Category Archives: Waco

TSTC in North Texas Designated American Welding Society Testing Facility

(RED OAK) – Texas State Technical College in North Texas has been designated as an accredited testing facility by the American Welding Society, joining seven other Texas sites approved to certify welders.

The AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF) program establishes minimum requirements for test facilities, their personnel and equipment to qualify for accreditation to test and qualify welders.

TSTC Welding Technology instructor Donnie Williams said he was approached by the AWS last August.

“We had to be audited by the AWS, and they had to come and see that our facilities and programs are up to par,” Williams said. “Our facilities are now accredited to do AWS certifications.”

Williams said the accreditation is a substantial achievement for TSTC.

“It’s a feather in the hat for TSTC,” Williams said. “It’s a validation for our program to be recognized by an industry organization, and it puts us on the map as far as the welding industry is concerned.”

The school’s being an accredited testing facility directly benefits TSTC students.

“It offers them a welder certification that is transferable,” Williams said. “These certifications come from the AWS and are entered in a national database.”

Though TSTC in North Texas is the first in the college’s system to receive this designation, Williams said it can also benefit the college’s other nine campuses.

“The ATF services are available to our other campuses also,” he said. “We can test remotely, so I can go to other campuses and certify other students who want to participate.”

TSTC Provost Marcus Balch said he is proud to see his campus become one of three test facilities in North Texas offering this distinction.

“One cool thing about this certification is that it is recognized worldwide, and, if maintained, the certification is valid for a lifetime,” Balch said.

Williams said a grant from the Texas Department of Labor helped to get the facilities accredited.

“We’re going to be offering certifications to industry and the general public also,” he said. “State organizations can also send their welders to us for certification.”

Balch believes the accreditation will offer great opportunities for regional welders.

“This certification program will bring welders from all over the region to our campus,” he said. “It will help provide more exposure to our welding program and, in turn, produce more welders that are earning a great wage for the state of Texas.”

TSTC is registering now for the fall semester. The last day to register is Monday, Aug. 20, and classes begin Monday, Aug. 27.

For more information on TSTC’s welding program, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC to Host First Commencement Ceremony in Hutto

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College in Williamson County will host its first commencement ceremony Friday, May 11. Twenty students representing six of the Hutto campus’ seven programs are eligible to graduate.

The ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. at the East Williamson County Higher Education Center.

“We are exceptionally proud to be hosting our first graduation ceremony on campus in Hutto this spring,” said TSTC Provost Edgar Padilla. “As we’ve grown as a campus, we’ve worked to find ways to show our students how much they mean to us, and this is just another way for us to ensure we’re celebrating their accomplishments locally.”

Padilla says the ceremony honors the work of the students.

“We’re delighted to offer commencement locally so our students do not have to drive far to celebrate with their families,” he said. “In addition, our faculty and staff who work so hard to get our students to the finish line will now have the opportunity to see the fruit of their labor. It’s very positive for our campus culture.”

Padilla said he is excited to see the students begin working.

“Our students are exceptionally trained and very valuable in the workforce,” he said. “We’re proud that we will uphold the 50-plus-year tradition of TSTC providing a quality workforce to Texas.”

TSTC’s Chancellor, Mike Reeser, will speak at commencement, as well as Robb Misso, president and CEO of Dynamic Manufacturing Solutions in Austin.

TSTC is registering now for the fall semester. The last day to register is Monday, Aug. 20, and classes begin Monday, Aug. 27.

For more information on TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC Educating Students About Green Construction

(WACO) – “Going green” also means “making green” for many involved in the construction industry, and students at Texas State Technical College in Waco can choose from several eco-friendly technologies that could lead to lucrative jobs.

TSTC integrates green building construction into its Building Construction Technology associate degree and Building Construction Craftsman certification. Students can also earn an associate degree in Solar Energy Technology or a certification as an Energy Efficiency Specialist.

“We look at various ‘green conscious methods’ from water conservation and reuse, to how to frame a home efficiently, to using less materials, to understanding the total cost of using local material and what that translates to financially,” TSTC Energy Efficiency Specialist instructor Tony Chaffin said.

By the beginning of this year, green construction was expected to have created 1.1 million jobs and supplied $75.6 billion in wages in the United States, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

“The new energy and building codes are requiring us to step up our game, so it’s vital that we start feeding people into the industry that know the most efficient and sustainable and financially smart ways to build and inspect buildings,” Chaffin said.

