Tag Archives: Programming

Computer Programming Technology Coming to TSTC in Abilene

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College in Abilene will offer a new program of study starting this fall: Computer Programming Technology.

Students who successfully complete the five-semester program will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree.

“We brought the CPT course to Abilene because industries are moving forward to digital and electronic-based needs. This helps us fill a local and statewide need to develop business and industry along with it,” TSTC Associate Provost Justin Price said.

With a majority of modern technology using software programs, job opportunities are endless.

“Computer programming is like the brain of the human body. Just like the brain tells your hands to move, the software tells the hardware what to do. Today hardware is anything from cars, robots, industrial equipment to the laptop sitting on your desk; they all need someone who can program them to work how we need them to,” Tony Torres, lab assistant, said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there is an expected job growth of 24 percent  between 2016-2026 for computer software developers; almost four times the job growth national average.

“The demand for workers in this field will continue to rise as we keep using technology. You can find your niche and work in a team or go solo, or work in the field or in an office,” Torres said.

The program will educate students about six different programming languages such as C++, Visual Basics, C Sharp, Java and more. Students will learn how to apply those languages to be used in online settings or in physical applications.

The program is a hybrid course with a mix of online classes and face-to-face instruction.

Torres encourages anyone interested in learning how to keep the world functioning to apply.

Registration for the fall semester is underway. For more information about TSTC and the many programs offered, go online at tstc.edu.

Computer Programming Technology is coming to TSTC in Abilene. Students can start registering for the fall semester now. 

TSTC Alumnus Overcomes Obstacles to Pursue Teaching

(ABILENE) – Computers and water don’t mix. But water — too much of it — was what led Texas State Technical College alumnus Tony Torres to pursue his passion for computer programming.

“After my wife finished school, the plan was for me to go (to college). But the day she was supposed to start her new job, our house flooded,” Torres said. “It was a blessing in disguise because I couldn’t juggle fixing the house, going to school and working full time. So we decided that the house and (my) education was a priority.“

During the two years that Torres studied for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Database and Web Programming at TSTC in Abilene, he also repaired the couple’s home.

Then, in the last semester before his 2016 graduation, he caught pneumonia.

“My brother had to drive me to my final project because I was wheezing so bad that I couldn’t drive,” Torres said. “But my final project was something nobody in our class had done before, and I wanted to present.”

Torres’ final project, based on an idea from his wife, was an IOS grocery app that helps create recipes, keeps users on budget and sends reminders about potentially expired foods.

“I like to challenge myself, and this was a different type of computer language than what we had studied. But I know my craft and had the tools to do it,” Torres said.  

Despite multiple obstacles, Torres’ dedication made him stand out to his instructors, and he was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Award and the Provost Award.

“Tony was an excellent student,” Julie Rhoades, Database and Web Programming master instructor, said. “He worked hard and if he started something, it got done.”

After graduation, Torres remained in contact with his instructors while honing his skills as a freelancer. When a position for a Database and Web Programming lab assistant opened up at TSTC in Abilene, he got the job. He is currently working on a bachelor’s degree to become an instructor.

“TSTC’s top priority is to recruit top talent — and Tony is top talent,” Rhoades said.

Torres said his instructors were an inspiration to him, and that’s what he hopes to be for his students.

“I love teaching,” he said. “I believe in what we do, and that’s changing lives.”

Torres encourages anyone interested in problem-solving to pursue the DWP program.

For more information, log on to tstc.edu.

Texas State Technical College in Abilene Alumnus Tony Torres teaches as a Lab Assistant for Database and Web Programming at Texas State Technical College in Abilene.