With a workforce of over 300,000 strong, dental assisting ranks as the fourth-fastest-growing occupation in the health care technician field,” Brunett said.

To be eligible for the program, students should have or be pursuing a high school diploma or GED. Brunett said students must also provide their own scrubs and pass a background check.

During the program, students will learn about dental office policies and guidelines, legal aspects of the practice, dental equipment and tooth structure.

One reason for offering the fast-track program was to attract military spouses in the Abilene area.

“When the students complete the course, they will be able to get their national certification,” Brunett said. “If they move from Dyess Air Force Base, they will be recognized as a dental assistant if they pass the certification.”

Upon course completion, students will be prepared to take the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exam, Radiation Health and Safety exam and DANB Infection Control exam, she said.

Tuition costs include the textbook, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners exam fees and proctoring, a CPR certification course and the 40-hour clinical externship.

Brunett said with unemployment rates still near all-time highs, people are looking for a career opportunity.

“The need for these fast-track programs is especially high right now. This is the perfect time to roll out a program like this,” she said. “Many people may be looking at a career change, and this is a good first step.”

Plans are to hold classes in person this fall with all safety protocols in place to allow for social distancing. Brunett said that could change if required by state or local officials.

“We will have the capability to provide this program online,” she said. “Right now, the program is open on a first-come, first-served basis, and we are excited to provide this to our community.”

For more information on the course, contact Teresa Adames at teresa.adames@tstc.edu or Brunett at cindy.brunett@tstc.edu.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Electrical Power and Controls instructor’s goal is for students to join workforc

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College Electrical Power and Controls instructor Kevin Staton has one goal for his students.

“We are training Texans to work in Texas,” he said. “When students graduate from our program, they can work in almost any state or foreign country. Anywhere there is control work, there is a job for our students.”

The demand for electrical power and controls technicians is always high, and TSTC offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree program at the Abilene, Fort Bend County, North Texas and Waco campuses.

In West Texas, Staton has seen the need for technicians at several utility companies, including Taylor Electric Cooperative, American Electric Power and Oncor. He said some students have found employment at warehouses in Texas, including for Amazon.

“West Texas, and especially Abilene, is growing. Things are getting bigger, and companies are looking to expand,” he said.

He said utility companies will need someone to work on transformers, and TSTC provides training for that.

“We offer more than just one area of study,” Staton said. “We teach a wide variety of programs that are in the electrical field.”

He said another area is substation operations, and students will also learn how that process works.

Students have access to labs that include industry-standard electrical distribution, transmission, equipment testing, automation, instrumentation motion-control tools, transformers and electrical motors.

Staton said the first thing students learn is the importance of safety.

“Safety is the key to being a good technician,” he said.

Staton said he not only teaches in the classroom and lab. If a student needs extra help after class, he is willing to help.

“When I was younger, someone always helped me. I want to make sure to do that now. I want to be able to give back and help the students,” he said. “I take pride in being flexible to help students.”

Staton tells prospective students that the program offers a guarantee.

“We are part of TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee program. That proves that we want to make things happen for our students,” he said.

The Money-Back Guarantee program refunds the tuition of participating graduates if they do not find a job in their career field within six months of graduation.

“In my two years at TSTC, we have had a high success rate in finding (welding) graduates a job. Only one did not find a job after six months, but it was because he chose another career path,” Staton said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Sparks fill TSTC Welding Technology lab this summer

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Sparks from welding torches were a daily occurrence this summer at Texas State Technical College’s Breckenridge campus.

Students have been completing labs in preparation for entering the workforce when they receive their certificates. But the work does not stop once the torches are laid down.

For Ethan Hammond and Zane Fitch, a career path has been blazed.

“TSTC has helped me with more than just learning to weld things. They have helped me write a resume and given me advice on how to approach job interviews,” Fitch said. “I know what to expect during a job interview, thanks to the people at TSTC.”

That knowledge was one of the reasons Hammond chose to attend TSTC. The Cisco native said having someone help in the job interview process was important.