TSTC building construction students learn from the ground up ways to build sustainable and efficient residential and commercial properties.

“Green building is a completely alternative way of building things. We talk about the weird stuff like straw-bale construction and adobe building and earth-bag construction — all of the out-of-the-norm building methods to create a more efficient construction,” Chaffin said.

In addition to alternative construction methods, Solar Energy Technology students discover alternative energy resources in their studies.

“Solar has been established as an alternative energy for a while. But it is now becoming a very realistic option that people are switching to, and it’s creating a large job market,” said TSTC Solar Energy Technology instructor High Whitted.

In studying solar technology, students become familiar with the electrical components of solar panels to make them competitive in the electrical field as well.

“The solar field is so heavily electrical that we make sure that when our students leave, they have the solar and the electrical knowledge to make them more valuable than the person who can just install the solar panels,” Whitted said.

Along with solar, students explore energy resources like wind, hydroelectric, geothermal and natural gas.

“We create well-rounded students that get the whole package. They can talk to the customer and explain it in layman’s terms and also work with the technicians and fellow builders or do the inspections,” Chaffin said.  

The construction industry remains competitive, but instructors notice that graduates with a “green background” are becoming more valuable to employers.

“I’ve had several students come back and say that when they mention in their interviews that they have this knowledge and certification, their employers are thrilled. It makes them so much more marketable,” Chaffin said.

In an electric world, keeping the lights on while balancing resources the planet has to offer is an ongoing concern. Students with knowledge of green construction are leading the way to building a brighter future.

“Energy is expensive, and it’s only going to get more expensive. So, if we can make our resources last longer by requiring less of them and make sure our students are prepared to use these materials, we’re moving in the right direction,” Chaffin said.

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

 

 

TSTC in Waco Earns Gold Medals at State SkillsUSA Postsecondary Conference

(WACO) – Cody Scheffe, 21, a student in Texas State Technical College’s Building Construction Technology program, figured he would be up for the challenge.

And, he was correct.

Scheffe won the gold medal in Carpentry at the SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary State Leadership and Skills Conference held April 5-7 at TSTC in Waco.

“Mr. (Michael) Carrillo (a TSTC Building Construction Technology instructor) started talking about SkillsUSA, and it sounded like a good opportunity,” said Scheffe of Windthorst, Texas. “I opted in. I didn’t believe it when my name was called.”

Texas State Technical College in Waco won 24 gold medals, 15 silver medals and nine bronze medals.

“As has been the case for the past couple of years, TSTC in Waco had a very good showing, bringing home the most medals from the conference,” said James Matus, TSTC’s SkillsUSA manager. “I hope that momentum will carry over to nationals like it did last year for them.”

While some students will return to the national competition in June, others will make their debuts.

Cici Bunting, 19, is a second-semester Culinary Arts major from La Porte who won the gold medal in Commercial Baking.

“I was very surprised,” she said about winning. “Chef Gayle Van Sant had to push me out in the aisle to get my medal.”

Bunting made French bread, an empty pie shell, a apple pie, decorated a premade cake and made other treats in a six-hour span. She practiced with Van Sant and Chef Paul Porras, also in TSTC’s Culinary Arts program, to improve her skills.

Gabriella Romero, 20, of Red Oak placed first in Advertising Design. The Visual Communication Technology major could not attend the awards ceremony, so she received the news of her win through a group text.

“I was screaming at the top of my lungs,” Romero said. “It was a shock and so unreal.”

Romero worked with Visual Communication Technology instructors Stacie Buterbaugh and Jennifer Piper to perfect her design portfolio.

“They pushed me to do my hardest and helped me to get my point across to the consumer in my designs,” Romero said.

Romero will be pushed even more in her skills up until the national conference because she will have to learn how to do designs on a personal computer – the Visual Communication Technology program uses Apple computers – and also how to use InDesign.

“I’m happy I get the opportunity to show people my skills,” she said.

Gold medalists are eligible to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in late June in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I think it makes a statement about the technical college and what we can put forward,” Scheffe said.

