(HUTTO, Texas) – At first, Von Bily did not succeed. Now he is trying again and crushing it.
Bily is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in HVAC Technology at Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus. He wanted the degree before now, but life got in the way.
“I was enrolled at TSTC in Fort Bend County a while ago,” he said. “I had some issues to overcome, though. I would start the semester strong but would need to focus on a job and wouldn’t finish the schoolwork. I didn’t finish my degree that time.”
Bily had enrolled with his cousin, someone he still goes to for support as he works through finishing his degree.
“My cousin graduated from the HVAC program at Fort Bend County, and he helps me stay motivated,” Bily said. “I see how well my cousin is doing. He has a house and a boat already, and he makes a bunch of money.”
Now that Bily and his girlfriend are expecting a baby, he said finances are a big part of his focus while he pushes hard to finish each of his classes.
“I want her to be able to choose if she wants to work or be a stay-at-home mom,” he said. “I’m on track to finish my classes quickly and graduate in the summer so that I’m working in the industry when the baby is born.”
Bily’s focus extends beyond finishing his degree. He knows where he would like to work.
“I asked my cousin to help me get an interview with his company,” he said. “They work with special coolers to cool oil underground. It’s pretty cool.”
In Texas, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers earn an average annual salary of $50,190, according to onetonline.org, which forecast the number of such positions to grow 21% in the state from 2020 to 2030.
HVAC Technology is one of TSTC’s performance-based education programs in which students can move through their training at a flexible pace.
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and certificates of completion in HVAC Technology at its East Williamson County, Fort Bend County, Harlingen, North Texas and Waco campuses.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
