(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College in partnership with a Manufacturing Consortium, including PRISM Plastics Inc., a plastics injection molding service, and Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc., an abrasives manufacturing company, recently received a $197,253 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC).

“Because of this training we have seen an increase in productivity because of an increase of skills,” said PRISM Plastics Inc. Human Resources Director Rosie Hernandez. “We thank TSTC, TWC for everything they have done and for our continued partnership.”

With this grant, TSTC has been able to provide custom training to more than 100 employees from PRISM Plastics Inc. in Harlingen and Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. in Brownsville.

Training has consisted of industry-related topics such as programmable logic controls, hazardous materials and motor theory.

“This is great news for our employees,” said Saint-Gobain Abrasives Inc. Human Resources Director Kip Patterson. “With continual changes in industry and technology moving forward it takes a higher skill set to operate our machines, so being able to train our employees and keep them up to speed is amazing.”

Employees that benefit from this skills development fund grant include industrial engineers, computer numerical control (CNC) operators, mechanical drafters and electronics repair and waste technicians.

TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Julian Alvarez presented the check to TSTC. He represents nearly 13.9 million working Texans and said it is institutions like TSTC that are working together to make the Texas workforce stronger.

“The unemployment rate in Texas is dropping because of places like TSTC,” said Alvarez. “It is this type of training that allows us to talk about careers, not only jobs.”

Alvarez added that this particular grant has a $274,000 economic impact and upon completion of the training, the workers will receive no less than an average hourly rate of $16.76.

Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell congratulated TSTC, TSTC Regent Alex Meade, who was at the event representing the college’s Board of Regents, and the TWC on the work they do to provide first-class training to companies and their employees across the Rio Grande Valley.

“There is an increased need for trained skilled workers and this partnership allows me to tell incoming industries that they have the resources they need close by at TSTC, and that it is this training that is opening economic doors in the Rio Grande Valley across the state,” said Boswell.

TSTC Senior Executive Director of Workforce Development Loree Scott thanked her team and industry partners for making this grant a huge success.

“My team deserves to be recognized for all of the hard work that goes into making this grant possible and developing the customized training that is required,” said Scott. “And thank you to the companies that trust us with their training and for the ongoing partnerships.”

For more information on the services offered by TSTC’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education, call 956-364-4567.

(HARLINGEN) – For the first time, every Texas State Technical College Auto Collision and Management Technology student in Harlingen that applied for a scholarship or tool grant from the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Education Foundation and 3M were selected as recipients.

A total of four Auto Collision and Management Technology students received a Sears Vo-Tech Tool Grant, a 3M Hire Our Heroes Tool Grant or a Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Foundation scholarship.  

“These scholarships and grants are awarded every year and we encourage as many of our students who are interested to apply,” said Joseph Cantu, TSTC auto collision and management instructor. “And this year’s selection is especially exciting for us because everyone who applied received something.”

Auto collision and management student Adrian Escamilla was awarded a $5,000 scholarship to be used for tuition, room and board, b

ooks, tools or safety equipment, made possible by the Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Foundation which supports the I-CAR Collision Repair Education Foundation.

“I applied about three months ago and since I hadn’t heard anything I had written off the scholarship,” said Escamilla. “So I was totally shocked to learn that I had been awarded the money.”

Escamilla said this is not only a load off of his shoulders, but also his mother’s, who helps him pay for college, since he has to pay out of pocket.

“This money is a big help for my mom and I and a step toward making my dreams come true,” said Escamilla.

Once Escamilla graduates with his associate degree next semester, he said he wants to work to gain experience and eventually open his own body shop.

Christopher Valdez, a United States Army veteran, received a 3M Hire Our Heroes Tool Grant valued at $4,500 and focused on helping veterans who are interested in pursuing a new career in the auto body industry.

He will receive an initial $1,500 in tools as a student and the additional $3,000 after he graduates this summer with his certificate and finds employment in the industry.

“These awards were not expected; it’s exciting news to get the help I need to purchase the tools that are required if I want to be successful,” said Valdez.

The husband and father of two served in the Army for 15 years and completed four tours in Iraq. When he was medically discharged in February 2017, he enrolled at TSTC to work at realizing his dream of owning a golf cart business.