Other gold medalists from TSTC in Waco are:

Architectural Drafting: Oscar Luna

Auto Refinishing: Hector Corujo

Cabinetmaking: Timothy Watkins

Computer Programming: Jeremiah Stones

Diesel Equipment: Mark Schimank

Collision Repair Technology: Juan Alcala

Electrical Construction Wiring: Dykota Smith

Information Technology Services: Cameron Westerfield

Interactive Application and Video Game Creation: Dylan Borg and Travis Pitrucha

Job Skill Demonstration Open: Jondaria Maxey

Pin Design: David Ijegbulem

Plumbing: Jude Gonzales

Related Technical Math: Vicky Lackey

Residential Systems Installation and Maintenance: Rickie Hartfield

T-Shirt: David Ijegbulem

Teamworks: William Chance, Ricardo Delgado, Joseph Hermann, Andres Zapata

Technical Drafting: Larry Cipriano

For more information on SkillsUSA, go to skillsusa.org.

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

 

Chancellor’s Excellence Award – Chris Martin

(FORT BEND) – Although Chris Martin has only been with Texas State Technical College in Fort Bend County for just over a year, he has already made a favorable impression and recently earned the 2018 Chancellor’s Excellence Award.

“Before this, I was not familiar with the award or the scope of it,” said Martin, business relationship manager for TSTC. “So when people started congratulating me and making a big deal, I was surprised to learn what it meant.”

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award is given by TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser to select faculty and staff for their distinguished service and dedication to the college, their communities and their state.

“These teammates were nominated by their peers, recommended by their provosts and vice chancellors, and chosen as faculty and staff who model excellence in our college every day,” said Reeser. “Their caring and dedicated efforts embolden us all to make a difference in the success of our teams and the lives of our students.”

Born in Houston and raised in Fairfield east of Waco, Martin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Houston in 2000 and a master’s degree in business administration from Houston Baptist University in 2015.Chancellor Excellence Award Chris Martin

He arrived at TSTC with an extensive background and experience in economic development, real estate and health care. He first heard of TSTC while serving on the Rosenberg Development Corporation, where he still serves as president.

“One of the initiatives for the Rosenberg Development Corporation was to bring TSTC to our county,” said Martin. “I was instantly impressed with the college and the services and opportunities it would offer to our area.”

Martin was working as a real estate agent and owned a small business consulting group when he saw the job posting on TSTC’s website.

“My passion is economic development and workforce training. I love all facets of the area,” said Martin. “So I saw this as a great opportunity for me and I went for it.”

As TSTC’s business relationship manager in Fort Bend County, Martin establishes business relationships for the campus with the goal of securing workforce training opportunities.

Besides the work he does for TSTC, Martin maintains his real estate license, serves on the board of the local library and museum, is a committee member for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and serves as a swim meet director for his son’s competitive swim team.

Loree Scott, TSTC’s senior executive director for workforce training, said Martin has a servant’s heart, which is an inspiration to many.

“Chris was instrumental during the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Harvey,” said Scott. “He volunteered countless hours with the TSTC food pantry, located and assisted TSTC Fort Bend County families with cleanup and rescue, offered his home to our TSTC families who were displaced, and found resources such as gas in the days following the storm.”

Scott added, “It is Chris’ willingness to go above and beyond in everything he does that makes him so deserving of this award.”

Martin said he is thankful to those who nominated him for this distinguished award and is happy to represent TSTC.

“It’s humbling to know that my work is being noticed, and I feel so appreciated,” he said. “Never have I received an award like this. TSTC is truly one big family, and I hope I can continue to be a part of the college’s growth and live up to what this award means.”

Martin will join the other 15 Chancellor’s Excellence Award recipients from across TSTC’s 10 campuses in May for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development awards dinner and celebration in Austin.

Chancellor’s Excellence Award – Vanessa Vasquez

(HARLINGEN/FORT BEND) – It will be three years in May since Vanessa Vasquez became part of the Texas State Technical College family to share the passion she has for student recruitment.

It is this same passion and dedication she exhibits daily that has earned her the honor of being a 2018 TSTC Chancellor’s Excellence Award recipient.

“I literally cried when I found out,” she said. “I was astonished and never expected anything like this to happen to me.”

