Category Archives: All TSTC

Vargas announced as a recipient of the TSTC Chancellor Excellence Award

(FORT BEND) – Christina Vargas is the Assistant Director of Enrollment Management for Texas State Technical College in Fort Bend County and has added Chancellor’s Excellence Award recipient to her title.

“I was overwhelmed and humbled when I found out about this recognition,” said Vargas. “I know so many hard workers that I look up to and I know are deserving. So this was an unexpected honor.”

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award has celebrated employees who exhibit TSTC’s core values of Excellence, Accountability, Service and Integrity for the last 19 years.

TSTC employees are nominated by their peers, provosts and vice chancellors and are chosen for their distinguished service and dedication to the college, communities and their state for this award.Christina Vargas

“The teammates who win this award model excellence for us all and are recognized for both their sound character and for advancing TSTC’s new direction,” said TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser. “Due to their caring and dedicated efforts, TSTC continues to make a difference in the employment success of our students.”

Vargas was selected among 160 faculty and staff members who were nominated and is one of 35 recipients statewide.

It’s been two years since Vargas first arrived at TSTC, and as a Rosenberg native she said she is happy to be home.

“It feels great to be serving the community where I grew up with education,” she said. “Being back here has brought back so many great memories.”

Although Vargas has an hour to an hour-and-a-half drive every day from Victoria, where her and her family reside, she said it’s worth it because she gets to change lives for the better.

“Helping students find success is my favorite thing,” said Vargas. “Especially when they thought college was out of reach for them. And seeing them put on that cap and gown is the cherry on top.”

Vargas has been serving students in various capacities for more than 2 decades. She came to TSTC with extensive experience in teaching for both public and private school, and with student services experience from Victoria College and University of Houston-Victoria, both of which she also attended as a student.

“I look forward to growing with the campus,” said Vargas. “I have a great team that inspires, encourages and motivated each other and our students, and TSTC cares not only about their students’ success, but also about their faculty and staff growing. This is what makes TSTC a great place to work.”

Vargas said TSTC overall has won her family over because even her son is part of the TSTC family as a student in Environmental Compliance Technology.

“TSTC is changing lives every day, including ours,” said Vargas. “It’s great to be a part of something big like this and I’m honored that someone, somewhere feels that work I am doing is invaluable and worthy. The Chancellor’s Excellence Award is a validation and great honor.”

Vargas will be honored in May at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Awards dinner and celebration in Austin where, she and the other Chancellor’s Award recipients, will receive their awards.

TSTC in Marshall Hosts Industry Job Fair

(MARSHALL) – More than 160 Texas State Technical College students and alumni met potential employers from throughout Texas and Louisiana on Thursday at its Industry Job Fair.

Students trekked through TSTC in Marshall’s South Building to talk to more than 30 companies looking to fill jobs in cybersecurity, fleet maintenance, education, software development, construction and other career fields.

Andrew McDavid, a recruiter at Ryder in Roanoke, Texas, said he was looking for potential heavy equipment mechanics, route engineers, software developers and electrical lineworkers.

McDavid said the company’s heavy equipment mechanics receive 80 hours of training each year. And, Ryder offers student loan reimbursements.

“Experience is one thing they need to have,” he said. “Our goal is to fill a job in 40 to 45 days.”

Josie Graham, an employment coordinator at Louisiana CAT in Reserve, Louisiana, said the company was in need of diesel technicians. She said TSTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program was a good source for the company.

“It’s great when there are colleges like this that offer this kind of program,” Graham said. “Students who grew up working on equipment are good for us.”

Louisiana CAT offers tuition reimbursement and comprehensive on-the-job and computerized training.

“We heavily promote from within,” Graham said.

Students were encouraged to bring resumes and ask company representatives questions.

Jody Liedtke, a TSTC Precision Machining Technology major from Henderson, said Koenig & Bauer sparked his interest. The company specializes in building printing presses.

