(RED OAK) – Three programs at Texas State Technical College in North Texas have 100 percent job placement. Graduates of TSTC’s Diesel Equipment and Logistics Technologies who graduated in December are all working in industry now, while students of the High Voltage Electrical program, now known as Electrical Power and Controls, have all been brought on as paid interns for Oncor, and will be offered full-time employment after graduating in August.

Leroy White, the program chair for the three programs, said he’s not surprised.

“You can’t imagine a modern society without electricity,” said White. It touches every facet of our lives. The field is not only lucrative, but it’s in demand. I receive calls from companies that are looking for employees and they just can’t find people. There is a demand for skilled technicians in this field.”

White says Logistics has also become very popular in the area.

“If you look at the I-35 corridor here, you see a lot of trucking and logistics companies,” White said. “For example, Amazon has three facilities in the north Texas area and Fedex has a facility in Hutchins. There are many companies that have distribution centers and warehouses in this area. Also, the DFW airport is a Foreign Trade Zone, making the Dallas-Fort Worth area a hub for international activity. TSTC’s mission is to support the workforce of Texas and here in North Texas, logistics is large part of that.”

A rise in the need for qualified diesel technicians follows the logistics boom.

“Diesel and logistics kind of work together,” White said. “To be able to transport or ship inventory, those vehicles must be properly maintained to stay in good working condition.”

TSTC in North Texas Provost Marcus Balch said the success of these programs shows the school’s potential.

“We’ve only recently began serving the North Texas area, and these achievements show that TSTC chose the right area to expand in,” said Balch. “We hope we can continue to serve Red Oak and the surrounding cities with the same fortitude.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster than average growth in Texas across all three areas over the next six years. A 21 percent increase in Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists is expected through 2022, while Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technician jobs will grow by 18 percent, and Logisticians by an impressive 40 percent.

TSTC will begin enrolling new students for the summer and fall semesters on April 4. For more information on the college, or to apply, visit www.tstc.edu.