Category Archives: Waco

Waco Transit System Utilizing TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology Students

(WACO) – When people wind down at home or lift reps at the gym after a long day at work, the Waco Transit System’s maintenance department livens up with its own activity.

And, some of the employees making this happen have ties to Texas State Technical College’s Diesel Equipment Technology program.

“We always keep six to 10 of the kids on board,” said Waco Transit System Director of Maintenance Steve Edgar. “We work late evenings and it is flexible with their classes. If it wasn’t for the tech students, I would be in a bind.”

Caleb Hensley, 19, of Waco and Malaci Moore, 19, of Elm Mott are two of the TSTC students who work in the maintenance shop in downtown Waco. Both students are scheduled to graduate in April from TSTC. The students work with preventive maintenance along with repairing air and fuel leaks and hydraulics.

“I like the controlled environment,” Hensley said. “This is my first shop. I have always worked on vehicles, but I liked heavier equipment.”

Moore came to Waco Transit with knowledge accumulated from his relatives working in the oil fields. He said laboring at the transit agency has been a good experience and one to help him as he secures a job working on mechanical equipment in the oil fields after graduation.

“There are some things you can’t teach in a classroom compared to a shop,” Moore said.

Edgar said Waco Transit has worked with the Diesel Equipment Technology program for more than two decades, hiring students and enabling them to get professional work experience. He said while the technical college provides the industry knowledge for students, it is businesses like Waco Transit that can provide the hands-on work to fine-tune skills.

“Steve and them are a blessing,” said Richard Stranacher, an instructor in TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program. “The students get the exposure, and he critiques and hone their skills over there.”

Waco Transit is not just city buses and trolleys circling downtown. The agency provides bus service for Baylor University, shuttles for Baylor football games, shuttles to and from Waco Regional Airport, services for McLennan County Rural Transit, and vans for Americans with Disabilities Act and Medicaid patients.

New employees typically start as mechanics’ helpers, Edgar said. He said some of the traits he looks for in potential employees include common sense and flexibility. He said the first test for applicants is to see if they follow directions in filling out the employment application.

“If they show will and determination to learn, they move into the shop to do preventive maintenance,” he said. “With these kids, I always encourage school, No. 1; work is No. 2. We have to pace them.”

David Villatoro, 28, of Robinson began work at Waco Transit while he was a TSTC student and was hired fulltime after graduation in 2009. He is a technician who started working evenings and eventually moved up to a daytime shift. A lot of his work involves preventive maintenance, heating and cooling systems and wheelchair lifts.

“When I started, I was doing tires,” said Villatoro. “I got familiarized with the vehicles and preventive maintenance and then worked on the electrical side. I caught on really fast.”

Villatoro, a 2007 graduate of Stony Point High School in Round Rock, said he grew up with an interest in cars.

“But, everything in diesel is bigger,” he said.

Further training beyond daily work is done by vendors contracted to provide purchased vehicles, Edgar said.

Edgar said the transit agency could also use current students or graduates in other fields, including automotive technology, auto collision and welding, to fill work gaps.

The Waco Transit Authority is a wholly owned subsidiary of RATP Dev and contracts with the city of Waco. The agency has 140 employees in administration, maintenance and operations.

TSTC in Waco offers the Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Equipment Technology with specializations in Off-Highway Equipment, John Deere Construction and Forestry, or Heavy Truck. TSTC in Waco also offers certificates in Diesel Equipment Technology – Heavy Truck and Off-Highway Equipment.

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

TSTC to Host Program Highlight Day

(RED OAK) – Texas State Technical College in North Texas will host Program Highlight Day for its Electrical Power & Controls program from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 22.

Prospective students will be able to participate in hands-on activities directed by Electrical Power & Controls faculty and learn more about the program, which covers engineering, design, installation, calibration, testing, troubleshooting, computer instrumentation, robotics interfacing, and electrical construction.

An associate degree in Electrical Power & Controls is also covered under TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee program. If graduates of the program do not find a job in their field within six months of graduating, they will receive their tuition back.

Those interested in attending the event can register at http://bit.ly/tstcepc.

Who: Texas State Technical College
What: Electrical Power & Controls Program Highlight Day
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 22
Where: TSTC in North Texas, 119 N. Lowrance Road, Red Oak, Texas 75154

TSTC recruiter serves as inspiration to students

(FORT BEND) – Yulonda Durst, who survived a childhood of poverty and overcame personal hardships as an adult, is now at Texas State Technical College as a student recruiter hoping to help young people find a better life through education.

