(MARSHALL) – Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program in Marshall will offer its first night classes starting this fall.

“The goal of this is to try and help those who are working during the day to have an option for taking classes in the evening and to try to grow the PMT program in Marshall,” said Daniel Nixon, a TSTC program instructor. “I am looking forward to being able to serve our students during the evening hours.”

Kelly Overby, business retention and expansion director at the Longview Economic

Development Corporation, applauded the night classes.

“We have an under-employed workforce, and not very many people can afford to just not work and go to school,” she said. “For TSTC to make the decision to offer the classes at night gives the affordability so people can work a full-time job and go to school at night to get their skills higher up and make more money.”

There are more than 1,500 computer numerically controlled machine tool programmers for metals and plastics in Texas, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers are concentrated in the Dallas-Fort Worth and The Woodlands-Houston-Sugar Land areas. The annual mean wage is more than $58,000, according to the agency.

Faye Pettigrew, human resources director at Tyler Pipe and Coupling, said the company uses job search engines to fill available positions.

“The need is there,” she said. “A skilled trade alone, whether it is CNC (computer numerically controlled), electrical or millwright individuals, is extremely hard to fill.”

TSTC in Marshall’s program will continue to offer day classes. The program offers a machining certificate and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology.

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

 

(MARSHALL) – Students enrolling this fall in the Electrical Lineworker Technology program at Texas State Technical College will have the opportunity to take commercial driver’s license lessons.

Students will first need to get a commercial learner’s permit before the end of their second semester, said Eric Carithers, TSTC’s statewide chair for the Electrical Lineworker Technology program.

“The students are required to have their permit and also a copy of their driving record,” he said. “They need a driving record for every state they have lived in the last seven years. They also need to undergo a drug screening.”

Students will take a new commercial driving course through the Texas Workforce Commission in the third semester of the associate degree program. The first group of students will start learning how to drive in summer 2020, Carithers said. The class is backed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which regulates all registered commercial motor vehicles for interstate freight, passenger and hazardous materials transportation. .

“It cuts down on the costs for the employer and makes the student more sellable,” Carithers said.

Representatives of area electric providers said the new course is vital for job candidates.

“As an electric utility, it’s imperative for us to have employees with a CDL,” said Bryan Blanton, a distribution system manager at Southwestern Electric Power Co. in Longview and chair of TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker Technology advisory board. “It will be a huge success when graduates come out of TSTC’s linemen program already having their CDL.”

Kathy Wood, general manager of the Panola-Harrison Electric Cooperative (PHEC) in Marshall, said it is a challenge to finding job candidates who already have commercial driver’s licenses.

“TSTC including the CDL with its Electrical Lineworker program is very beneficial,” Wood said. “It will save PHEC the cost of driving the employee to the testing site for testing. It will also benefit the applicant because the CDL makes the applicant more valuable to the cooperative.”

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

(MARSHALL) – Students in Texas State Technical College’s Troubleshooting Distribution Systems class were doing hands-on learning before the sun rose Thursday.

The third semester students in the Electrical Lineworker Technology program experienced their first in-the-dark emergency simulation lab at the Marshall campus campus’ pole yard behind the South Building.

“It went really good,” said Stephen Woods, an instructor in TSTC’s Electrical Lineworker

Technology program. “They learned about what happens in the middle of the night. There were real-world situations they got to get in.”

The students spent the night on campus and were awakened at 2 a.m. for a simulated emergency call. When they arrived at the pole yard, they found it “damaged” by a hypothetical storm. The students broke into two teams to fix problems that included a broken power pole, downed power lines and other issues.

The students adapted to their first work in the dark by using their own light sources.

“In the dark, things get slowed down quite a bit,” said Dalton Simmons, a TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology major from Henderson. “You are working with a flashlight. In this humidity, your glasses fog up.”

Lee Russell, a TSTC Electrical Lineworker Technology student from Tyler, said he learned about safety while adjusting to the dark.

“It was fun learning something new,” he said. “Everyone remained calm and got the job done.”