“Because of TSTC, I have my resume built right now,” he said.

Fitch said he first found interest in welding while helping his brother-in-law on a job site. He said TSTC was the route he wanted to take because of the hands-on training.

“I decided that I wanted to go to school and get a certificate. I knew that would open up more job opportunities for me,” he said. “The hands-on approach offered here is great for us. We are able to learn things and put our knowledge to use.”

Hammond has already put some of his skills to use by welding barbecue pits. He knows that this career path will benefit his family in the long run.

“This is a career in which you can actually work for yourself,” he said. “I have done that with some projects after class.”

Instructor Stephen Hope said his goal is to see the students succeed.

“It has been exciting to see all the students come in and know little to nothing about welding. To be able to help them understand the fundamentals and see the students succeed is such an amazing goal,” he said.

Hammond said the Breckenridge campus has the perfect learning environment for future welders.

“We have 30 (welding) bays here, and it runs efficiently,” he said. “Our class is small, but the work we do pays off. I think people interested in a welding career should consider coming here.”

Hammond was drawn to the Breckenridge campus because it offered the program in a small town like his hometown of Cisco.

“This is a nice campus for the community. I wanted to go to a smaller campus, and this was the one that caught my attention,” Hammond said.

Hope said he appreciates the work the students put in and knows the ultimate goal is at the end of the program.

“Working for TSTC has been such a wonderful experience. The greatest part is being able to watch the students graduate and pursue their new careers,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

Partnership opens TSTC Nursing program to Breckenridge High School students

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Seven Breckenridge High School seniors will get a head start toward a nursing career this fall.

A partnership between Texas State Technical College, Breckenridge ISD and the Breckenridge Economic Development Corp. was formed to provide Nursing program classes at TSTC’s Breckenridge campus. The students’ tuition for the four classes will be paid by the Breckenridge EDC.

“We are excited to rekindle our partnership with TSTC. First we had a partnership with the welding program, and now we are partnering with the LVN program,” said Breckenridge High School principal William Paul. “The goal of any high school is to prepare kids for their next step in life. This partnership fills that need for students to be career ready.”

The students will take two classes in the fall, Essentials of Medical Terminology and Essentials of Medication Administration. In the spring, the classes will be Foundations of Nursing and Pharmacology.

Instructor Marchelle Taylor said the four classes will show students what to expect in the nursing field.

“This will give the students the chance to do the basic learning here,” she said. “They will be able to get credit when they pass the course and will be one step closer to applying for a nursing program.”

Virgil Moore, CEO and executive director of the Breckenridge EDC, said paying the tuition is an investment into the community.

“This is an investment on our part to put skilled people in the workforce at our hospitals and clinics in Stephens County,” he said. “What TSTC provides to our community is a tremendous asset. Therefore, funding scholarships for these students to take classes was an easy decision. It was an investment in our future.”

Paul said having the Breckenridge EDC as a partner was a perfect fit.

“Virgil and the EDC have been great partners throughout this process. They helped make this possible for our students,” he said.

Vocational nurses are in high demand in the Breckenridge area and throughout Texas. Paul said having the partnership will help fill those positions.

“This partnership not only helps us locally, but it helps our regional workforce. Hopefully we can keep them in the region after they graduate,” he said.

Paul said the Texas Education Agency push for career pathways helped lead to the partnership. TSTC was a natural fit because of the nursing program and being in the same community, he said.

“In talking with TSTC, the health care field — especially nurses — met the needs of our region in West-Central Texas,” he said. “We gauged the students’ interest, and I am hoping we can continue this program.”

Taylor said TSTC’s administration wanted to grow the nursing program in Breckenridge. This pilot program could lead to opportunities with other school districts, she said.

Now that the Texas Board of Nursing has approved the program, Taylor said she is ready for the online classes to begin.

“I am excited to see how this goes. I hope we can open it up to other schools in our area,” she said.