Durst was raised in Beaumont and as a young girl, along with her four siblings, was homeless, usually forced to spend days apart from her family.

“We were a large family, and it was difficult for family to take all of us in,” she said. “But through it all my mom remained positive, kept us praying and reminded us that struggles were temporary.”

And temporary they were.

Durst and her family slowly moved up from homelessness to a house with no electricity to the projects and finally to a house they could call their own after Durst’s mother married.

The Beaumont native grew up to be a licensed cosmetologist, a youth pastor for New Hope Deliverance Ministry, a church in her hometown, and a college graduate.Yulonda Durst - TSTC Student Recruiter

She earned an associate degree from a technology school in Beaumont in Business Computer Information Systems in 2012 while working and raising her seven children.

“It wasn’t easy, but I wanted more for me and my family. So I pushed forward,” she said.

While juggling her salon, Graceful Hands Beauty Salon, established in 2005, a newfound career as a financial aid representative at her alma mater, and her family, more life challenges were thrown her way.

A fire, which was ruled arson, destroyed her salon on Thanksgiving Day 2016 and a divorce left Durst in pieces and feeling discouraged.

“I didn’t rebuild. I wanted a brand new start,” she said. “And it was while looking for a place to live in the Houston area that I drove by TSTC and told my children, ‘I’m going to work there someday.’”

It was only two weeks before Hurricane Harvey that Durst and her children began a new life in Houston. She said she is thankful that her family was okay and their properties did not suffer damage.

“We were blessed, but many weren’t so lucky,” she said.

Knowing this is what encouraged her to volunteer at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston and work as a FEMA contractor for four months before getting a job at TSTC.

Durst is now the newest student recruiter at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus and said she was immediately impressed with the campus and its employees.

“At TSTC I feel like we’re all equal. I’m part of one great, big family,” she said. “It’s all hands on deck, no matter your position. There’s so much unity.”

Durst has many goals for her new position, but her main one is to encourage higher education in students who don’t see it as a possibility.

“I always tell students that education is the key that opens doors,” she said. “I believe everyone has the potential of getting a college degree.”

Durst added, “TSTC is a two-year college that places students on a career path,” she said. “When a student enters TSTC they are taking steps toward a new career and life.”

Durst, who is still a youth pastor, said she hopes to grow with the college by being the continued support TSTC students need.

For more information the programs offered at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus, visit tstc.edu.

Registration for Summer and Fall 2018 begins April 2.

TSTC in Waco Hosts Open House

(WACO) – More than 950 visitors from throughout the state attended Open House at Texas State Technical College on Thursday.

Visitors were treated to a taco lunch, tours of several technical programs and one-on-one time with instructors at tables set up in the Murray Watson Jr. Student Recreation Center.

“I think things are going great,” said Darryan Meyers, a TSTC student recruitment representative. “I think everyone is getting what TSTC has to offer. There is good engagement with the staff and visitors.”

Michael Sedillo, 21, is a Connally High School graduate who has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas Tech University. He visited Open House because he will start work on a pharmacy technician certificate this fall at TSTC. His goal is to continue his education after graduation and become a pharmacist.

“My sister came to TSTC and when I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, she told me about the program,” Sedillo said. “She graduated from the Pharmacy Technician program and she said, ‘You could end up being my boss.’ So, I definitely wanted to do it and I’m really excited to get going on pursuing my dream.”

Gabriela Herrera, 18, a senior at Waco High School and member of Prosper Waco’s Project Link initiative, said she is interested in majoring in Architectural and Civil Drafting Technology. She got her first taste of technical education when she attended last fall’s Women in Technology Day held at TSTC.

“Since I was little I had a dream to build my own home,” Herrera said.

Corby Myers, an instructor in the Drafting and Design Technology program, said about 45 students start the program and split to work either toward the associate degree in mechanical and electrical drafting technology or architectural and civil drafting technology at the start of their second semester at TSTC.

“Graduates are support staff for architects and engineers,” Myers said. “They can do mechanical engineering or drafting. Anything that has to be built has to be drawn first.”

TSTC Electrical Power and Controls major Anita Nesler, 45, of Copperas Cove volunteered at the program’s information table and wanted to encourage females to think about the field of study. Electrical Power and Controls graduates maintain and test electrical and nuclear power plants, do electrical design and troubleshoot relays and transformers.

“We are always energy hungry as a society,” Nesler said.

Students in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program demonstrated the construction of a mini-building and some programs showed off the tools of their trade to show prospective students and their families. The Cloud and Data Center Management program demonstrated small self-driving cars on a taped track on the carpeted first floor of the John B. Connally Technology Center.