“As a soldier for so long it’s hard returning to civilian life, but TSTC and its instructors have been so supportive and motivating,” said Valdez. “And now these grants are a good sign for my future and a financial relief for my family and me.”

3M Sales Representative for South Texas Fernando de la Garza also presented Valdez with a flag designed by Chip Foose, American automobile designer and star of the reality television series ‘Overhaulin’.

A Sears Vo-Tech Tool Grant for a Sears tool kit valued at $150 was also awarded to Escamilla and Valdez, in addition to Daniel Gaitan and Benjamin Soto.

All men agree that they are thankful and owe a lot to the I-CAR Education Foundation, 3M, PPG and Sears for selecting them for scholarships and grants that will make a difference in their education and careers.

For more information on Auto Collision and Management Technology in Harlingen and Waco, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – The Texas State Technical College nursing division in Harlingen is celebrating its second consecutive 100 percent national exam pass rate for its vocational nursing program, a mark of distinction for the department that is working to relieve a shortage of nurses in the Rio Grande Valley and across the state.

“We hold all of our students to a high standard,” said Heather Sauceda, TSTC vocational nursing program director. “Here at TSTC we produce skilled, competent and compassionate nurses who we can trust in the field to fill the gap in patient care.”

For a vocational nursing graduate to become licensed as an LVN, he or she must first pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which gives them the right to practice nursing in the state.

Last year, to give its vocational nursing graduates and current LVN licensees more opportunity and because nurses are in high demand, TSTC introduced an Associate of Applied Science licensed vocational nursing (LVN) to registered nursing (RN) transition degree.

According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies of the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas will see continued demand for registered nurses through 2030.

Additionally, Texas is the highest employer of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among the contributing factors to the rising need for nurses are an increase in demand for health care services, an aging population, an increase of chronic disease, new patient-centered medical homes and health centers, and nursing personnel who are nearing retirement.

Harlingen Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Amy Flores oversees more than 200 nurses, with a large of number of them, she says, retiring within the next five to 10 years.

“The future is bright for nursing right now. We’re going to be scrambling to find enough (nurses) soon,” she said. “And it’s important now, more than ever, that we have more colleges and qualified staff to train new nurses.”

Jean Lashbrook, TSTC’s statewide nursing division director, said that the approval in 2017 for a new registered nursing program at TSTC’s Harlingen campus has allowed them to train more students pursuing the field.

“We started with a cohort of 30 students in Fall 2017, but after three years we plan on increasing the number of students accepted, along with increasing faculty,” she said.

The first cohort will be graduating this summer.

Lashbrook also added that the registered nursing program at TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses in West Texas is increasing its number of students and graduates.

“In West Texas we’re increasing our numbers by branching out in local communities for clinical experience for students, which gives our program more visibility in the surrounding area,” said Lashbrook.

Vocational and registered nursing students at TSTC have the opportunity to learn and practice simulation exercises in state-of-the-art labs.

“The training we provide allows our students to practice real-world scenarios they will encounter,” said Sauceda. “This helps reduce their anxiety, which in turn allows them to provide the best patient care possible.”

Flores, who has worked with TSTC nursing students completing their clinical hours, has found their skills to be above average.

“They are professional, prepared for clinicals and have good instructors that monitor their progress,” Flores said. “We have found in the past with other programs that students did not come with all the necessary skills and had to be followed closely,” she said.

TSTC’s objective and focus is to produce highly skilled nurses who are compassionate, committed to their career, can think critically, multitask and have good time management, which is the type of nurses that Harlingen Medical Center and many others across the state are looking for.

“Acuity (intensity of care required by a patient) in hospitals has been rising rapidly due to an average decline in length of stay because of new technology that allows rapid assessment, treatment and discharge,” said Flores. “Hospitals are now also becoming large intensive care units, with cardiac monitoring, respiratory assistance and intense treatment, so skilled and specialized nurses are in great demand.”

Hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley have licensed vocational nursing and registered nursing positions posted on their websites. Harlingen Medical Center and Valley Baptist Health System in Cameron County have nearly 80 available positions combined, while Doctors Hospital at Renaissance and South Texas Health System in Hidalgo County, combined, have more than 100.

“There is no lack of positions in our field,” said Sauceda. “And our goal is not only to prepare our students for a career in nursing, but also to get them ready to take their education a step further.”

