(WACO, Texas) – Faustino Laessig of Lometa felt right at home in the auto collision labs at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus.
“I’ve always been fixing things up and making them look good,” he said.
Laessig is an associate degree candidate for graduation in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program at TSTC’s Fall 2019 Commencement at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at the Waco Convention Center.
“I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “I’m really proud of my welding and metal repairs.”
He said he found motivation for his studies in his desire to complete class projects. Some of his other favorite lessons involved airbrushing.
Marc Garcia of Waco is also a candidate for graduation in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program and took several classes with Laessig. Garcia said he admires Laessig’s welding and measuring skills.
“I think he will do great,” Garcia said. “I can see him going places.”
Laessig placed first in Collision Repair Technology at this year’s SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary State Leadership and Skills Conference held in Waco. The victory catapulted him to represent Texas at this summer’s 55th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
“I really enjoyed it,” Laessig said. “It brought experience I would not get in class. You got one-on-one time with the instructors. It didn’t feel like work. It was really fun.”
Jacob Pevia, an instructor in TSTC’s Auto Collision and Management Technology program, taught Laessig during his first semester. Pevia also worked with Laessig as he prepared for SkillsUSA competitions.
“I’ve seen him flourish from a guy who knew absolutely nothing about the technology to the best guy I have had this semester,” Pevia said.
Laessig graduated in 2017 from Lometa High School, where he played multiple sports and learned welding in his agriculture classes.
He visited TSTC on campus tours organized by his high school during his junior and senior years. He said TSTC was a good choice for him because of the cost.
“I was a little nervous for the first few weeks,” Laessig said. “I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted to do. I told myself to stick with it, and I liked it.”
Laessig is looking at job possibilities at auto collision businesses in Central Texas.
For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.