The Computer Science program had a table for students to put on virtual reality headgear and feel their presence in the technology center, all without leaving the student recreation center. Event visitors could also use their smartphones or tablets to play an augmented reality game created by TSTC students.

Staff representing financial aid, student outreach, SkillsUSA, the Challenger Learning Center and student recruiting were also on hand to meet prospective students.

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

 

Dashiell Corp. Hires Entire TSTC Lineworker Class

(FORT BEND COUNTY) – The first graduating class of linemen from Texas State Technical College in Fort Bend County will walk the stage in April with their certificates and a sigh of relief, knowing they have jobs waiting for them.

All eight graduates have been offered employment with Dashiell Corp. upon completion of the program. Dashiell is a leading national provider of technical services to the electric utility, power generation and energy industries.

Troy Eads, instructor of TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology, said he had been working with a couple of companies to help find his students jobs.

The representative from Dashiell was the first to see the students in action, Eads said. “After he talked to them and saw them climb, he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take them all.’”

Eads said he wasn’t really surprised that the company wanted all of the students.

“I try to teach them everything they need to know,” Eads said. “I wasn’t surprised that any company that came through would (hire them all) because we have a great program. Most schools have a 15-week certification, and we have 45 weeks. You learn a lot more in 45 weeks. We have a good curriculum and great students.”

Student Darryl Jackson said he feels good about having a job before graduating.

“Just a couple of years ago, I really didn’t understand where I would be at,” Jackson said. “Now I’m a few months away from graduating school, and I already have a job. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, like I actually did something.”

Jackson said he didn’t expect to have a job lined up so soon.

“I was really expecting that we’d graduate and have to go out and find our own jobs,” he said.

Though the students are taught the job skills they need, the program goes a little further than that.

“We go in-depth with what we teach them,” Eads said. “They learn not only about the work, but things like showing up on time also. There’s responsibility involved. We teach them about going through the interview and stuff like that as well — the soft skills.”

Jackson said it was those things that made the program special to him.

“It changed everybody in the program, including me,” he said. “We all had our ways about us, and Troy pointed those things out and showed us what wouldn’t work.”

As for now, the students are counting down the days until they begin their new jobs.

“I can’t wait,” Jackson said. “It’s something we talk about every day now.”

TSTC will begin registering students for the summer and fall semesters on Monday, April 2. For more information on TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology, visit tstc.edu.

Lorena Resident Designs Her Creative Future at TSTC

(WACO) – Raychel Mynarcik knows what she wants and is not afraid to go for it.

The busy 21-year-old Lorena native is in her second semester in Texas State Technical College’s Visual Communication Technology program. She sees TSTC as an opportunity to earn a degree that will turn her passions for music and design into a living.

“I wanted to be self-sufficient in my (music) career and do my own album covers and my own media for that. So with the Visual Communication program, I am able to learn all of the tools and programs that would allow me to do all my own media and designs so I wouldn’t have to pay anyone — just be the whole package,” Mynarcik said.

TSTC’s reputation for great job placement, coupled with its two-year timeline for associate degrees, sold Mynarcik on the college.

“They know how to prepare students to go into the workforce,” she said.

Mynarcik praised her TSTC instructors as playing key roles in guiding her to success.

“They have provided such a great foundation, at least for me, to really be able to craft and have the tools in order to really let that creativity shine,” she said.

Mynarcik’s VCT instructor, Michael Lewis, said she was a student with great potential.

“She’s energetic, creative and very excited about training for something she is so passionate about,” he said.

In addition to studying VCT, Mynarcik is president of TSTC’s Visual Arts Society, which combines web development with other VCT-related programs.

“Raychel was elected president of VAS her first semester at TSTC. And to have her come in and lead and encourage the participation we have is really impressive,” said Jennifer Piper, a Visual Communication Technology instructor.

The Visual Arts Society allows students to network and attend events where they can enhance their skills and learn more about their fields. In April, Mynarcik and 12 other members of the organization will attend the Dallas Society of Visual Communications conference to compete and showcase their skills.

“Being in that club gives so many experiences for a student that you wouldn’t normally get anywhere else,” Mynarcik said.  

Looking to the future, Mynarcik is excited and confident about the possibilities awaiting her.

“TSTC has been such a growth for me, I never thought I’d get to learn and create so quickly. I get to take something I love and earn a living and that’s amazing to think about, “ Mynarcik said.

Mynarcik is scheduled to graduate in 2019 from TSTC.