Moore said he is pleased to see local students attending the TSTC campus and working toward a career.

“This is a great opportunity for our high school students. This allows them to get a head start on pursuing a nursing career,” he said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC student benefits from scholarship for military veterans

(ABILENE, Texas) – Area military veterans can take advantage of a scholarship opportunity to attend Texas State Technical College.

Since 2015, EMA Electromechanics has given TSTC a total of $225,000 for the Sweetwater Veterans’ Funds for College Education. The company, based in Sweetwater, is an international maker of equipment for the wind energy sector.

For Rafael Garcia, a U.S. Army veteran, the scholarship is helping his family by offsetting college costs.

“It has supplemented some of the money I would have used for school. Now I do not have to worry about paying for things around the house and college,” Garcia said. “It has helped me provide for my family while attending school.”

Garcia is studying Industrial Systems and plans to graduate this fall. In the Army, he was responsible for fueling aircraft, but he wanted to expand his knowledge. That is why he chose TSTC.

“I wanted to be more in-depth with how things worked. I wanted to learn more than just fueling an aircraft,” he said. “My goal is to be more efficient and improve myself.”

Garcia learned of the scholarship through Annette Collins, a Veteran Services program officer at TSTC.

“I hope other veterans take advantage of this opportunity,” Garcia said. “This is an extra incentive to better yourself after the military.”

The scholarship funds have helped veterans complete their technical education at TSTC’s West Texas campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater.

“The scholarship is incredibly valuable for our students. There are many who have expressed that without the scholarship, a college education would not have been possible for them,” said Pam Marler, TSTC’s Veteran Services coordinator. “The funds have helped with book purchases, supplies, tools, and in some cases living expenses to allow our students to focus on completing their education.”

EMA Electromechanics was founded in 1952 in Argentina. The company’s VDH Series Vacuum Circuit Breaker was first sold in the United States in 2003, and the company began its American operations in 2010 in Sweetwater.

For more information on EMA Electromechanics, go to http://www.emaelectromechanics.com.

To learn more about TSTC’s Veteran Services program, visit https://www.tstc.edu/veterans.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.

TSTC Nursing, EMS programs provide treats to Abilene nurses

(ABILENE, Texas) – Bags filled with treats put smiles on the faces of several nurses in Abilene recently.

The Texas State Technical College Nursing and Emergency Medical Services programs teamed up to donate food to nurses at Abilene Regional Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center.

“When this COVID-19 pandemic hit, everyone sent our nurses breakfast, lunch, bundt cakes and a lot of other stuff,” said Leashia Eaton-Ruelas, director of the CVPCU/PCU Stroke Program at Abilene Regional Medical Center. “Lately it seems people may have forgotten we are still working. It was so nice to receive the donations from TSTC.”

Eaton-Ruelas gave the bags filled with chips, cookies, peanuts and other items to nurses on the different floors. Each bag also included the Nurse’s Prayer on the front.

“That just went to show us that they loved us,” Eaton-Ruelas said. “The TSTC nursing and EMS programs know that we are on the front line and are going through a lot right now. It was so nice to pass these bags out to show our nurses that someone still cares.”

The two Abilene hospitals are the sites of TSTC’s clinical sessions for its nursing and EMS students. Sweetwater nursing instructor Lisa Van Cleave said the faculty and leadership team wanted to help build morale among nurses working on the front line.

“They have had their vacations halted because of how much they work,” she said. “We wanted to let them know that we are praying for them every day, and this was just the right thing to do.”

Van Cleave said the donations were a team effort among the faculty, and they knew the gesture would be appreciated. She was a nurse for 22 years, including 18 as an ICU nurse.

“Nurses have their own way of thinking, and it was important we remember them,” she said.

TSTC Interim Provost Lance Eastman said the gesture shows that the TSTC faculty cares about the communities they serve.

“We at TSTC appreciate all of our medical partners who help us with clinicals and the training of our students. This was just a small way we could say thank you and we are thinking of you,” Eastman said.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.