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"structural metal fabricators & fitters" (225 results)

TSTC in Sweetwater has been selected to be part of the Metallica Scholars Initiative sponsored by iconic Grammy Award-winning band Metallica.

Scholarships are awards that do not have to be repaid. They are available to students who qualify based on financial need and academic standing.

We have resources to help your individual financial needs. Apply for a scholarship so you can focus on your schoolwork.

Helping students succeed while meeting the needs of industry

In any housing market, homebuyers need a qualified home inspector to identify issues that can affect their purchase.

Harlingen

North Texas

Waco

Fort Bend County

East Williamson County

As the manufacturing industry becomes more automated, many machinist are staying ahead of the curve by learning how to use CNC machines.

Want to get a head start on your college education? Dual Credit may be for you! Dual Credit gives high school students a head start toward their futures. Take college courses to earn college and high school credit at the same time.

Dual Credit courses are available at some high school campuses, on-site at a TSTC campus, and through distance learning classes taught by TSTC instructors.

Our dual enrollment pathways give your students a head start to a great technical career.

West Texas
Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Automotive Technology, Diesel Equipment Technology, Welding Technology and Wind Energy Technology students at Texas State Technical College’s Sweetwater campus now are eligible to apply for scholarships funded by a foundation started by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Metallica. The campus was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – All Within My Hands (AWMH), the nonprofit and philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, recently announced the largest expansion of its Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). With the launch of year six, 18 new colleges join the roster of existing MSI community colleges. MSI now has a presence in...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – After touring Texas State Technical College’s Sweetwater campus, Shayne Howard found a program especially well suited for him. “I toured each of the programs in Sweetwater, and after visiting with the instructors and seeing what was available, I knew this was the program for me,” Howard said of his decision to pursue...

(WACO, Texas) – February’s historic winter weather in Texas made people realize the importance of plumbers as pipes broke, causing damage to apartments, homes and businesses. “It shined a light on the plumbing industry and made people see we are not always as prepared as we think we are,” said Clyff Curry, business manager of...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – “It was a blessing.” That is how Jackie Norman, a Texas State Technical College Metallica Scholar and Automotive Technology student, described his feelings after several people stepped up to offer financial assistance. Earlier this year, the engine on Norman’s pickup truck blew out, and he thought it would be a quick and...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program teaches students the skills they need to walk into any company that hires precision machinists and begin work. “If it’s man-made, we (machinists) made some or all of it in the process of its production,” said Darren Block, statewide lead instructor for TSTC’s...

(WACO, Texas) – The plumbing and pipefitting field carries the stereotype of dirty work and smelly situations. Not so, said Chris Porter, an instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program in Waco. “Plumbers regulate the safety of everyone, whether it’s water or sewage,” he said. “Someone can become a certified backflow...

(WACO, Texas) – Dominic Abeyta, of Hewitt, is working toward a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate at Texas State Technical College. He is scheduled to graduate in December. What inspired you to study Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology at TSTC? I was working as an armed security guard, but I was looking for a new challenge...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Richie Solis says the hands-on learning experience he receives at Texas State Technical College will lead him to a rewarding career. “What I am doing in class right now is something I will be able to put into practice in the real world,” said Solis, a TSTC Metallica Scholar who is studying...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Welding has been in Jacob Dannar’s family for generations. It was only natural for him to continue the tradition. “I remember my grandfather working in a welding shop in Nebraska,” said the Texas State Technical College Metallica Scholar and current Welding Technology student. Being able to learn additional techniques, both as a...

(RED OAK, Texas) – In the welding field, it helps to be diverse in one’s skills. Ashley Yezak, statewide lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program, said the need for welders in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has not slowed down as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic. “With energy production,...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Austin Hargett makes roses bloom from metal — thorns and all. The Texas State Technical College Welding Technology instructor can also get scorpions to skitter out of aluminum, bees to buzz around a honeycomb of hex nuts, and many other feats of metalworking. A co-worker who became a friend showed Hargett the...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – As a child, Joshua Joel Anstead was fascinated with doing hands-on projects in his backyard. Years later, he was introduced to welding by a friend and it would spark a career interest. Anstead, who earned a certificate of completion in Welding Advanced Pipe Specialization from Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen location in...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Xavier Gomez wants to see Texas State Technical College students succeed. Gomez, a 2016 graduate of TSTC’s Welding Technology program in Brownwood, recently returned to his former campus for an employer spotlight to talk to current students about job opportunities with Prime Metal Buildings & Components, where he is a shift supervisor....

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program will continue to teach in a hybrid format this fall. Students will listen to lectures online and participate in hands-on labs on campus. “Welding is by far one of our most popular programs, and it’s easy to see why,” said Barton Day, provost at TSTC’s...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Cole Purcell’s confidence has grown while working on diesel engines in the Texas State Technical College lab. The Wink native is studying for a certificate of completion in Diesel Equipment Technology with the goal of working in the West Texas oil fields. “I was raised around the oil fields, and I knew...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – The most recent expansion project in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program involved adding 40 new welding stations and a new metal building for advanced fabrication.  The growth was needed to accommodate students in a field that is booming in the Rio Grande Valley as companies expand and other companies relocate...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Built from the ground up by Texas State Technical College Welding Technology instructors and students, the program has a new pipe fitting training station for its Advanced Layout and Fabrication course. The course, taken during a student’s third semester in the program, focuses on layout design, build and processes, blueprint reading and...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Some Texas State Technical College students were excited to learn that their careers were aided by a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band. TSTC’s Sweetwater campus is part of All Within My Hands’ Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). All Within My Hands is the nonprofit and philanthropic organization created by members and...