Besides being a full-time student, Mynarcik is worship director for Lorena United Methodist Church and a dance fitness instructor at Baylor University. She already has associate degrees from McLennan Community College in vocal performance and songwriting, and has released four songs on Spotify and iTunes under the name Ray Mynarcik.

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

 

Annual TSTC in Williamson County Open House a Success

(HUTTO) – Texas State Technical College in Williamson County held its annual open house Friday, opening its campus for tours and meetings with faculty. The event, designed for prospective students who want to learn more about the college, hosted more than 300 visitors.

TSTC coordinator of student recruitment Melissa Zamora said the event was a success.

“I think it was a great opportunity for us to get TSTC in Williamson County on the map,” Zamora said.

Zamora said the program tours were a popular part of the day.

“The demos and all the information they provided, along with our college fair, really did showcase what we offer,” she said. “I think it actually showed the students why they should commit to this location in particular.”

TSTC Provost Edgar Padilla said the college changed some things up this year to provide a new experience for visitors and for TSTC.

“We tried some new things this year that we felt would be successful in terms of bringing in more students and more applications,” Padilla said. “We had a great mix of both traditional students coming from schools with their teachers as well as individuals coming with parents. We feel it was a very successful day.”

TSTC employees came from the college’s Fort Bend County, Marshall, North Texas and Waco campuses to help make the event a success.

“We had staff from across the state join us to assist our students in serving lunch, submitting applications and answering any questions they had about the college admissions process,” Padilla said. “We’re very proud of the team that pulled together to make it happen.”

Sam McCutchen, college and career readiness counselor with Georgetown High School, said the school brought 29 students to the event.

“They had a blast,” McCutchen said. “It broadened their horizons. They learned about opportunities that they didn’t have a clue about, and they were amazed at how convenient this was to where they live. Now they know this is an option for them.”

TSTC will begin registering students for the summer and fall semesters on Monday, April 2. For more information on the college, visit tstc.edu.

TSTC gets international exposure

(FORT BEND) – Texas State Technical College recently hosted a delegation of 21 Chinese educators from Nanjing, China for a tour of the campus and discussions about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) training and career opportunities.

TSTC Provost Randy Wooten said it was a pleasure being able to welcome the delegates on campus from Fort Bend County’s sister city Nanjing.

“It was great being given the opportunity to host these educators on campus,” he said. “The visit was focused on technological training and advancements and aligned well with what we offer at TSTC.”

The teachers were selected as part of a teacher exchange program through the Nanjing Education Bureau.

J.J. Clemence, Fort Bend County Global Initiative public relations director and Congressman Pete Olson’s Asian community outreach director, said each teacher was hand-picked from more than 1,000 schools in Nanjing and required to pass an English exam.

 

“These teachers are the top from each school,” Clemence said. “And the goal of this trip was to further expose them to STEM studies in the United States, which is why TSTC was an important stop for us.”

Clemence further explained that the teachers’ are visiting for 12-days touring local high schools in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District and Fort Bend Independent School District and sharing resources and ideas with local educators.

“Technical careers are growing in demand in China and this visit has been eye opening to the delegates,” she said. “This has allowed them to see the importance of a technical education and hands-on training.”

Ning Nei, a high school chemistry teacher in Nanjing, said the TSTC campus and the focus on hands-on training was impressive.

“This college combines teaching with the practice of new technologies and that’s amazing to me,” she said. “It’s a perfect method that I hope to take back to my school and implement.”

Nei also said that she was able to exchange teaching resources with the faculty she visited, which will help her take what she learned back to her students.

TSTC’s Robotics Technology was popular among the delegates.

Guxiao Chun, a high school physics teacher, said he is excited to share his experience with his students when he returns home.

“TSTC is thinking innovatively and coming here has encouraged me to push my students into a technical career,” said Chun. “I’m excited to tell them about the robots and the hands-on training I witnessed.”

Chun added that he realized he can do more for his school and students by focusing on STEM.

Wooten said he was pleased with the positive responses received by the delegates and that these types of visit expand the TSTC brand internationally.

“They were impressed with the type of machinery and tools our students get to use in our labs,” said Wooten. “Opportunities like this are rare in China.”

He went on to say, “Positive responses like these make our brand more valuable and sought after. It gives us world-wide exposure.”

Clemence said she hopes to continue growing the relationship between these Chinese educators, Fort Bend County and TSTC.

“This was a great experience for everyone involved,” said Clemence. “And we hope in the near future we’ll be able bring students from China over to visit Fort Bend County and possibly study at TSTC.”

For more information on the programs offered at TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

Registration for Summer and Fall 2018 begins April 2.