The Brownsville native and TSTC executive director of admissions joins 15 other honorees statewide who were given the award by TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser for their distinguished service and dedication to the college, their communities and the state.Vanessa Vasquez Chancellor's Excellence Award recipient

“Their caring and dedicated efforts embolden us all to make a difference in the success of our teams and the lives of our students,” said Reeser. “These teammates were nominated by their peers, recommended by their provosts and vice chancellors, and chosen as faculty and staff who model excellence in our college every day.”

Vasquez, who is also a first-generation college graduate, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Teaching-Early Childhood Education in 2007 and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education in 2012, both from the University of Texas at Brownsville, which is now the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

It was at UTB where Vasquez first discovered her passion for higher education as a work-study student in the Admissions and Records department.

“My first job became what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” said Vasquez. “The experience of working with students from the time they enter our college’s doors to the time they walk across the stage in a cap and gown is invaluable to me. It makes me believe that what I do matters and changes lives.”

After Vasquez’s four-year stint in work-study, she went to work for six years as a transcript evaluator and later as a recruiter at UTB. She then worked as the admissions and records coordinator for Texas Southmost College for another three years before moving to TSTC.

“I was immediately interested in checking out TSTC. I knew it wasn’t an ordinary college, and I wanted to be a part of that,” she said.

Vasquez said it was the hands-on training and one-on-one teaching offered to TSTC students that drew her to the college as the advisement and testing center coordinator.

“TSTC has exceeded all of my expectations,” she added. “They have opened my eyes to the opportunities they provide and have been a game changer for even my family.”

After only one year with TSTC, Vasquez received her promotion as executive director and made the move to TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus, where she now resides. But she didn’t leave by herself.

“A four-year college wasn’t for my youngest brother, and he had given up on the dream of a college degree,” she said. “But when I introduced him to TSTC and invited him to come with me, he agreed and is now a college graduate with a certificate in welding.”

Vasquez added that this, along with the rest of her siblings having become college graduates, is a huge success for a family that lost their father at a young age and grew up in a single-parent home.

Christine Stuart-Carruthers, TSTC’s vice president of student development and senior enrollment services officer, said that the greatest assets Vasquez brings to the team are her passion for helping students and her leadership.

“She is motivated to help students achieve their dream of completing a college education, and her passion is contagious. She is always motivating those around her and lending a helping hand,” said Carruthers. “Vanessa has been instrumental in helping launch the Fort Bend County campus and in molding the culture so that staff are ready to take on whatever comes their way.”

Carruthers added that she is excited for Vasquez’s recognition and that her peers also recognize the hard work she puts into helping students and being a resource for others.

Vasquez said she hopes to continue growing with the college, working hard on her No. 1 goal of helping students succeed and continuing to making those who nominated her proud. She added that she doesn’t want to let them down.

Vasquez and the other TSTC Chancellor’s Award recipients will come together in May for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development awards dinner and celebration in Austin.

 

TSTC Students Place Third in Statewide Talent Competition

(ROSENBERG) – Texas State Technical College students John Ward and Brandon Felts competed at the college’s annual talent competition finals in Waco on March 21 and placed third statewide. TSTC hosted the talent competition in conjunction with “Texas Music Cafe.”

The students advanced to the finals after being chosen to represent the Fort Bend County campus.

Ward said the experience offered him a chance to see more of TSTC and learn more about the college.

“I had a great experience,” Ward said. “Being with a bunch of other students from different locations in Texas definitely allowed me to get a sense of what the overall TSTC community was like. I liked seeing all these young adults and adults wanting to better themselves and also tap into their hobbies, things that they don’t necessarily assume they’ll be involved in at a technical college. It’s great because it goes to show that TSTC can appreciate more than just technical minds.”

With Ward on guitar and vocals, and Felts on drums, this year was the first time students from the Fort Bend County campus competed. Ward hopes they can inspire others to join in the future.

“Brandon and I were the only ones (from TSTC in Fort Bend County),” he said. “Hopefully what we’ve done this year can inspire and kind of get people to bring in the things they love, as opposed to just going to school and following the routine. I just want to inspire those to not be afraid, because what these types of opportunities do is allow you to network.”

Felts agreed.

“I wish a lot of people could step up because I know there’s a lot of talent out there, but people are kind of shy and timid,” he said. “I felt that John and I could kind of be the first to excite people, and maybe it might start a change in the future.”

The duo, both HVAC Technology students, only began playing together a few days before the first competition. In the four days before the mid-February competition held in Harlingen, they wrote the song they performed. They had just the weekend before the final competition to complete their second song.