(WACO, Texas) – February’s winter weather experienced in Texas is giving Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology students plenty to think about. “There’s a lot of money in plumbing right now,” said Austin native Jack Guerrero, who is scheduled to graduate in December with a Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology certificate. “A lot of...

TSTC partners with Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners for testing (AUSTIN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College, the leader in technical education, and the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) have joined forces to provide a greater and more efficient method of administering exams for Texas plumbers. Last February’s winter storm had devastating...

(WACO, Texas) – A ribbon-cutting held Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus marked the opening of a high-tech testing facility for licensing by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE).  TSTC, the state’s leader in technical education, and TSBPE have joined forces to provide a greater and more efficient method...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College will debut an Associate of Applied Science degree in Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology – Journeyman this fall at the Waco campus. Some of the classes that students will take include Backflow Prevention, Basic Blueprint Reading for Plumbers, Construction Estimating, OSHA Regulations – Construction Industry, and Plumbing Codes I...

(WACO, Texas) – Leaving Sulphur Springs at 4 a.m. twice a week to attend classes at Texas State Technical College is no problem for Micah Flemens. “Knowing that I am getting an education makes the long drive worth it,” he said of studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – From the front entrance to the final stop, Texas State Technical College Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology students recently were provided with a better understanding of what they work on in labs as part of their degree requirements. Ten students, along with their instructors, toured the Kohler Co. plant in Brownwood earlier this...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Yordan Rueda has gone from confused young man undecided about his future to successful business owner – all in a matter of three years. The 24-year-old graduated from TSTC Welding Technology with a certificate in 2016. “I had no idea what I wanted to do. I didn’t even have a prior interest...

(HUTTO, Texas) – For Peter Wilson, of Georgetown, it is the best maintenance job he said he has ever had. “It’s something new every day, and we are constantly learning,” he said. Wilson, a graduate of Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Systems – Mechanical Specialization program in East Williamson County, is a mechanic at ICU...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Carlos Ulin Jr. may have just earned his Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College’s recent fall 2021 commencement ceremony, but he already has his sights set on what comes next: a certificate of completion in Structural and Pipe Welding from TSTC. The Sugar Land resident...

(HUTTO, Texas) – The majority of instructors in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program at the East Williamson County campus happen to be women. Kristin Burke, Samara Flener and Charli Wright bring decades of professional experience to teach their students to be the best welders they can be. “Three of the five welding instructors...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – There is growing demand for jobs for machinists and welders in modern engineering and manufacturing. This offers an excellent career outlook for students at Texas State Technical College who seek to fill those positions. In observance of Manufacturing Day on Friday, Oct. 7, TSTC recognizes its Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Classic automobile aficionado Jesus Reyna, an instructor in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program at Texas State Technical College, has educated his students about the restoration process of vehicles for two years now. His latest project is a 1927 Durant touring car that the students began working on last year. “I...

(WACO, Texas) – The health protocols undertaken in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program are not only keeping students safe, but also teaching a lesson. Program faculty have designated entrances and exits for TSTC’s Industrial Technology Center, along with enacting social distancing, sanitizing and requiring masks. These measures will continue during the fall semester,...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College student Crystal Ruiz thinks back to when she was introduced to welding by two Raymondville High School agriculture teachers. One of those educators, Erika Williams, noticed that Ruiz had a talent for welding and suggested that she enhance that gift at Texas State Technical College. “In that agriculture...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Watching his older brother piqued the interest of Rory Bustamante to explore a career in welding. The May native followed in his brother’s footsteps to Texas State Technical College to pursue a certificate of completion in Welding Technology. “My brother graduated from TSTC nine years ago,” he said. “I went to another...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Will Dempsey has two passions: music and welding. When Dempsey, a longtime fan of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Metallica, learned that Texas State Technical College would offer scholarships through the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI), he jumped at the chance to apply. The scholarship that he received will help him...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus hosted more than 160 high school welding students for the North Texas Weld Wars on Friday, Oct. 11, in Red Oak. “It is good to expose what we have to offer at the North Texas campus,” said Joseph Francia, program team lead for TSTC’s...

(WACO, Texas) – Employees from Alvarado-based Magna Mechanical visited Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program Thursday, April 6, to talk to students. Magna Mechanical provides industrial and commercial services to industries including beverage and food, oil and gas, manufacturing, paints and polymers, and semiconductor in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The company has divisions for...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College in East Williamson County is offering Hutto High School students two new technical programs for dual enrollment in the new academic year. Students can take classes to work toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Robotics Technology or a certificate of completion in Structural Welding. Some students...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Jessica Krause, of Round Rock, left her job as a pet groomer to enroll at Texas State Technical College in East Williamson County to study Welding Technology. The first-semester student said she was not expecting such a fast pace of teaching. Besides adapting to new skills, Krause had not been in a...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – The structural integrity of buildings caught the attention of Clay Scheller from a young age. The Newcastle native is now learning more about how metal stays together while studying Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College. After earning his certificate of completion in Structural Welding, Scheller hopes to work for a West...