TSTC Electrical Construction Program Gives Students Bright Futures

(WACO) – Francisco Santos of Houston already knows where he wants to start his electrical construction career.

“Waco is growing,” said Santos, 22, a student at Texas State Technical College. “I want to stay here and grow with the city. There are new buildings that need to be constructed and old buildings that need attention.”

Santos, a 2014 graduate of Mirabeau B. Lamar High School in Houston’s Upper Kirby district, is scheduled to graduate in August from TSTC with an Electrical Construction certificate. In a recent lab for the Residential Wiring class, Santos said the hands-on lessons he receives help him figure out what mistakes not to make.

Jobs for electricians are expected to increase by more than 59,000 at least through 2026, with a lot contingent on the development of alternative power, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Texas had more than 57,000 electricians in 2016, according to recent data from the federal agency. The Woodlands – Houston – Sugar Land area had the most concentrated number of electricians in Texas with more than 18,000. The Waco area had more than 600 electricians.

Students can earn a certificate in Electrical Construction in TSTC’s Building Construction Technology program. Some students choose to earn the certificate in combination with the Associate of Applied Science degree in Solar Energy Technology or Energy Efficiency Specialist certificate. Students who earn all three earn what is known as the program’s “triple crown.”

Starting this semester, Electrical Construction students can earn hours toward their journeyman license while attending TSTC.

“Students are required to have 8,000 on-the-job training hours under a master electrician before they can qualify to sit for their journeyman exam,” said Letha Novosad, the lead instructor in the Building Construction Technology program, an electrical construction instructor and a master electrician in Waco.

Joe Luna, 55, of Temple is using some of the helicopter mechanic and troubleshooting skills he learned while in the U.S. Army for 15 years to pursue the Electrical Construction certificate. After graduation, he wants to pursue a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate at TSTC.

“I feel like the oldest in the class, but everyone has something to bring to the table,” Luna said. “All of us complement each other.”

TSTC’s Electrical Construction students wear red shirts when in classes. The program has about 25 students this semester.

“The students have to wear uniforms in business, so we are getting them used to it,” said Earl Leonard, statewide department chair for Building Construction Technology at TSTC. “We have electrical contractors calling us all the time. There are a lot of job opportunities.”

Novosad said Nemmer Electric and Leland Collier Electric, both in Waco, and Walker Engineering, which has locations in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, have hired TSTC graduates in the past.

Corey Morgan, 29, of Lacy Lakeview graduated from TSTC in 2013 with an Electrical Construction certificate. He chose to pursue the electric field because of his grandfather who was a journeyman electrician. After graduation, Morgan was hired at MP Electric in Waco and is an apprentice electrician doing industrial and residential work.

Morgan, a 2007 graduate of Connally High School, said he wired his first receptacle when he was 5 years old.

“I don’t mind the risks associated with it and the hard work,” he said. “You have to take pride in this work. When we take conduit and bend it, it is artwork.”

Morgan said the National Electrical Code guides the work being done across the country.

“That is the big thing with electricians that people don’t understand,” he said. “People can wire a receptacle, but the question is: Did you do it safe and correctly?”

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

TSTC Program Receives Truck Donation

(RED OAK) – The Diesel Equipment Technology program at Texas State Technical College in North Texas recently received a 2009 Freightliner Cascadia truck valued at $10,000.

The donation was made by the south Dallas location of Premier Truck Group. Jeff Wicks, assistant service manager, said the donation was made because of a customer who gave the truck’s title to the business after he could not pay for repairs.

“We ended up making the repairs and getting it running and then donating,” Wicks said. “We knew TSTC would appreciate it and that it would be a training tool relevant to what we do with the technology that is applicable for what we do. The students could learn on something that could help them.”

TSTC Provost Marcus Balch said the heavy vehicle would be used for lessons in electronics, brake systems and other diesel components. The truck will be functional but remain in the program’s lab.

“The donation is a good thing for TSTC in North Texas because as a new program, there are just some pieces of equipment that we do not have yet,” Balch said. “By this company stepping up to provide this, it is going to allow us to grow our program and grow our labs so that we have an opportunity to continue to provide equipment that is fresh out of the box.”

Premier Truck Group has more than 70 technicians, warranty personnel, foremen and delivery drivers who maintain and troubleshoot heavy commercial vehicles.

TSTC in North Texas students can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Equipment Technology – Heavy Truck Specialization or a certificate in Diesel Equipment Technology – Heavy Truck, among others.

Diesel Equipment Technology is one of the largest programs on campus with about 50 students.

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