“If you get hired, they send you to Germany for a year to teach you how to run the machinery and learn the language,” he said.

Some students were interviewed after the event by AEP (American Electric Power), said Hannah Luce, a TSTC Career Services coordinator.

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

TSTC in Marshall Hosts Industry Job Fair

 

Houston Company Representatives Visit TSTC’s EPC Program

(ABILENE) – Representatives of a Houston company recently spoke to Electrical Power and Controls program students at Texas State Technical College about industry growth and the jobs outlook.

“We want TSTC students because we know that what they’re learning in the class is what we need in the field. We’ve hired students from TSTC before but this new location means more potential talent,” Alan Postiglione, Business Development Manager for Absolute Testing said.

Founded in 2008, Absolute Testing Services, Inc. has grown from having five technicians to an organization that serves customers internationally. One of the first five technicians was TSTC alumnus Blake Forester.Forester graduated in 2003 from TSTC in Waco with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Instrumentation Technology.

“Absolute drew me in because I would get the chance to start with a company from the ground up,” Forester said. “Since then, it’s been the people who are amazing and that they keep us busy with all different types of work that make me happy to be here.

He is not the only TSTC alumni recruited by Absolute. Cody Lindsey graduated from TSTC in Waco’s Electrical Power and Controls program in 2014 and started working for Absolute.

“You’re never treated like a number. (Absolute) is very family oriented and gives you the chance to learn and grow,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey says if there was any advice he could offer this class of graduates, it was to never be afraid to ask questions and find a company that aligns with your personal goals.

TSTC opened the Industrial Technology Center in Abilene last fall  with new programs in Electrical Power and Controls, Instrumentation Technology and Welding.

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

Houston Company Representatives Visit TSTCs EPC Program

Representatives from Absolute Testing Services, Inc. spoke with TSTC in Abilene Electrical Power and Controls students about career opportunities. 

TSTC Awards Farm City Week Scholarships

(MARSHALL) – Texas State Technical College continued its longtime support for the recent Harrison County Farm City Week by awarding two scholarships to the event’s Agricultural Mechanics winners.

Jett Smallwood received a $1,000 scholarship for being named the contest’s Grand Champion, and Dalton Adams received a $500 scholarship for being named Reserve Grand Champion. The two Waskom High School students can use the scholarships if they attend TSTC.

“I think it is really good for TSTC because they are supporting potentially what could be their future students,” said Darrin Peeples, president of the Harrison County Agri-Business Association. “It gives TSTC a chance to support good kids who are good at what they do and encourage them to be future TSTC students.”

The county’s 57-year-old Farm City Week is a celebration of students’ work creating agriculture projects and raising animals. Students can take part if they are at least 9 years old or in third grade, whichever comes first.

The event generated $359,000 in sales this year, with much of the money going back to the student participants and scholarships, said Wayne Dillon, TSTC’s facilities director and a member of the association’s board of directors.

“The smallest project is about four months,” Dillon said. “Most of them are six months to a year if they raise and train the animals and feed them right and keep them proportional. A lot of these projects the kids start in the ag shop after the school year starts.”

For more information on Harrison County Farm City Week, go to farmcityweek.org.

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

TSTC Awards Farm City Week Scholarships

Georgetown Company Donates Equipment to TSTC

(HUTTO)  – Texas State Technical College recently received an in-kind equipment donation from a Georgetown company.

Trendsetter Electronics gave capacitors valued at more than $19,800 to the Williamson County campus in Hutto. Capacitors are two-terminal electrical components that store energy used in circuits.

“You have a great school, and it is our honor to be a small part of enriching the lives of TSTC students and our community,” said Lori Rutterford, the company’s data integrity manager.

Michael Smith, an associate field development officer for The TSTC Foundation, said the equipment can be used in programs that deal with electricity, like Biomedical Equipment Technology, Instrumentation Technology, and Electrical Power and Controls.