(WACO, Texas) – Emily Sanford did not pick up a welding torch until she was a student at Madisonville High School in East Texas. During that time, she did a lot of gas metal arc welding. “I was raised around 4-H and FFA, but it was not welding at all,” she said. “None of my...

Architectural-Mechanical Drafting is one of several courses available this summer (HARLINGEN, Texas) – Kayla Boettcher might not be 100% sure of exactly what she wants to do with her Industrial and Systems Engineering degree from Texas A&M University, but she is keeping her options open with a broad range of experiences this summer. One experience...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – When Texas State Technical College Welding Technology alumnus Samuel Grimaldo accepted a job as the Maritime Welding instructor in TSTC’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education program, he did not anticipate the influence that his experience would have on the students. “I teach shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux core...

(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) – Michael Skufca came to Texas State Technical College’s New Braunfels campus to save money on tuition, and in his first month he was able to set himself up to start his career while earning a certificate of completion in Structural Welding. “I was going to go to (another college), but it...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Automation is the future for many industries, and welding is no exception. Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology automation lab at TSTC’s campus in Fort Bend County recently received new equipment to help keep TSTC students on the cusp of emerging technology and practices. “We’ve got a submerged-arc machine, new orbital pipe...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus hosted more than 80 high school welding students for the Texas High School Welding Series on Saturday, Feb. 17. It marked the first time that the campus had hosted the series, which gives students opportunities to improve their employability and technical skills in welding....

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – There is always going to be a need for welders, regardless of the industry that you go into, according to Brenda Wilson, HR manager for Titan Production Equipment. Wilson knows what she is talking about. Having begun her career nearly 20 years ago, she has seen the need for welders firsthand and...

From independent body shops to high-profile dealerships – auto technicians, repairers and painters are in demand, with Texas’ projected job openings to be at more than 14,000 by 2026 according to O*Net Online. And TSTC, with its Auto Collision & Management Technology program, is ready to meet industry demand. TSTC Auto Collision & Management Technology...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Dakota Smith of Gladewater learned early on the importance of a good work ethic, especially in a welding booth. “Once I have something to do, that’s all I focus on until it is completed, and I do it to the best of my abilities,” she said. Smith is scheduled to receive an...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker Technology and Welding Technology programs at the Fort Bend County campus are expanding. “Those have been two of the hottest trades in the region for several years,” said Jeremy Heath, executive director of the Rosenberg Economic Development Corp. “Everyone who goes through either program has a...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Welders are always needed, no matter the economic situation. Texas State Technical College Welding Technology instructor Robert Whitley knows his students will likely find a job soon after completing the program. In West Texas, welders are needed not only in the oil field, but also at other sites, he said. “Other (businesses)...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – It is often said that sometimes a new career path will find you. Such was the case for Rick Vargas, who became an instructor at Texas State Technical College after finding that he thoroughly enjoyed presenting curriculum to his co-workers. Three years later, he is now the lead instructor for Building Construction...

Campus welding lab is home to 160 booths (ROSENBERG, Texas) – Sparks flew as students practiced their craft recently in the welding lab at Texas State Technical College’s campus in Fort Bend County. Lead instructor Jerroll Hodge walked from booth to booth, straightening strip curtains and answering questions from students. With an expansion completed in...

Welding processes fascinating TSTC student (ROSENBERG, Texas) – Cameron Weaver grew up around an uncle who welded whatever was needed. “He wasn’t the type to go out and buy tables and racks,” Weaver recalled. “He built all the stuff. I was just really fascinated by all of that.” After 13 years in the Army and...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Omar Escalon, of La Feria, served as a U.S. Border Patrol agent for 11 years. Afterward, he was in search of a personal challenge that would be out of his comfort zone. He enrolled at Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus to begin that educational career change and earned an Associate of...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Ruby Steptoe’s family has a welding streak that runs three generations long. But the Texas State Technical College Welding Technology instructor’s family did not know she was going to school for welding until she brought her plate and pipe home to show her grandfather. “They had no clue,” Steptoe recalled. “They thought...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Some 50 students from Texas State Technical College’s Mechatronics Technology, Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology programs at the Harlingen campus experienced a tour of aerospace manufacturer SpaceX’s launch facility in Brownsville Wednesday, March 16. They were greeted with a spectacular view from outside the facility of a Stargate base and three...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Samuel Valdez wants to expand his business opportunities. The Welding Technology student is studying for a certificate of completion in Structural Welding at Texas State Technical College in order to add to the list of work that he can perform in his construction business. “I am self-employed and wanted to expand my...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College student Ricardo Flores is in pursuit of an entrepreneurial goal: to establish an automotive restoration and modification shop. The Harlingen resident is aligning that path through an education at TSTC’s Harlingen campus. “I earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Automotive Technology from TSTC in 2021,” Flores...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Eric Payne is no stranger to a welding torch. Payne worked in civil engineering for the U.S. Air Force for eight years, performing structural maintenance. Knowing that he and his wife would be moving from Idaho to West Texas, he began looking at earning his welding certification. That is where Texas State...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Imagine a world where all structures are at risk of collapsing at any second. Buildings creak with every step, a slight gust of wind could knock down a bridge, and airplanes and space exploration are nothing but fantasy.  Luckily, the world is a much more secure place — thanks to welders. “We’ve...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Modern technology is reshaping the automotive body repair industry, and that impacts how future automotive body repairers are trained. Jose Vasquez is the Auto Collision and Management Technology program director at Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus. Recently he talked about how some of the industry’s new technology is enhancing students’ skills....