The hands-on lab was a teaching lesson for faculty also.

“We see a lot of areas we need to cover better to help them out,” Woods said. “In the end, it makes our program better.”

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

(MARSHALL) – Two employees at Texas State Technical College in Marshall have been honored for their work and skills.

Neal Andrews, an electrician, and Amy Hertel, a Cyber Security instructor, have received TSTC’s Chancellor’s Excellence Awards.

“We’re incredibly proud of both Amy and Neal,” said TSTC Provost Barton Day. “Both of these great teammates model TSTC’s core values daily and are a joy to serve with.”

The Chancellor’s Excellence Award began in 2001 and has been given to more than 300 TSTC employees statewide. Recipients are nominated by their peers for their work toward advancing the technical college’s mission.

“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.”  

Andrews joined TSTC in 2018 and said he was surprised by the recognition. He said a key to being a good co-worker is to be agreeable.

“I had to have someone explain it to me,” he said of the award. “I am the only electrician on campus.”

He said TSTC is the first place where he has not had to wear a hard hat or do shift work.

Andrews grew up in Kilgore and said he considered becoming an industrial arts teacher. But, while in college, he applied for an internship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and stayed in the profession.

Andrews is also a member of the Union Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees in Gilmer.

Hertel said her email notification about the award was an unexpected surprise.

“I think I stared at the email a good 10 minutes before processing it,” she said.

She began teaching Cyber Security classes at TSTC in 2014.

“I know exactly why I’m here,” Hertel said. “I like to get a student in the program and see them grow. I’ve seen them get confidence and get out of their shell. I work with them on their resumes and prepare them for interviews.”

Hertel grew up in Winnsboro and said she wanted to teach since her childhood days of lining up to give lessons to her stuffed animals. She received her first computer when she was 4. While growing up, she learned about computer parts and software upgrades from a relative who worked at Texas Instruments.

Hertel studied computer science at Northeast Texas Community College and computer information systems at The University of Texas at Tyler. She has CompTIA certifications in A+, Network+ and Security+ and an AccessData certification in Computer Forensics.

Andrews and Hertel will join 33 other TSTC employees statewide who will be honored at the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development’s Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration in May in Austin.

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

 

(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.

 

(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.

(MARSHALL) – Three Longview companies are utilizing Texas State Technical College for training employees in new technical skills.

Komatsu Mining Corp., Stemco and Westlake Chemical Corp. have scheduled training on-site and at TSTC’s Marshall campus in recent weeks.

“We are now approaching businesses to assist them in identifying training gaps and coming up with recommendations to close such gaps,” said Dirk D. Hughes, executive director of TSTC Workforce Training. “Then, and only then, will we talk to the company about how to fund the training through grants and/or cash.”

Thirteen employees at Stemco, which produces bearings, hubcaps, seals and other products for the heavy- and medium-duty trailer and truck industry, will take computer software classes at the end of March and a class in measurements and tools in April. The classes are conducted through a Texas Workforce Development grant.

“We looked at the company needs and worked with TSTC to see what courses they had available and would work best with our colleagues,” said Amanda Tarbet, a human resources business partner at Stemco.

About 140 Stemco employees have already completed five courses in leadership, manufacturing and other topics through TSTC in 2018 and 2019, Tarbet said. Tarbet credited Stemco’s plant manager William Leadaman as being instrumental in getting the training for employees.

“I think it is helping our colleagues to open their eyes on furthering their education as well,” Tarbet said. “We have a few colleagues that are actually registered with TSTC. We have a tuition reimbursement program.”

Four employees at Westlake Chemical recently took a three-day course in motor controls.

Eight Komatsu employees are taking two inventory management classes this month at the company.

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

(MARSHALL) – Supervisors at the Sabine Mining Co. in Hallsville see little turnover in its mobile equipment department.

The more than 40 employees, some being graduates of Texas State Technical College, work on bulldozers, forklifts, hydraulic cranes and other heavy equipment for mining operations. The company currently has one full-time diesel equipment mechanic opening.