“They have been a great partner, and you will see a lot of developments out of Georgetown,” Smith said.

Trendsetter Electronics previously donated electronic components in 2018 to TSTC. The company distributes active, electro-mechanical, interconnect and passive electronic parts for the oil and gas industry and the instrumentation field.

“TSTC is proud to count on industry to hire our students and advise our curriculum,” said TSTC in Williamson County Provost Edgar Padilla. “Many of these partners also go above and beyond in supporting our mission and donate equipment, scholarship funds and other in-kind gifts to ensure that our mission of training Texans is successful. It’s a testament to TSTC’s reputation among our industry partners, and we’re very appreciative of the recent donation from Trendsetter.”

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

Student Success Profile – Mariela Ramirez

(HARLINGEN) – Mariela Ramirez, 20, is pursuing an associate degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics at Texas State Technical College.

The Harlingen native maintains an impressive 3.9 grade-point average while working as a mentor with the TSTC Office of Student Success.Mariela Ramirez

What are your plans after graduation?

This month I will begin an internship with Garver, an engineering, planning, architectural and environmental services firm, in Harlingen and hopefully if all goes well I will be hired at the end of my internship and gain employment immediately upon graduating.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become an architectural engineer or civil engineer. I’ve always had a fascination on how things work and are built so I hope to continue this curiosity by also pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment is my GPA. I’ve been listed on the Chancellor’s Honor Roll and the Vice Chancellor’s Honor Roll for my grades. It’s been a great honor.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that it takes a lot of hard work and determination to find success. Success isn’t handed over on a silver platter and opportunity doesn’t seek you; you seek opportunity.

Who at TSTC has had the greatest influence on your success?

My supervisors Jennifer Porras, pre-technology advisor, and Norma Salazar, director of instructional tutoring, have had the greatest influence on my success. They are the best motivators and are always pushing us to be the best self we can be for those we mentor.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to never give up; keep going. School is not a race and can be done at a person’s own pace. What matters is that you finish. There’s no exact time frame.

TSTC welding grad celebrates a fiery career choice

(HARLINGEN) – Yordan Rueda has gone from confused young man undecided about his future to successful business owner – all in a matter of three years.

The 24-year-old graduated from TSTC Welding Technology with a certificate in 2016.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do. I didn’t even have a prior interest in welding,” he said. “But after speaking with some TSTC advisors and doing some research I found that welders were in demand and making great money.”

Rueda enrolled in Welding Technology for the opportunities he knew lay ahead and said he is blessed to have found TSTC, because the college helped him find his way.

“The hands-on training and the program’s experienced instructors are what sold me,” said Rueda. “By the time graduation rolled around I had experience and I felt prepared and confident to enter the workforce.”TSTC Welding Tech Alum Yordan Rueda

The Harlingen native worked with a metal structural construction company as a welder the year after he graduated, but then he joined forces with his best friend and opened up R&Z Welding in Dallas.

“This was a scary move. I was making good money already and I left it all behind to become a business owner,” he said. “I knew it would be a challenge, but also knew that the reward could be worthwhile.”

The first year in business was tough for Rueda, it wasn’t until the end of that year that the company landed its first contract.

“There wasn’t a lot of welding going on that first year,” said Rueda. “But because I was able to save and didn’t have any student loan debt I wasn’t too worried, I just worked hard at making sure our business would be successful.”

A welding certificate at TSTC costs about $12,300, an amount that Rueda said was affordable and he was able to pay with earnings from his night job as a cashier at a local convenience store.

Fast forward a couple of years and R&Z Welding is now making about half a million dollars a year and working with large contractors such as Ranchers Group of Companies, LLC, welding steel structures for the construction of Hilton Hotels and Resorts.

Rueda and his friend are now booked through next year for jobs in Dallas, Iowa, New Mexico, among other states.