“For the finals, we got such a late notice — we only had three days to practice,” Felts said. “We wrote the song on Friday, practiced it Saturday and Sunday, went through it again Monday, and the show was on Tuesday. It was quite a challenge because not only did we have that, but we also kept up with school. It helped us succeed and achieve. It just proved to us how good of musicians we are on such a short notice.”

Ward draws influence from funk, soul and R&B artists and cited Jack Johnson and Allen Stone as some of the artists who inspired him to learn guitar.

“There’s something about the interpretation of soul music,” he said. “You listen to the greats who did funk, and you hear the pain or the joy in their voice when they sing. There’s so much more than just a simple vibrato — there’s raspiness, there’s pain, joy, love, hate. All of that ties into what soul and funk can do, and that’s my preferred genre.”

Meanwhile, Felts appreciates rock music. He enjoys artists such as Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin and Avenged Sevenfold. He named Avenged Sevenfold’s late drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan as one musician who has made a big impact on his life.

“Back in the day when I had bands, I wanted to be just like him,” he said. “I wrote everything. I wrote guitar parts, I wrote drum parts, I wrote lyrics. Not many people know that drummers can do stuff like that, and that’s what Jimmy did. He inspired me to do it all. He sang, he drummed, and he wrote most of the music. He’s my biggest influence.”

The third-place winners took home a microphone, a DJ set and headphones. But to Ward, it wasn’t about the prizes.

“I’m for the experience and the people that I’m able to make connections with,” Ward said. “I just enjoy being around people who do what they love.”

Felts said he was happy to have built a friendship with Ward over the experience.

“Playing with someone, you have to have a certain type of energy, and you just have to feel it with each other. And that’s how we felt — even in just that short time,” he said. “We are planning on starting up music and hopefully writing something. We just want to play and enjoy and have fun.”

“Texas Music Cafe” is an hourlong, magazine-style PBS program that is recorded all over the state of Texas in front of live audiences and broadcast nationally on radio, TV and the internet.

Airshow, Military Present Need for Students to Pursue Technical Fields

(WACO) – Walking around and observing the jets, planes and military personnel at Texas State Technical College in Waco’s airport during the recent Heart of Texas Airshow was technical education in action.

“When you see the high visibility end of the military, such as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing in their F-18 jets, you have to recognize that there are a whole bunch of support technologies that work behind the scenes to make that happen,” said V. Carson Pearce, TSTC’s statewide Transportation Division director.

Besides flying airplanes and sailing in the world’s oceans, the Navy and other military branches use members for jobs in cyber security, aviation maintenance, electronics, hydraulics, avionics, architecture and other technical fields. These coincide with some of the programs TSTC offers to students with military and nonmilitary experience.

“The Air Force is huge in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),” said Capt. Cody Wilton, a member of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Combat Command A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Flight Team who grew up in Mineral Wells. “We are looking for those career fields. I hope the airshow can motivate students to look into the Air Force. We can show what we have to offer.”

Bryson Padgett, 20, of Mason and an Aircraft Powerplant Technology and Aircraft Airframe Technology major at TSTC, became interested in aviation because his grandfather was a U.S. Air Force pilot. Padgett hopes more people would become interested in aviation after attending last weekend’s airshow and attending Navy Week events throughout Waco.

“I think it can get people excited and see what aviation has come to,” Padgett said.

Hunter Wollaston, an E6 in maintenance control for the Blue Angels who grew up in Georgetown, said working in aviation maintenance in the military is the pinnacle of aviation.

“If you watch us work, it is some of the most impressive maintenance work you will ever see,” he said.

Wollaston graduated in 2010 from Georgetown High School and joined the Navy at 17. He said his favorite part about airshows is seeing the youth become excited when seeing Blue Angels and other Navy personnel in their uniforms.

Jordan Perschke, 22, of Katy is an Aircraft Powerplant Technology and Aircraft Airframe Technology major at TSTC. He said he enjoyed seeing people visit the campus for the air show and planned to talk to pilots about their planes and learn how they function. His career goal is to work for American Flyers or American Airlines.

The airshow coincided with Navy Week in Waco, a celebration of the Navy’s work throughout the world as exemplified by visiting military musicians, sailors, pilots and others talking to schoolchildren, city and county leaders, residents and veterans.

