(WACO) – More than 700 Texas State Technical College students attended Thursday’s Industry Career Day to learn about careers in instrumentation, welding technology, diesel equipment maintenance and other fields.
The event included companies from throughout Texas and as far away as the U.S. Virgin Islands convening to talk to students who could be future employees.
“The companies are here to talk and hire the students,” said Kacey Darnell, executive director of TSTC’s Career Services/Talent Management in Waco.
In one case, it was students talking to students.
Cody Smith, 19, of Graham and Clay Barnett, 19, of Boyd are cousins and Electrical Power and Controls majors. They take classes at TSTC during the week and work part time at Shermco Industries in Irving on weekends. They worked at Shermco’s information table at the event.
Smith and Barnett test and maintain breakers and transformers throughout North Texas.
“It is long hours and hard work but it’s worth it,” Smith said. “The flexible work schedule works for us.”
Luz Zuniga, a human resources assistant at Shermco, said the company has more than 600 employees. The company has service centers in Angleton, Cedar Park, Irving, San Antonio and Sweetwater, along with six other states and two Canadian provinces.
“We look for somebody who cares who they work for,” Zuniga said. “The more you help the company, the more the employees help you.”
Nathaniel Perez, an on-site manager at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. in San Antonio, said he was interested in talking to students studying Electrical Power and Controls and Electronics Technology. Perez said the company, which produces Toyota Tundra and Tacoma pickup trucks, has hired Tool and Die Technology graduates in the past from TSTC in Harlingen.
“We specifically know the curriculum the college is teaching, so we know where to find quality applicants,” Perez said.
Some companies returned to the event after having success in the past hiring TSTC students.
Flint Hill Resources, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, specializes in oil and gas manufacturing and refining. The company has petrochemical plants in Corpus Christi and Port Arthur and a fuels terminal in Waco.
Kristi Truitt, a company recruiter, said interview candidates are looked at for their integrity, humility and work skills.
True North Marine in Kemah was represented for the first time at Industry Career Day. Owner and General Manager Patrick McAndrew said the business needed diesel equipment technicians and electronics technicians. The 35-employee business in Galveston County specializes in the designing, troubleshooting and repairing of yachts, along with plumbing, steering, air conditioning and electronics.
“We recently hired a graduate from TSTC,” McAndrew said. “We offer a broad range of services. Mechanics are hard to find. It’s about finding people with the proper training.”
Jerry Solis, 26, of Hewitt attended his first Industry Career Day. The Architectural/Civil Drafting Technology student said he liked the face-to-face interaction with business representatives so they could see how he and other students express themselves.
“I’d like to start out with designing residential floor and house plans and move to civil architecture and become an engineer or architect,” Solis said.
Students were encouraged to bring resumes and have questions ready to ask attendees. Some company tables had free goodies such as stress toys, pens and car chargers.
TSTC’s Career Services/Talent Management will soon begin planning an Industry Career Day for students this fall.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