“None of this would have been possible without the support and care from my TSTC instructors and the training they provide,” said Rueda. “I’m so accomplished at such a young age. There’s some pride in that.”

TSTC Welding Technology graduates can find careers as welding, soldering and brazing machine setters, cutters and pipefitters.

Upon graduating, TSTC students can make more than $40,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But for Rueda the return of investment on his education has tripled.

“I owe so much to TSTC and the moment that our business expands and we begin hiring welders I plan on giving back and hiring TSTC grads,” said Rueda. “I know the quality of training they receive and I’d be proud to have them working for us.”

All 10 TSTC campuses statewide offer Welding Technology.

For more information, visit tstc.edu/programs/WeldingTechnology.

TSTC helps alum fulfill childhood dream

(HARLINGEN) – Ivette Cruz started her journey at Texas State Technical College as a biology major with the dream of becoming a nurse. And while it’s been a long road for the single mother, t she can finally call herself a licensed vocational nurse.

“Aside from the program being demanding, I had the challenge of also being a present mother,” said the 26-year-old. “But I was blessed because I had a support system like none other.”

The New York native, who moved to the Rio Grande Valley her senior year in high school, graduated from TSTC’s vocational nursing program in December 2018 with a certificate and honors.Ivette Cruz TSTC VN Alum

She maintained a 3.8 grade-point average while at TSTC making her valedictorian of her graduating nursing class, and earning her a membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

“None of this success would have been possible without my family and boyfriend,” she said. “My sister moved in with me to help me with my son. She was pretty much his mother during this time.”

And although she said she missed some special moments with her six-year-old, everything she is doing is a childhood dream come true and a chance to give him a better life.

“When we were kids my sister had her gallbladder surgery I remember how attentive and caring all of the nurses were. They were patient advocates and I loved that. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a nurse.”

So becoming a licensed vocational nurse is not the end for Cruz.

And although she has received numerous job offers from hospitals and clinics, even before graduating, she has made the personal decision to not work in preparation for the Fall Semester when she expects to begin TSTC’s Registered Nursing program.

“This is something I need to do,” she said. “I’m ready, my son is ready and my family is ready for me to finally become a registered nurse.”

Cruz said as a registered nurse there will be more job opportunities for her and better pay.

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics licensed vocational nurses average about $45,000 a year, while registered nurses double that amount.

This makes the return of investment for Cruz, and for others like her, significant and well worth the time and financial investment.

“Many encouraged me to go to a four-year university, but I knew TSTC was the place for me,” she said. “I would be receiving the same, if not better, training and be in line for the same jobs as anyone who had a bachelor’s degree.   “Plus, TSTC’s training is top-notch and recognized throughout the medical industry. Why would I want to go anywhere else?”

Cruz did have to take out some student loans, but primarily because working during the program was not an option for her, but she said she is not worried because she knows once she starts working she’ll be able to pay them off without a problem.

“I did what I had to do to support my son, but everything is going to be worth it,” she said. “I have no doubt that this next year will be another challenge, but I’m ready because TSTC is helping me make all of my dreams come true.”

TSTC Vocational Nursing has a 100 percent job placement rate or continuing to registered nursing school, and has a 96.9 percent National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate.

The program is enrolling now through May 17.

For more information, call 956-364-4762 or visit tstc.edu/programs/nursing.

TSTC Aircraft Pilot Students in Demand to Fill Jobs

(WACO) – Students in the Aircraft Pilot Training Technology program at Texas State Technical College are seeing an array of job options once they graduate.

“There aren’t enough pilots being trained to meet the need,” said Trey Cade, director of Baylor University’s Institute for Air Science, which partners with TSTC in pilot training. “Airlines need to be flying more routes and need more airplanes.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for airline and commercial pilots are expected to increase by 4 percent through 2026.

“The demand is everywhere, specifically at the regional level. Everyone is fighting each other for the ability to get you, the pilot, to come to one of us,” said Marie Didonna, a cadet manager for Envoy Air Inc. “It’s kind of like the buyer’s market for housing; it’s the pilot’s market for a job.”