(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) – Classes began this week in two certificate of completion programs new to Texas State Technical College’s New Braunfels campus: Structural Welding and Industrial Systems Mechanic – Electrical. Mike Anderson, the campus’s provost, is happy with the additions. “I have been looking forward to this for a long time,” he said. “This...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – After studying dental assisting at an area college for several months, Kendraly Gomez realized that it was not a good fit for her. “One day at the school, I noticed some students who were welding in their program,” she said. “I thought it would be interesting to try welding because I enjoy...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – A familiar face will be helping to educate the next generation of welders at Texas State Technical College in Breckenridge this fall. Stephen Hope, a Breckenridge native, is ready to serve his community as a welding instructor for the TSTC Welding Technology program. “This is my way of giving back. I am...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – The welding program at Texas State Technical College is training and educating highly skilled welders quickly to continue to meet industry demand.  Texas has the highest employment level for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers in the nation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And demand is expected to keep growing....

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Nicholas Delaurelle of Longview is relieved that he has been hired for a job before he graduates from Texas State Technical College. “It is reassuring making some money, because I have bills to pay,” he said. “I’ll be moving into an apartment the day after graduation.” Delaurelle is one of more than...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Bobby Gullick knew he needed an additional skill to accomplish a lifelong goal. To help open a more diverse furniture-making business, Gullick needed to learn how to weld. His wife suggested that he enroll in the Welding Technology program at Texas State Technical College. “I knew if I was going to get...

(WACO, Texas) – This fall at Texas State Technical College, there are four female students taking the Automotive Plastic and Sheet Molded Compound Repair class. This makes Kayla Walsh, a first-semester student in the Auto Collision and Management Technology program from Arvada, Colorado, very happy. “Females are more detail-oriented,” she said. “It’s breaking that barrier.”...

(HUTTO, Texas) – More than 30 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus received associate degrees and certificates of completion at TSTC’s Summer 2022 Commencement held Friday at the Courtyard by Marriott Conference Center in Pflugerville. Lissa Adams, provost of TSTC’s East Williamson County campus, said she was honored to have representatives...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Oscar Quezada credits Texas State Technical College for helping him find his career path. Quezada is a candidate for graduation in Welding Technology at TSTC and will begin working with an oil field company next month. He is scheduled to receive a certificate of completion in Structural Welding during the summer commencement...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Many construction companies are looking for entry-level welders. To help fill that need, Texas State Technical College will offer an Occupational Skills Award certification program in Welding Technology this fall at the college’s Industrial Technology Center in Abilene.  Three basic welding courses will be offered over 15 weeks, said instructor Anthony Lewis....

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Taylor and Jason Bigbie are spending a lot of time together. The Bigbies are enrolled in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program in Brownwood. For Jason Bigbie, he wants to use his education to open a business, while Taylor Bigbie wants to help him when she is not working as a...

(WACO, Texas) – Daniel Gormley and Travis Kight have known each other since they were in middle school in Boerne. Now they are in their fourth semester as Texas State Technical College students studying Welding Technology. The students are completing a special project that is sure to make Dorman Vick, their former welding instructor at...

(WACO, Texas) – Samuel Esqueda, of George West, began welding when he took his first agriculture class as a high school sophomore.  “It stuck with me more than anything else,” he said. “I wanted to turn it into a career.” Esqueda is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology at Texas State...

(RED OAK, Texas) – From smartphones to the hubcaps on vehicles, precision machining is a critical component of our lives. “(Many human-made things would) not exist without a machine and its components,” said Nathan Cleveland, acting statewide lead in Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program and associate provost at TSTC in Marshall. Cleveland...

(WACO, Texas) – Jacob Pevia hears about it when he visits auto collision and repair shops of all sizes in Texas: more workers are needed. Pevia, an instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Auto Collision and Management Technology program in Waco, is also a part-time instructor for the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair. Part...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Taylor Marze attended a four-year university for architecture, but his disappointment in the program led him to obtain a bachelor’s degree in 3D-focused art instead. The journey took him down a path of procedure, logic and creativity that eventually led to Texas State Technical College, where he is currently a Precision Machining...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Learning about aviation pioneers such as the Wright Brothers, along with Charlie Taylor, the mechanic who helped build and maintain some of the Wrights’ engines and airplanes, provided the initial spark that got Texas State Technical College student Carlos Garcia interested in aircraft and flying. Little did the San Benito resident know...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Adam Rivas, a Welding Technology student at Texas State Technical College, is one of six students from the North Texas campus who won medals at the recent SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference in Houston. Rivas won a gold medal in the Welding category, in which competitors were tasked with...