Sauceda added that the TSTC nursing division team has also been visiting local high schools to plant the seeds of a career in healthcare early.

“These teens and young adults are the people who will be taking care of us all someday,” she said. “It’s our job to encourage them, and because of the demand, there will be many doors of opportunity open to help them climb the ladder.”

TSTC’s Breckenridge and Sweetwater campuses also offer a certificate in vocational nursing or an associate degree in nursing.

For more information on TSTC’s nursing programs or about upcoming information sessions, call 956-364-4762.

(HARLINGEN) – Ruben Rodriguez, a Harlingen native, is the newly elected Student Government Association treasurer at Texas State Technical College.

The 19-year-old is studying his academic core and expects to finish in Spring 2020. He is a recent graduate of the TSTC Student Leadership Academy, volunteers across the community and around campus, and is working toward growing the TSTC discount program, which provides TSTC students with discounts at local restaurants and shops.

What are your plans after graduation?

As soon as I complete my academic core at TSTC, I plan on transferring to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become a U.S. Border Patrol agent and when I retire become a state trooper.

What has been your greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment at TSTC so far has been becoming treasurer of the SGA. I was unsure about trying for the position, but with the great leadership from Student Life and my friends, I was encouraged to do it, and it has been the best experience.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

The greatest lesson I have learned is that anything worth having is not easy. It requires hard work, sacrifice, and trial and error, but in the end it’s all worth it.

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

The people who have influenced my success the most are my supervisors: Executive Director of Student Life Adele Clinton, Student Life coordinators Belinda Palomino and Larissa Moreno, and my fellow SGA officers. They are my advisors, motivation and support and always help me push forward.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice for future TSTC students is to remember that college is what you make of it. It can be hard or easy, fun or boring, but when you make the best out of any situation, your experience is bound to be great. Work hard, reach for your goals and have fun.

(HARLINGEN) – Texas State Technical College Wind Energy Technology alumni Eric Ramirez and Rene Lopez normally spend their days working the wind turbines at Duke Energy in Lyford, but on Thursday they were found working the barbeque grills at the Harlingen Boys and Girls Club.

“I used to spend my summers playing video games and basketball at my hometown Boys and Girls Club in Raymondville,” Ramirez reminisced. “It’s a great place for the kids, and I feel it’s my duty to give back to the place where I grew up.”

Lopez added, “It feels great giving back to the community where I was raised. We’re here to help in any way we can, big or small.”

Both men and a team of their colleagues chopped brisket cooked by Harlingen firemen; packaged trimmings of onions, jalapenos and pickles; and put together plates with brisket, rice, beans and bread for the fundraiser, which was hosted by the United Way of Northern Cameron County. Proceeds benefited 14 nonprofit partnerships, including the local Boys and Girls Club.

“We are so excited to have them here and have Duke Energy as a United Way partner,” said Jessica Belschner, United Way executive director. “They are doing a wonderful job.”

Ramirez and Lopez graduated with certificates in Wind Energy Technology in 2012. Both wind energy technicians have worked with Duke for nearly four years.

The men have had several opportunities to volunteer in the communities where they grew up since graduating from TSTC and joining the Duke Energy family.

“Without TSTC I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Lopez, a Sebastian native. “Studying wind energy was never the plan, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did.”

Lopez said that initially he was at TSTC only to finish his basics while he worked at a local roofing company, but when he was introduced to the wind energy program, he was compelled to enroll in it.

“TSTC gave me the opportunity to learn and try new things and to kick-start my career,” said Lopez. “I haven’t been without a good-paying job since then.”

Lopez also holds a Federal Aviation Administration license to be a drone pilot for Duke Energy. He has already assisted in many projects, including hurricane relief efforts in Florida after Hurricane Irma.

As for Ramirez, TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology was a career change and a second chance at a better life.

Ramirez said he worked for many years in trucking, and when he began to see wind farms pop up across the Valley, he knew that was where he was supposed to be.

Immediately after graduating, Ramirez worked for a year and a half with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Sarita before making the move to Duke Energy.

“TSTC was a great experience for me. It provided me with the foundation I needed to enter a field with many job and growth opportunities,” said Ramirez. “It is definitely because of TSTC that I have been able to find great jobs.”