Although traditionally a male-dominated field, the aviation industry is seeing an increase in female pilots.

“Our female cadet numbers are going up,” Didonna said. “Those interests are really taking off, and it’s easier to spread the word when you can say, ‘Look, these are female pilots.’”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s 2018 Active Civil Airmen Statistics report, there were more than 46,400 female pilots in 2018 compared to around 39,600 in 2013.

“It’s great to see a little girl look up at you and say, ‘That’s amazing; I didn’t know I could be a pilot,’” Didonna said.

TSTC’s Aircraft Pilot Training Technology students take classes and do all flight training at the campus airport. Baylor students do coursework at their home campus and flight training at TSTC.

“I would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is seriously interested in becoming a pilot,” said Noelle Smith, an Aviation Sciences major at Baylor from Fort Worth doing pilot training at TSTC. “They get you in the plane first semester. You’re immersed in it to make sure you like it.”

Aviation students from both institutions are given helpful perks to help jump-start their careers. TSTC offers a Part 141 training program that enables Baylor graduates to receive a 500-hour reduction from the required 1,500 flight training hours. TSTC students who graduate with an associate degree receive a 250-hour reduction.

“The 141 program here at TSTC is very professional,” said Andrew Dolan, a TSTC flight instructor and Baylor aviation alumnus. “You really get the good training you need here to excel and advance further in the industry.”

The annual mean wage for commercial pilots in Texas as of May 2017 was more than $105,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

TSTC has the largest airport in the United States operated by an educational institution and includes a dual runway operational control tower.

“I like how it [the program] is structured,” said Alejandro Ledesma, a TSTC Aircraft Pilot Training Technology major from Dallas. “They don’t just make pilots, they make quality pilots. I’m not trying to be another average pilot.”

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

TSTC in Waco Hosts Industry Job Fair

(WACO) – More than 860 Texas State Technical College students met potential employers from throughout the nation and Texas on Thursday at its Industry Job Fair.

Students were lining up to register about a half hour before the 9 a.m. start of the event at the Murray Watson Jr. Student Recreation Center. Inside, students were treated to more than 100 companies looking to fill jobs for diesel equipment mechanics, industrial maintenance workers, instrumentation employees, electricians, plumbers and welders.

Galaxy Builders Ltd. in San Antonio has hired six TSTC graduates in recent years, said Ramiro Contreras, the company’s executive vice president.

“I have had really good success,” he said.

Contreras said he was searching for potential assistant project managers.

“There’s a misconception that everyone swings a hammer,” he said.

Boeing attended its first campus Industry Job Fair, with representatives seeking aviation mechanics, industrial maintenance workers and electrical employees.

“We really like how we are getting students that are matched to what we are looking for,” said Chris Rustik, a Boeing equipment maintenance manager. “The students are eager to find out information, so we appreciate that.”

Some TSTC alumni returned to campus to job recruit.

Joseph Jacobs, a support services manager for the Waco Independent School District, graduated in 2000 from TSTC with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Networking and Systems Administration.

He said the school district, one of Waco’s largest employers, looks for more than teachers. Jacobs said computer networking is one of the fields that workers are sought for.

Students asked questions, clutched company brochures and handed out resumes to business representatives.

Cesar Vazquez, 19, of Red Oak is studying in the Diesel Equipment Technology program. He talked to a few companies and felt good about his job prospects.

“I’m here to get a job in the diesel industry because I like working on diesels and I have since I was a little boy,” Vazquez said. “My first truck was a diesel, and I just like working on them.”

Tanner Whitsel, 19, of Giddings is also studying in the Diesel Equipment Technology program.

“I’m here to get a job close to home,” he said. “The Industry Job Fair is important because it has a lot of jobs you may not see that are closer to home than you think.”

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