(WACO, Texas) – One has an affinity for clothing in earth tones. The other likes to wear Hawaiian-style shirts. Carter and Samuel Marek, of Dripping Springs, are twins attending Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. Carter Marek is studying Building Construction Technology, and Samuel Marek is a student in the Precision Machining Technology program. Both...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Brad Panneton spent his military career flying helicopters in the Army, scouting for terrorists and protecting convoys, but now he is pursuing a career in welding. Panneton is working toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus. He already holds a...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Education means opportunity, and no one values that more than Alan Acosta, a Welding Technology student at Texas State Technical College in Brownwood.   Acosta plans to be the first member of his immediate family, who immigrated from Mexico when he was 6, to earn a college degree. He started working on...

(WACO, Texas) – Julian Rodriguez’s future in the solar industry looks to be as bright as the sun shining on the panels generating energy in Texas. Rodriguez, 18, of McCamey in Upton County, is in his second semester at Texas State Technical College, studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Solar Energy Technology...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – More than 30 graduates received certificates and associate degrees at Texas State Technical College’s Summer 2019 Commencement held Friday, Aug. 16, at the Julius S. Scott Sr. Chapel at Wiley College in Marshall. Rush Harris, director of business services at the Marshall Economic Development Corp., was the ceremony’s guest speaker. He talked...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology students are finding a need for their skills regionally and throughout the country. The demand for brazers, cutters, solderers and welders is projected to increase up to 439,100 workers by 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency attributes this to replacing the...

Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics graduates from Texas State Technical College are finding that the demand for their skills is increasing as highway, road and subdivision developments are growing across the state. TSTC Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics statewide Department Chair Samuel Pizano said students are being recruited across the Rio Grande Valley and statewide,...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training office wants to bring welding to you. The office recently finished creating a mobile welding training lab inside a 42-foot enclosed gooseneck trailer. The training lab features four welding bays, one being wheelchair accessible, along with multipurpose welding machines, a fume extraction system and a hydraulic...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Ely Monalisa Cortina is ready to bring girl power to the male-dominated field of aviation. The Brownsville native knew that Texas State Technical College was the right college for her after a tour in high school introduced her to aviation maintenance, and it was in that moment that she fell in love...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Ely Monalisa Cortina is ready to bring girl power to the male-dominated field of aviation. The Brownsville native knew that Texas State Technical College was the right college for her after a tour in high school introduced her to aviation maintenance, and it was in that moment that she fell in love...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College is expanding the number of programs that will offer night classes this fall.  Nathan Cleveland, TSTC’s associate provost, said the goal is to attract more nontraditional  students to the campus to study in programs that can help them update their skills or learn new ones. He said potential...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Having earned his Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology and a certificate in Structural and Pipe Welding from Texas State Technical College in 2018, Juan Avila is now back at his alma mater, imparting his wisdom and expertise to the current cohort of welding students as a lab assistant. “When...

(WACO, Texas) – Edward Sanchez, of Hubbard, is proud to be a third-generation welder. “I come in and do the best I can do every day,” he said. Sanchez graduated this month with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. He is also the fall semester’s...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College Welding Technology instructor Mark Casares has a passion for welding, and he is grateful that he gets to bring his knowledge into the classroom with each passing semester. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, welding occupations are expected to grow continuously through 2029. TSTC’s Welding Technology...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College has been selected as one of four colleges nationally to take part in a program aimed at producing more workers for the automotive collision repair industry. Enterprise Holdings, with funding from its philanthropic arm the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, and Missouri-based Ranken Technical College have launched the Automotive Collision...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Growing up around restaurants and catering inspired Stephanie Salazar to enroll in the Culinary Arts program at Texas State Technical College. Salazar received her Associate of Applied Science degree in 2019 and is now the dietary and nutrition services director at McAllen Nursing Center, where she is able to utilize her skills...