Duke Energy Area Planner for Wind Operations Sotero Regalado is also a TSTC alumnus and is Ramirez and Lopez’s supervisor.

Regalado, who earned his certificate in Wind Energy Technology in 2011, said Ramirez and Lopez are two of the best technicians he has in the field.

“Both men are top-notch. They instill safety in our overall culture at Duke and are great team players,” said Regalado. “There is no doubt that the success they have found with us is because of the training they received at TSTC, (and) their hard work and motivation.”

May is Duke Energy in Action Month for the company, but Regalado said he hopes to continue volunteer efforts throughout the year, especially after seeing how excited Ramirez, Lopez and their team were to help out, and he hopes that they can also mentor or assist other Wind Energy Technology students from TSTC.

For more information on Wind Energy Technology, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – From magnetic slime and rocket launches to robotic race cars, the Texas State Technical College Challenger Learning Center has two weeks of summer fun lined up in June with their first Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Summer Camp.

“We are so excited for this program. It’s a great opportunity for our Valley students,” said Yvette
Mendoza, TSTC College Readiness coordinator. “STEM is a huge focus right now and with this
program we want to help the school districts keep students engaged in STEM fields and learning even during summer break.”

The pilot program begins June 12 for ages six to 14 and is a half-day summer camp that teaches
about astronomy, rocketry and robotics through hands-on experiences and age-appropriate
activities.

There are four different camps specific to age group: Atlantis, ages six and seven; Discovery,
ages eight and nine; Endeavor, ages 10-12; and Challenger, ages 13 and 14.

Atlantis and Discovery will make magnetic slime and launch rockets respectively, and also complete TSTC’s Micronauts program, which offers kindergarten through fourth-grade students the opportunity to learn science through hands-on projects such as experimenting with magnets and microscopes and learning about computer coding and the solar system with TSTC’s planetarium.

Endeavor and Challenger teams will get to complete Challenger space shuttle flight missions and build and race robotic cars.

“Providing hands-on experiences during this program is an important factor for us,” said Rose
Serafin Corley, TSTC College Readiness program advisor. “This is exciting for the children, it
makes their time with us more meaningful and gives them something to take home as a
memento.”

TSTC College Readiness Director Neri Balli said this program is taking TSTC’s Challenger
Learning Center to the next level.

“This program allows us to expand our services into more areas of STEM and increase our
community involvement at our center,” said Balli. “It lets us open up the world of STEM to even
the youngest learners and open their eyes to the opportunities available to them in the field.”

The goal for the TSTC Challenger Learning Center team is to grow this new program into an
annual tradition that is also offered during winter break and spring break, while also showcasing the campus and STEM fields of study offered.

“TSTC and the Challenger Learning Center really do fit together and go hand-in- hand,” said
Balli. “One of NASA’s goals is to get to Mars and it is the students with an interest in STEM-

related fields and those who have trade-related skills, who will have the opportunity to help make this happen.”

Applications for the STEM Summer Camp are already being accepted. The camp fee is $20 and
will include lunch. There are two sessions available per age group, June 12-15 and June 19-22.

The TSTC Challenger Learning Center STEM Summer Camp is also being offered at TSTC’s
Waco campus.

To register your child, to get more information or pick up an application, call 956-364- 4125.

(HARLINGEN) – May 14, 2018 will be a special day for Harlingen native Sebastian Tovar. It will be the day he begins the career he has been working toward since enrolling at Texas State Technical College in 2016.

The 21-year-old just graduated from TSTC with an associate degree in Building Construction Technology and with a job offer from SpawGlass, a Texas-based commercial and civil contractor, as an assistant superintendent in San Antonio.

“Before getting the job offer I felt like every other college student, worried about what was next,” said Tovar. “But when I got the call, there was a big weight lifted off. I was excited, it was everything I had worked for.”

As a former intern with SpawGlass in Harlingen, Tovar credits his new career to SpawGlass Project Manager and his former supervisor Danny Hawkins.  

While an intern, Tovar worked on the Texas Regional Bank construction project, said Hawkins, site supervisor who encouraged Tovar to take on new challenges.

“Sebastian was a hard worker and quick learner,” said Hawkins. “It was impressive on how engaged and willing he was to learn new things. He grew fast in the few months he was with us. There is no doubt he has a bright future with our company. He is a great asset and we miss him here in Harlingen.”