Matt Hampton, the company’s mobile equipment department maintenance manager, said finding the right employees is a challenge. Hampton said the company looks for employees through online job sites and career fairs. He said the two biggest qualities sought in job candidates are aptitude and attitude.

Hampton said the company uses TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology students as paid interns, and many are hired after graduation.

“We like having the interns around,” Hampton said. “It gives them a chance to do a year to two-year interview. If the timing is right and the person is right, we will hire them.”

The number of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists in East Texas is projected to grow to more than 1,000 up to 2026, according to the Texas Workforce Commission’s Labor Market and Career Information Department.

Hannah Luce, a campus coordinator for TSTC Career Services, said internships are important because students get work experience as they attend classes. And, she said companies are seeking TSTC’s graduates.

“Our Diesel Equipment Technology instructors know the importance of hands-on learning and expose the students to many different projects in the shop to help them be prepared when they graduate,” Luce said.

Some of the projects students work on come from residents who own diesel equipment. Michael Sanders, a TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology instructor, said the labor is free to residents but they have to purchase needed parts. And, they need to be patient.

“They cannot rush us because we teach as we are doing the job,” Sanders said.

Sanders said the experiences the students have can take them wherever they want to work.

“It is up to the student if they want to do well and it is hard on them, but that is the way life is nowadays,” he said. “Most of our students that graduate go into the mechanic profession. I have them working in Midland. I have had some in Kilgore. I have some working in Longview. We do a lot of interning with companies out there.”

TSTC in Marshall’s Diesel Equipment Technology program has more than 60 students this semester studying for certificates or specialized associate degrees.

TSTC also offers Diesel Equipment Technology on the Fort Bend County, North Texas, Sweetwater and Waco campuses.

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

(MARSHALL) – More than 60 graduates received certificates and associate degrees at Texas State Technical College in Marshall’s Fall 2018 Commencement held Friday, Dec. 7, at the Marshall Convention Center.

Students from different backgrounds and all walks of life gathered to celebrate their accomplishments with family and loved ones. Associate Provost Nathan Cleveland always takes a minute to appreciate the success of his students.

“This is why I got involved in education,” Cleveland said. “To watch our students, who range from the first member in a family to attend a postsecondary education institute to a second- or third-generation student, succeed, inspire others and thank their support systems — it’s what it’s all about.”

Several of Friday’s graduates boasted academic honors, including five Board of Regents recipients. Board of Regents recipients must complete their degree program with a 4.0 GPA.

Tyra Levine of Beaumont was displaced after Hurricane Harvey destroyed her home. She relocated to Marshall to live near her family and decided to complete her education. Working two jobs to support her family while battling health issues, Levine still maintained a 4.0 GPA to graduate with her Associate of Applied Science degree in Process Operations.   

“I just made sure I was at class every day and I was in contact with my teachers whenever I needed help or had questions,” Levine said. “My whole experience really has been a testimony, and I am so thankful to be here.”

Several graduates are leaving with jobs already lined up, while others are still considering their options.

Zachary Garner of Forney was a Phi Theta Kappa graduate who received his third degree from TSTC. Garner earned associate degrees in Cyber Security and Network Administration, then changed course to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Diesel Equipment Technology.

“It took me a minute to figure out what I wanted. But I love working with my hands, and I’m really excited with my options,” Garner said. “I’ve interviewed with a couple companies in the area, and things are looking good.”

The evening was two times as special for the parents of brothers Calvin and Quenton Rowe. The brothers both earned certificates of completion in Structural Welding.

“It was awesome to see them accomplish these goals they set for themselves and their focus to get it done,” Latarsha Rowe, mom, said. “I am just immensely proud.”

For Shaquilyn Peoples, a Precision Machining Technology graduate, today was the validation she had been working toward.

“As a girl in PMT, it can be intimidating, but it feels so good to say I did it and that I get to do something different,” Peoples said. “I hope I can encourage other girls to get involved.

This was the 69th commencement ceremony for TSTC in Marshall.

For more information, visit  www.tstc.edu.