(ABILENE, Texas) – U.S. Military veteran Dylon Moreno enjoys the pace of his Welding Technology classes at Texas State Technical College. Moreno, who served in the Marine Corps for four years, said having welding experience before enrolling at TSTC paid off with instructors. “We can go at our own pace. If you know what you...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – One day while working on the family ranch, J.T. Caraway found a welding rod. It ignited a passion for welding that has continued ever since. This month, Caraway is a candidate to graduate with a certificate of completion in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College. He said learning more about welding...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – About 110 local high schoolers are taking advantage of the dual enrollment program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus this semester. The number of students participating this year is nearly double that of last year, said Joann Flores, a TSTC dual enrollment recruitment representative. She recently took on the...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College in Marshall is offering more dual enrollment opportunities this year for high school students. Some of TSTC’s technical programs that were previously taught in person on select campuses are now available in online formats. Some of TSTC’s programs that high school students are taking include Architectural Design and...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Many Rio Grande Valley high schoolers are taking advantage of Texas State Technical College’s dual enrollment program this school year. TSTC has active dual enrollment partnerships for the 2021-22 school year with Brownsville ISD, Harlingen CISD, La Feria ISD, Los Fresnos CISD, Lyford CISD, Mercedes ISD, Raymondville ISD, Rio Hondo ISD and...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Life takes us in various directions, and for former U.S. Marine Christopher Torres, the Welding Technology program at Texas State Technical College caught his interest. Torres served as a CH-53E helicopter engine mechanic with the Marine Corps for two years. He said that while he is proud of his Hispanic heritage, he...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – A chilly but bright morning welcomed Texas State Technical College students to the Fort Bend County campus Monday, Jan. 10, on the first day of the spring 2022 semester. It was El Campo resident Joshua Laslie’s first semester at TSTC, though he intends to finish his bachelor’s degree in emergency management from...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Jerroll Hodge is not sure where he would be today had one of his Agriculture Mechanics classmates not invited him to help build a trailer during his sophomore year of high school in Huntsville. “Those guys saw my work ethic when we were in class, and they asked if I wanted to...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – One year after participating in a high school welding contest at Texas State Technical College, Christian Chapla is proud to promote the college’s Welding Technology program to prospective students. Chapla, of Newcastle, is working toward a certificate of completion in Structural Welding at TSTC this semester and is considering returning to earn...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – It only took one stop during a tour of Texas State Technical College’s Sweetwater campus for Noemy Diaz to realize that she had found her career. After seeing the Welding Technology lab and hearing what she could learn from instructor Taylor Elston, Diaz was captivated. She is now studying for a certificate...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – More than 40 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus received associate degrees and certificates of completion at TSTC’s Spring 2022 Commencement held Wednesday  at Memorial City Hall Performance Center in downtown Marshall. “What an exciting evening,” said Barton Day, provost of TSTC’s Marshall campus. “We are excited for our graduates....

De La Cruz recommends prospective welding students pursue degree, certificate (ROSENBERG, Texas) – Omar De La Cruz Jr. is a third-generation welder — two of his uncles and his grandfather were in the industry. “I still remember the time when my grandpa was welding right in front of me,” De La Cruz said. “I enjoyed...

(RED OAK, Texas) – More than 30 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus received associate degrees and certificates of completion at TSTC’s Spring 2022 Commencement held Monday at the Waxahachie Civic Center in Waxahachie. Before the ceremony began, Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus, commended the graduates for their perseverance...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College, along with charter schools, home schools and school districts across Texas, are wrapping up another year of dual enrollment. “I think it went very well,” said Kadie Svrcek, TSTC’s director of internal operations for dual enrollment. “It was very nice to have all of the schools back, with...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Luis Chavira admits that he did not have much welding experience when he began Welding Technology classes at Texas State Technical College. Chavira had not taken welding classes at ATEMS High School in Abilene, but he wanted to learn the trade to save money for a second career. “I want to work...

(ABILENE, Texas) – With structural growth continuing in West Texas, the need for electrical and electronic engineering technologists in the region is increasing. Texas State Technical College Electrical Power and Controls instructors Cody Davis and Kevin Staton have seen a trend over the past two years. “The level of students we put out is tremendous,”...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Jeremy Lopez has seen several job offers come his way lately. The Texas State Technical College Welding Technology student, who will graduate this fall with a certificate of completion in structural welding, is considering several job opportunities, thanks to his progress at TSTC. “I did some welding in high school because I...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – The Career Services department at Texas State Technical College has a mission, and that is to help TSTC students and alumni find a great-paying career. That is a commitment that Drake Everett shares as the department’s new Career Services representative in Harlingen. He recently transitioned from a job as a student worker...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College in Waco is hosting several Texas A&M University College of  Engineering students who are taking summer classes at TSTC. Students are participating in the Basic Electromechanical Automation (PLC), Integrated Manufacturing Processes, Basic Machining, and Welding – Multiple Processes occupational skills achievement award programs. The students are taking classes...

(WACO, Texas) – Representatives of Texas State Technical College and the Baylor University School of Engineering and Computer Science joined Axtell residents on Thursday, July 21, for the dedication of a wheelchair-accessible swing at Axtell Community Park. “It’s one of those things where you see us (TSTC and Baylor) as these big brands,” said Jerome...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – The Stafford Centre in Stafford was filled with excitement as Texas State Technical College’s campus in Fort Bend County celebrated the accomplishments of more than 100 graduates during the Summer 2022 Commencement held Friday, Sept. 9. Each graduate shone with a sense of accomplishment as they walked across the stage, waved to...