During his internship with SpawGlass t, Tovar went from shadowing project managers and superintendents to leading safety meetings and managing site teams.

“Danny really helped me move out of my comfort zone and challenge myself,” said Tovar. “I really learned a lot from him and in the field. I’m ready for my new adventure. It’s been a long time coming.”

When Tovar graduated from high school in 2015, the Eagle Scout who wanted to serve his country, joined the Army reserves.

After a year of basic training, he enrolled at a south Texas university. For a man who grew up working with his father, who is a welder, at construction sites and enjoys working outside and with his hands, university life was not for him.

“I changed majors a couple of times: music and political science,” said Tovar. “But I didn’t like it. I felt like I didn’t belong. I was only a number, so I dropped out and moved back home.”

Enticed by the opportunity to learn by doing, Tovar enrolled at TSTC.

“My experience at TSTC was so different from that at the university. It was so much better,” he said. “My instructors actually know my name, they care about my success, our success, as students. And nothing tops hands-on training.”

Tovar said TSTC helped him find his purpose in life and gave him the foundation he needed to start a career.

“Everything I learned in the classroom I applied during my internship and I’m positive I’m going to use it all in my new job. TSTC prepares you for the real-world and I’m excited for my future,” he said.

At TSTC, Tovar had the opportunity to also earn a National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Level 1 carpentry, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 and forklift certifications through TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education department.

“These additional certifications not only make me a more knowledgeable employee, but they make me more competitive in an already competitive market,” said Tovar.

When it is all said and done, Tovar said he is glad he is no longer living with regret about dropping out of the university and that he’s been able to make his family and girlfriend Serena Hernandez, who have encouraged and supported him along the way, proud.

“I feel good, I’m ready,” he said. “My stars have aligned and everything has fallen into place and I can’t wait to work with SpawGlass and grow in the industry and with the company.”

Tovar and Hernandez have already made the move to San Antonio.

For more information Building Construction Technology, offered at TSTC’s Waco and Harlingen campuses, visit tstc.edu.

(HARLINGEN) – Maria Lara is pursuing a double major at Texas State Technical College. The 20-year-old expects to graduate with her first associate degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics this Summer 2018 and with her second degree in Spring 2019 from Precision Machining Technology.

The Progresso native recently received an award from TSTC Service Squad for completing more than 40 hours in community service and she graduated from TSTC’s Student Leadership Academy.

Lara is also active on campus as a member of the Pool Sharks, Veteran Students Alliance Club and the Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Club.

What are your plans after graduation?

After I graduate I plan on moving somewhere in North Texas to open a tiny house construction company.

What’s your dream job?

My dream job is to become an architect to design and build houses and commercial buildings. And, I also want to design and create my own jewelry line.

What has been our greatest accomplishment while at TSTC?

My greatest accomplishment has been receiving an award for my community service and being able to help make a difference in our area and in people’s lives.

What greatest lesson have you learned about yourself or life?

I’m a very impatient person and very fast-paced. I want things done or things to go by quickly so I’ve had to learn how to be patient and pick my battles.

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

The person who has had the most influence on my success is Samuel Pizano, Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics instructor. He is great at giving advice, I describe him as a therapist who doesn’t get paid for giving advice. And he always encourages me to do my best and always lends a helping hand.

What is your advice for future TSTC students?

My advice to future students is to jump on the horse and get things done. Just do what you want and make yourself happy.

(HARLINGEN) – More than 400 Texas State Technical College students recently received a certificate or associate degree during TSTC’s commencement ceremonies at the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium. TSTC administration, family and friends all gathered to celebrate this occasion and welcome these graduates into an alumni network that is 100,000 strong.

Pictured left to right: Joziel Briones, Spirit Truck Lines recruiting supervisor and program coordination; Larry Elizondo, Spirit Truck Lines director of safety and recruiting; Cledia Hernandez, TSTC interim provost; and Adan Trevino, TSTC transportation training center coordinator.

(HARLINGEN) – On Wednesday, the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Continuing Education program at Texas State Technical College received a $3,500 donation from Spirit Truck Lines in Pharr to be used for student scholarships. Spirit Truck Lines is one of the local trucking companies that hires TSTC CDL grads. Close to 300 student have already graduated from TSTC’s continuing education program.