(WACO) – Shelby Mauger, 20, of Bedford in Tarrant County is studying Web Design and Development Technology at Texas State Technical College in Waco. She is scheduled to graduate with an associate degree in December. She is a 2014 graduate of Trinity High School in Euless.
How did you become interested in web design? “I’ve always been interested in computers and how designs are made. I like the idea of making something that a lot of people will hopefully like and think is cool.”
How did you learn about TSTC? “My high school counselor told me about TSTC because her brother went here. I came to see the campus first and thought it was pretty for a technical college. I realized in high school a four-year academic program would not be possible for me. I figured a two-year technical program would be cheaper and I would get into the workforce faster.”
Why do you think more females do not choose a computer field to major in? “I would say they feel like they will be shown up by the guys and they can’t do it. I think girls are intimidated by the coding. They think it’s hard, but it’s really not.”
What have you enjoyed most about studying in your major? “All the graphic design classes are really fun. It’s important because if you know how to use Photoshop and if you know it like the back of your hand, you should do well in the field.”
What do you wish you knew in high school that you know now? “College is not as bad as I thought it would be. You need to keep up on your work and you will be fine.”
What are your plans after graduation later this year? “I would like to go to Austin and get a job. I would like to go into the designing part of web development, making the websites look pretty.”
The web development field is expected to grow from about 148,000 workers to 188,000 employees nationally up to 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual wage for full-time web developers was $64,970 as of May 2015, according to the bureau.
In Texas, the demand for web developers is expected to grow from about 10,100 workers to 13,810 employees by 2024, according to projectionscentral.com, an information clearinghouse of short-term and long-term state and labor market predictions.
The need for additional workers is driven by e-commerce and growth and usage in mobile devices, according to the federal bureau of labor statistics.
Udacity, an online platform for nanodegree programs supported by technology companies, named web development the second-hottest job in 2016.
For more information on Web Design and Development Technology and other TSTC technical programs, go to tstc.edu.