(WACO, Texas) – Lisa Alaniz, of Seguin, is a Building Construction Technology student at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. She is scheduled to graduate in December. Alaniz is currently an intern at Vaughn Construction, where she is working on the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center building project at Baylor University. She is a...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – If anyone knows how to inspire Texas State Technical College Aviation Maintenance students, it is instructor Leo Guajardo. After all, he was once a student in the same program at TSTC’s Harlingen campus himself. “I enjoy educating my students and contributing to the aviation maintenance industry by providing high-quality training for those...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Daniel Coers has set a goal for himself while studying Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College. “I want to work to become the best welding student at TSTC,” he said. He set the goal knowing that he would be starting a program that he knew little about. In fact, Coers, of...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – William Briggs is setting his sights on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Texas State Technical College Welding Technology student plans to complete his certificate of completion in Structural Welding in order to work for his friends on the coast. “I have a bunch of buddies on the coast who own boats and...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Nicholas Tuma graduated from Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program with an Associate of Applied Science Degree and is currently working at Surgitech improving his welding skills. He plans on continuing his education at TSTC’s Fort Bend County campus for one more semester to receive the Welding Advanced Pipe Specialization certificate...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Rider Duggan has always had an interest in building things. In his hometown of Winters, Duggan used to visit a local shop where welding was a mainstay. That piqued his interest at a young age. Today, he is studying for a certificate of completion in Structural Welding at Texas State Technical College....

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Tabitha Bishop is making her family proud by being its first person to attend college. The Gatesville native is planning to earn her certificate of completion later this year in Structural Welding at Texas State Technical College. “My family is so proud of what I am doing and learning here,” she said....

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Jose Garcia decided that he wanted to learn more about welding. He did not let his age, 47, stop him from enrolling in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College. Now in his second semester studying for a certificate of completion in Structural Welding, Garcia is pleased that he made the choice...

(ABILENE, Texas) – The welding quality displayed by Christopher Cumpton impressed one of his instructors so much that it led to a job opportunity. Cumpton, a candidate for graduation this month with a certificate of completion in Structural Welding from Texas State Technical College, has a career planned with Broadwind Heavy Fabrications in Abilene. That...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Over the course of three days, six students in the Welding Technology program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus participated in the recent SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary Leadership and Skills Conference in Houston. For them, it was a learning experience and a great time to show off their skills. “Other...

(HUTTO, Texas) – More than 40 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus received associate degrees and certificates of completion at TSTC’s Spring 2023 Commencement held Tuesday, April 25, at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Round Rock. “This group persevered,” said Lissa Adams, the campus’ provost. “This was a more engaged graduating...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s dual enrollment programs offer high school students an entrance to a college-level education and can prepare them with the skills they need for great-paying jobs. Rio Hondo High School dual enrollment students Julio Casas, Scott Payne and Bryan Rodriguez recently completed the second semester of TSTC’s Building Construction...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Routine vehicle maintenance or a wheel alignment can help prevent a severe automotive collision. Jose Vasquez is the Auto Collision and Management Technology program director at Texas State Technical College’s campus in Harlingen. Recently he shared how preventive maintenance can help consumers avoid a visit to an auto body repair shop. How...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – With its “culture of caring,” Texas State Technical College’s Advocacy and Resource Center has made a lasting impression on many students, and the staff’s commitment has helped them to focus on their studies. Three of those students, Jose Abrego, Hector Guzman and Rus Lenox, each experienced personal obstacles that led them to...

(WACO, Texas) – Two students at Texas State Technical College are scheduled to be the first ever to graduate with degrees in the college’s newest Auto Collision and Management Technology specialization at the upcoming Fall 2023 Commencement in Waco. Bryam Herrera, of Rosebud, and Carlos Rincon, of Jacksonville, Texas, are on track to receive Associate...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Cheers rang out at the South Padre Island Convention Center for more than 240 graduates as they walked across the stage and received certificates of completion or associate degrees at Texas State Technical College’s Fall 2023 Commencement held Tuesday, Dec. 5. David Campos, interim provost at TSTC’s Harlingen campus, welcomed the graduates...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus’ provost, Marcus Balch, plans to see the campus’s programs continue to grow in 2024.  TSTC has recently seen a structural change to the leadership of its technical programs, creating more administratively based positions focused on a few programs each. “We are going to have...

(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) -Texas State Technical College’s New Braunfels location will offer two new technical programs this fall. Certificates of completion will be available there in Industrial Systems Mechanic – Electrical and in Structural Welding. “The main excitement is getting out in the community and promoting the programs,” said Mike Anderson, TSTC’s vice president of...

(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) – Texas State Technical College has named Mike Anderson as provost of its New Braunfels campus. “Mike Anderson is a seasoned educator and the founding executive in charge of our New Braunfels campus,” TSTC Chancellor and CEO Mike Reeser said. “His leadership is a key reason why his campus is growing.” Anderson...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus held its Fall 2024 Industry Job Fair on Thursday, Oct. 3. A total of 41 companies presented job opportunities to 233 TSTC students and alumni. Janzen Baldwin, a first-semester Automation and Controls Technology student, said he attended the job fair looking for any and all opportunities....

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas State Technical College will expand its Fort Bend County campus offerings with the addition of the Automotive Technology and Auto Collision and Management Technology programs next fall. But what do those programs entail, and why are they needed? Becoming an automotive technician means learning skills in a variety of fields. For...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Lauren Caprio got her first welding job in 2016 shortly after graduating with a certificate from the Welding Technology program at Texas State Technical College in Williamson County. Caprio, 33, of Pflugerville is a level III ultra-high-purity welder at Dynamic Manufacturing Solutions in Austin, where she works in a humidity-controlled clean room...

