(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Eight Texas State Technical College Welding Technology students showed off their skills at the 2021 Andrew Noppe Memorial Welding Competition.

Omar De La Cruz Moreno finished fourth in the Level 1 competition in which he had to weld a single-sided vertical groove on a carbon steel plate using the shielded metal arc welding process. Moreno’s piece passed the visual and X-ray examinations to earn certification in the welding process.

Moreno was not alone in earning certification honors during the competition, which was held at R&N Manufacturing in Cypress.

Jerroll Hodge, a TSTC welding instructor, said four students earned certification on April 24 for passing both the visual and X-ray examinations. 

Jacob Picazo earned certification on the Level 2 shielded metal arc welding process for his work on a pipe.

In the Level 3 event, Jose Perez Jr., Angel Rodriguez and Mason Stanley  earned certification for their work on a pipe using the gas tungsten arc welding process for the root pass and shielded metal arc welding process for the fill and cap passes.

“The students enjoyed going to an event and competing,” Hodge said. “It also opened our students to the possibility of earning additional certifications on certain types of welds.”

Also representing TSTC was Zach Follis in Level 1 and Diego Almaraz and Nick Dunn in Level 3.

“Everyone was really into the activities being held at the competition. It was the first time we have attended an event like this, and I look forward to returning to additional contests,” Hodge said.

The Texas High School Welding Series hosted the event that featured 72 competitors from eight colleges. In addition to TSTC, competitors represented Arclabs Welding School, Elite Pipe Welding Academy, Lamar Institute of Technology, Mainliners Welding Academy, Precision Welding Academy and Wharton County Junior College.

Hodge said he learned of the event during a welding competition in Huntsville earlier this year. He discussed it with his students and completed the registration process.

“I beat the deadline by a few days, and I am glad we were there,” he said.

Hodge was also able to promote TSTC during the high school competition, which was held the same day. With more than 130 students from 12 high schools in attendance, Hodge spoke to as many students as possible.

“It was good to be able to watch the high school kids compete and talk to them about our program,” he said. “This was a great recruiting effort for us.”

Hodge hopes that attending the competition sparks more interest in his students and plans to study ways to host an event on campus in the future.

“It would be good for TSTC to showcase our facilities during a competition,” he said. “I hope we will be able to do that someday.”

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Once a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, Kenneth Buford is utilizing his military skills to resonate with fellow veterans at Texas State Technical College as director of veteran recruitment at the Fort Bend County campus.

For the past 11 months, the Rosenberg native has brought his worldly experience to TSTC, and he is eager to continue helping those who have served in the U.S. armed forces.

“My military experience makes it easier to relate to the changes and challenges facing active-duty personnel,” he said. “It also helps with challenges of those who are transitioning out of military services and service members making career changes.

Buford said that assisting those with the same life experiences as his has made his job very rewarding.

“The ability to continue to serve, guide and assist my sisters and brothers in arms is a very humbling experience,” he said. “Although our contracted time in the service expires, the commitment that was made by each of us never will.”

As he rounds out his first year at TSTC, Buford thinks back on some of his favorite memories with gratitude.

“Working with the soldiers to create strategic plans capable of meeting their financial needs, while ensuring each of them receives the technical training necessary to sustain success, continues to be my fondest memory,” he said.

His commitment is easily recognized in his work.

“Words are not enough to describe that one moment in time while taking soldiers through a campus tour and you see their eyes light up with excitement,” he said. “That’s the moment you know that soldier just found their next great adventure and path in life.”

As far as his advice on education, Buford said that you cannot go wrong with following your passion.

“Do what you love and love what you do,” he said. “Never pass up an opportunity to help another student or ask for help yourself. Not only are we all truly in this together, but no one can do it alone and claim true success.”

To learn more about veteran services offered at TSTC, visit https://tstc.edu/veterans.

February is Career and Technical Education Month. To learn more about the programs offered at TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

Kenneth Buford served in the U.S. Army for eight years and is now serving as director of veteran recruitment at TSTC. (Photo courtesy of TSTC.)

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – The encouragement of a friend and a charismatic instructor helped Shyann Kocurek make the decision to enroll at Texas State Technical College.

The El Campo native recently earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Environmental Technology – Compliance while experiencing one of the greatest hardships in life. Now she is eager to get to work, and she is grateful for the help she received at TSTC.

“My best friend had just started working at TSTC and encouraged me to talk with an instructor named Ms. (Maria) Vaughan,” she said. “I ended up loving what she had to say about the Environmental Technology – Compliance program, and I enrolled the following semester.”

Vaughan spoke fondly of Kocurek.

“Shyann has shown a great amount of initiative from the very beginning of the program,” she said. “She is always striving to improve and get ahead of the game. She is strong, dedicated and motivated.”

Students in the Environmental Technology – Compliance program learn about how environmental and safety standards are combined. Vaughan said that the creativity involved in the curriculum made for class time that was never boring.

“Students learn about the environmental regulations, what they mean, how to implement rules, and in essence how to be compliant with federal and state regulations,” she said. “Sometimes it is like ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ in my lab.”

Kocurek was determined to complete the program, even as she suffered a devastating loss.

“My mom passed away in June,” she said. “I had a hard time trying to keep going to finish with my goal I had set for myself.”

But Kocurek persevered. She received TSTC’s Texan Success Scholarship, which she says helped alleviate much of the worry she felt about paying for the program she grew to love.

“That scholarship helped me,” she said. “At the time, I did not have the money to pay for the first payment on the payment plan that I was on, but that scholarship took care of almost all of my tuition. It saved me.”

Vaughan recalled the resilience shown by Kocurek.

“She is an amazingly strong young woman,” she said. “Seeing her pain and loss, and seeing her good work ethic come through during that time, she reminded me how important it is to remember our ‘why.’ It was easy to see that her ‘why’ is her love for her family.”

Kocurek has some advice for those who follow in her footsteps at TSTC.

“Set goals for yourself, and do not let anything deter you from those goals,” she said. “Always ask questions, no matter the situation. There is always someone at TSTC who is willing to help. Without asking questions, you do not learn, and if you do not learn, you do not grow.”

To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – On January 11, Texas State Technical College welcomed back students to its Fort Bend County campus for the spring 2021 semester.

Some students, staff and faculty returned to campus on a limited basis, following TSTC’s coronavirus safety guidelines. While some courses are being taught online only, others are a combination of online classes and in-person labs.

TSTC Associate Provost Bryan Bowling was eager to welcome students to TSTC and said that a new semester is the steppingstone to a gratifying career.

“This will be the year you recall as a new beginning,” he said. “A student’s decision to enroll at TSTC represents a critical point of origin on a life-altering journey that can lead to a lucrative career.”

Environmental Technology instructor Maria Vaughan added that she knows this year will be a positive one.

“As we start the year, students should be curious about their purpose,” she said. “It is going to be a great semester.”

TSTC is dedicated to helping enhance the Texas workforce by equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the most in-demand careers.

Established in 2016, the Fort Bend County campus offers more than 10 technical programs that can give students the training needed for a successful career.

TSTC’s coronavirus safety protocols include wearing face masks while on campus, social distancing, and designated entrance and exit doors.

To learn more, go to tstc.edu.