“I think that it’s very important to have some technical training, you know whether it’s from a technical college like this or like I got from the Air Force,” said SSgt. (E5) Teryance Horrace, a Groveton, Texas, native working in aircraft maintenance for the A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Flight Team. “It’s very beneficial to your career.”

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

 

 

TSTC Welcomes New Recruiter

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College in Williamson County welcomed a new recruiter last month. Jessica Spencer joined the team mid-March.

Spencer grew up in Hutto and graduated from Hutto High School. After graduating she went straight to work.

“Before here I worked in an office — I love communicating with people,” she said. “Before that I was working with kids, and I loved to change people’s lives. That’s the main thing I enjoy — making an impact on someone’s life. Even if it isn’t the biggest impact, any kind is amazing.”

Before she began at TSTC, Spencer helped her boyfriend, David, enroll in the college’s welding program. She appreciates TSTC’s hands-on teaching.

“In high school I wasn’t the best student at staring at a book all day, so I love that aspect,” she said. “I love the opportunity that it’s given David to follow his dream, and I’m ready for TSTC to help me follow mine.”

She is excited to help influence students to reach their potential.

“I just did my first tour by myself, and it was pretty awesome,” she said. “Talking to people and changing people’s lives — it’s pretty cool.”

Melissa Zamora, TSTC’s coordinator of Student Recruitment, said she is excited that Jessica has joined the team and is happy that she brings a wealth of local knowledge with her.

“She is a Hutto native, has gone through the local educational system and graduated from Hutto High School,” Zamora said. “Residing now in Taylor, Jessica brings knowledge of the Hutto (school) system, as well as an insight into the Taylor district, that can help bridge the communities in order to help get the word out on our Williamson County location.”

TSTC Provost Edgar Padilla said campus growth has brought a need to expand the team.

“Our recruitment capacity is growing by leaps and bounds in Williamson County,” he said. “We’ve seen an increased level of metric-driven strategy and enthusiasm for our mission. We welcome Jessica to our team and know she’ll play a critical role in the success of our campus. Great things are happening in Hutto.”

TSTC prides itself on being “a great place to work” and is currently hiring for positions at its 10 campuses statewide. For information on open positions at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/about/employment.

TWC awards TSTC Harvey Relief Grant for training

The Texas Workforce Solutions Gulf Coast Board recently awarded Texas State Technical College with a Harvey Relief Grant to assist with the training and certification of men and women in the construction field who are working to rebuild the area after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation.

The grant awarded gives TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education Office more than $82,000 to develop and offer its first National Center for Construction Education and Research Basic Construction course at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus.

“This grants provides us with the infrastructure we need to provide the basic training

TSTC NCCER Training Course

all employers require of their employees,” said Victor Blalack, TSTC’s Continuing Education statewide project manager. “This allows us to work upon our mission of providing the Texas workforce with quality trained individuals.”

The grant provides the funds TSTC needs to train and certify course instructors, certify the lab that will be used and purchase all tools and equipment needed for the class.

The NCCER Core course is open to anyone interested in successfully completing the 73-hour training, whether its employers providing the training for their employees or employees looking to get ahead in the field.

Those who enroll in the course can expect to learn the foundation of construction safety, tool safety and field communication and will become certified by NCCEER.

NCCER credentials are recognized internationally so can be used to work in the United States and abroad.

”Safety is a number one priority everywhere and for everyone,” said Blalack. “So obtaining a certification like this shows employers that a candidate has a high level of skill when it comes to construction safety.”

Blalack also added, “Having a NCCER certification makes a job candidate more marketable and is highly sought. Employers, especially large-scale construction companies require NCCER certifications, so this course is an advantage to many.”

The NCCER course is expected to begin late April or early May and will offered as day and evening courses depending on demand.

Tuition for the class is $1,118 and there are additional grants through the Texas Workforce Solutions for qualifying candidates. Employers also have the option of sponsoring their employees.

The need for NCCER certifications has increased due to the construction the area is undergoing to rebuild the towns and cities hardest hit along the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Harvey.

Blalack said he is glad that TSTC can help the community on this level and hopes that this initial course is a stepping stone for TSTC because his goal is that program will open doors for other NCCER certification courses at the Fort Bend County campus.

For more information or to register call TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education Office at 956-364-4179.