Category Archives: Sweetwater

TSTC Expansion Brings New Opportunities in Sweetwater

(SWEETWATER) – As industrial trades continue to grow in the West Texas area, Texas State Technical College is at the forefront, ready to supply graduates to fill new job openings.

Starting this fall, TSTC in Sweetwater will expand two of the college’s flagship programs, welding and diesel equipment, to increase its capacity to produce more work-ready technicians. The welding program, which currently houses 25 welding booths, will be expanding to hold 60 booths, and the diesel equipment program will expand from 30 enrollment slots to 60.

“Diesel and welding jobs are plentiful and projected to grow,” said Provost Eliska Smith. “TSTC chose to invest $1,750,000 to expand these two in-demand programs and equip even more quality welders and diesel mechanics.”

With the expansion, TSTC will be able to serve more Texans – both dual enrollment and full-time students – schedule courses more effectively, add additional course offerings, and grow its residential student body.

Ken Becker, executive director of the Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development said as Sweetwater’s economic base continues to expand into logistics, energy and manufacturing, the need for developing the skill sets in welding, diesel, electrical and hydraulics also grows.

“TSTC continues to meet and exceed the current training needs while growing opportunities for their students and our companies’ future employees,” Becker said. “TSTC has expanded programs to not only meet the needs of today but to prepare students for expanding opportunities at new and existing companies.”

“Another benefit of more welding and diesel students living on the TSTC campus in Sweetwater is more dollars being spent in the Sweetwater economy as well,” added Smith. “TSTC residential students become a part of the community, eating at restaurants, and buying gas and groceries here.”

Taylor Elston, a welding instructor at TSTC in Sweetwater, agrees, and said the expansion also brings new opportunities for instructional growth, increasing the knowledge base of students.

“It’s an opportunity to get into different welding processes that haven’t been offered here yet,” Elston said.

TSTC currently offers a pipe welding certificate in Sweetwater, but the expansion would allow the college to branch out to offer a structural welding certificate as well. A structural welding certification is a valuable credential for welders who work with structural steel, petroleum pipelines, sheet metal and chemical refinery materials. The annual median wage for welders is $41,000, a great return on a $5,000 investment for a one-year certificate.

Keith McDonald, the district service manager for Yellowhouse Machinery South Texas, says the company employs three TSTC diesel graduates, and would benefit from the growth in qualified workers.

“Techs are few and far between,” McDonald said. “Not everyone can grab a wrench and say ‘I’m a technician.’ There are definitely more openings than there are qualified technicians.”

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 21 percent increase in jobs for diesel engine specialists in Texas through 2022, and a whopping 43 percent increase in welding jobs in the same time period.

TSTC currently offers welding at the Breckenridge, Brownwood, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater, Waco and Williamson County campuses. Associate degrees and certificates are available, varying by campus. Diesel equipment technology is also offered at TSTC’s campuses in Fort Bend County, Marshall, North Texas, Sweetwater, and Waco.

TSTC will begin enrolling new students for the summer and fall semesters on April 4. For more information on the college, or to apply, visit www.tstc.edu.

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VibrAlign Awards Scholarship to TSTC Student

(SWEETWATER) – TSTC Wind Energy student Kyle Everett won a scholarship and earned the TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program a free state-of-the-art laser shaft alignment system from VibrAlign earlier this month.

The national award is part of VibrAlign’s Realigning America scholarship program. Every quarter, the program awards scholarships to students who submit the best essays about learning machinery maintenance.

Everett submitted an essay to VibrAlign describing his experiences as a student in TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program. Everett’s essay was selected, winning him a $500 scholarship and a Fixturlaser GO laser alignment system for TSTC.

According to David Zdrojewski, VibrAlign chief executive officer, “America’s industrial workforce is aging. As a country we face the challenge of training the next generation. We want to do everything we can to support the training of America’s future industrial workforce so they can compete on the world stage. Helping schools like Texas State Technical College is a big part of our commitment to Realigning America.”

Zdrojewski founded VibrAlign in 1983 and has been serving as CEO since 1996. VibrAlign serves a wide array of industrial customers, from oil & gas facilities to defense contractors to papermakers, and specializes in Fixturlaser alignment systems, training, and calibration, as well as Oneprod condition monitoring systems.

For more information, call VibrAlign at 800-394-3279. For more information about TSTC, visit www.tstc.edu.

TSTC Veterans Students Receive $75,000 Gift from EMA Electromechanics

Texas State Technical College and EMA Electromechanics officials pose for a photo with EMA’s $75,000 gift to TSTC Veteran Students.

(SWEETWATER) – TSTC celebrated a gift of $75,000 from EMA Electromechanics.

EMA was founded in 1952 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but expanded to open its Sweetwater location in 2010 where they develop and manufacture specialized electromechanical equipment for wind and solar generation.

The gift, part of a celebration for EMA’s five-year anniversary, founds an account called Sweetwater Veteran’s Funds for College Education. Funds will go towards helping veterans complete their technical training at the college’s West Texas campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater.

Veteran students completing an associate degree can apply to receive up to $2,500, and those completing a certificate can receive up to $1,250. These funds will help veteran students with tuition and books, program supplies and living, child care and transportation expenses.

“We wanted to reach veterans because we owe them the freedom we have today,” said EMA Chief Financial Officer Gabriel Acosta. “We wouldn’t be able to be doing business as freely as we are without them.”

Acosta hopes the gift will help ease the transition veterans face when returning from service.

“We hope we can help them get back into civilian life, get an education and help them in the process,” Acosta said.

TSTC in West Texas Provost Eliska Smith said the gift demonstrates gratitude.

“This past summer, TSTC served 76 veterans in our West Texas locations,” said Smith. “This gift will help bring even more veterans to TSTC for the technical education they need to be successful in the workplace. It not only helps TSTC serve our veterans better, but it shows them that the community as a whole appreciates their service.”

EMA has also pledged to match donations made to the fund, up to $37,500, through Dec. 31, 2016.

If you would like to make a donation to the Sweetwater Veteran’s Funds for College Education, please contact The TSTC Foundation at 325-660-8721.

TSTC Chancellor Announces New Leadership for West Texas

(SWEETWATER) – Chancellor Mike Reeser announces the appointment of Eliska Smith, MASCL to serve as provost for the Texas State Technical College campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater, effective August 10.

 Smith began her career in marketing and communications more than 25 years ago, spanning the economic development and consulting, publishing and health care industries, as well as higher education. Smith’s tenure with TSTC began in 2002. Today, she serves as TSTC’s statewide public relations officer and leads strategic communications from the central administrative offices in Waco. Previously, she was TSTC’s associate vice chancellor specializing in communications, public relations, and leadership development. She also was the founding director and sponsoring executive-in-charge of the TSTC Leadership Institute.

“In essence, the job of the provost is to make TSTC a great place to work and to develop our relationships with the communities in which we operate,” said Chancellor Michael L. Reeser. “I have confidence that Eliska’s keen grasp of the organizational mission and her ability to foster relationships will be an asset to our West Texas family,” added Reeser.

“Eliska’s leadership experience and broad background will serve her well as the provost and leader of our West Texas campuses,” said Gail Lawrence, President Emerita, Vice Chancellor & Chief Culture Officer.

“It will be my joy to call the Big Country home,” said Smith. “I look forwarding to helping TSTC strengthen our partnerships with community and industry leaders to strengthen our economies and to help more Texans prosper,” added Smith.

Smith received a Master of Arts in Strategic Communications and Leadership from Seton Hall University, an advanced certificate in mid-management from SMU/Cox School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University.

Smith has served in leadership positions within community and professional associations including: President and past president of the board, Christian Women’s Job Corp of McLennan County; lay director of the Greater Waco Emmaus Community; member, Waco LeadershipPlenty; secretary, board member, and president of the Central Texas Chapter Public Relations Society of America; district IV executive committee member for the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, member of the Leadership Waco Class XX, board member of the Leadership Waco Alumni Association, member of the Rotary Club of Waco, and board member of the Waco Aviation Advisory Board.

Smith is a single mother, with a son, Houston, who is attending Texas Tech University, and a daughter, Caroline, who will be attending Sweetwater High School.

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TSTC to Hold Annual Blossom Day Camp

jessica coxJessica Cox, the first person to fly a plane with only her feet, will speak at the event.

(SWEETWATER) – TSTC will hold their annual Blossom event at the Sweetwater and Abilene campuses on May 19, and the Breckenridge and Brownwood campuses May 20. The camp will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

TSTC’s Blossom event aims to teach young women about STEM programs, and raise awareness of the different fields available to them. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. The day will include team building exercises, a guest speaker and tours of the different programs TSTC offers.

Pilot Jessica Cox will speak at the event. Cox, born without arms, is the first person in aviation history to fly a plane with only her feet. Cox holds the Guinness World Record for being the first armless person to earn a pilot’s certificate. Not only can she fly a plane, but she is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, she can surf, scuba dive, play the piano and live a normal life using her feet as others use their hands.

A tentative schedule for all four campuses can be seen here.

Blossom at the Abilene and Sweetwater campuses are full, but interested teachers and students (ages 13 and up) can register for the event at the Breckenridge and Brownwood campuses at https://docs.google.com/a/tstc.edu/forms/d/1mhehDeLZL3U0lypBDalBziW-fRps4hMrMjAKCVk9nO4/viewform.

 

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