(WACO, Texas) – Hipolito Galan is already putting a spark in his future career. Galan, 18, is a senior who spends mornings at Waco High School and afternoons at the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy, or GWAMA. His days are a combination of textbooks and hands-on learning with welding equipment. “It’s something different every day,”...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program in Marshall will offer its first night classes starting this fall. “The goal of this is to try and help those who are working during the day to have an option for taking classes in the evening and to try to grow the PMT...

(WACO, Texas) – Cicilia Bunting has felt this feeling before. Bunting, a Culinary Arts student at Texas State Technical College, won first place for the second consecutive year in Commercial Baking at the SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary State Leadership and Skills Conference held in mid-April in Waco. “I know what to expect and what the judges...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – At an early age, Abel Garcia was responsible for supporting his mother and brother. But with his learning disorder, not many people believed he could become a college graduate and earn gainful employment. But this Friday, the 23-year-old will prove his naysayers wrong and earn a certificate in Machining from Texas State...

(WACO, Texas) – Bobby Martin’s work as an oil field service controls technician was the inspiration for a magnetic portable workstation he invented. Martin, a 1990 graduate of Texas State Technical Institute (now Texas State Technical College), received a patent in September 2018 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for The OmniShelf. Martin’s invention,...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – With commencement only a few months away, Texas State Technical College student Gabriel Flores still can’t believe that he’ll become a college graduate at only 19-years-old. The Precision Machining Technology student said college was always the only option in his home, but when got to his senior year in high school panic...

(ABILENE, Texas) –  Texas State Technical College has partnered with the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council to help create the newest addition to the Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden in Abilene.  Three metal panels of sculptural vines standing about 7 feet tall and titled “Cardinal Vines” will be added to the garden in 2020. On the vines will...

(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...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus held its annual Counselor Update on Friday to kick off the new year. “It just gives them a chance to see what is going on if they are new,” said Trey Pearson, TSTC’s North and Central Texas regional director for student recruitment. “For those...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Keeping students safe while welding is a top priority for Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology instructors. Philip Miller, an instructor in TSTC’s Welding Technology program in Marshall, said students learn about safety in the first couple of weeks each semester. Personal protection equipment is one of the most important topics covered....

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Alvaro and Andy Juarez have more than a family tie; they also share an alma mater and workplace. The brothers are graduates of Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus, and both have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology. Alvaro graduated in 2015 and Andy in 2017. “I feel...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program has completed an expansion just in time for the start of the fall semester on Aug. 31. Forty spacious welding booths have been built in an area once used by the Precision Machining Technology program. The welding area will be used by classes and also...

The apprenticeship program will have eight cohorts by 2022. (RED OAK, Texas) – Representatives of Texas State Technical College and Bombardier announced Wednesday the registration of the company’s apprenticeship program by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Bombardier Aviation Apprenticeship Program is based at TSTC’s North Texas campus in Red Oak. The program was announced...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Precision Machining Technology instructor Isaac Gonzalez has been teaching at Texas State Technical College for 10 years. Precision Machining Technology is an intense, hands-on program in which students learn skills such as precision measurement, blueprint reading and the heat treatment of metals, making them highly employable and work-ready from day one. Graduates...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Ben Massey began taking Aircraft Powerplant Technology classes at Texas State Technical College with no prior mechanical experience. Now nearing the end of his third semester in the program, Massey, of Tyler, is working toward an associate degree while also being employed at Eagle Aviation Services at the Abilene Regional Airport. He...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Travis Miller, of Georgetown, is happy to start the next stage in his professional life. He received this month an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology from Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus. “I could not be more excited to be learning and growing in the field,”...

Real-life experience valuable to learning for construction students (HARLINGEN, Texas) – Hands-on work with lumber is essential to Texas State Technical College’s Building Construction Technology program. And as students hammer, nail and saw to create a range of projects, program instructors are keeping an eye on the dollars and cents of lumber. “We use the...

(WACO, Texas) – Utex Industries Inc. in Houston has two Texas State Technical College graduates working daily to keep its employees safe. Michael Houlihan is the company’s health, safety and environmental – maintenance manager at the company’s Weimar plant, which makes high-pressure gaskets for the oil and gas fracking industry. Dawn Swofford is the corporate...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program is experiencing double the fun, times two. Alejandra and Galilea Puente, of Waco, and Sam and Tim Winters, of Colleyville, are students at Texas A&M University in College Station. The students are taking nine weeks of welding classes this summer at TSTC’s Waco campus as...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College in East Williamson County is hosting three Texas A&M University engineering students taking classes this summer. Jacob Algaze, Preston Hackney and Grant Stinson are taking nine weeks of classes in the TSTC Welding Technology program in Hutto. The students are part of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station’s...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Night owls who are good at math and excited about programming and technology are needed to fill machining jobs in East Texas. “Some companies are just looking for a well-rounded individual to work for them,” said Danny Nixon, lead instructor in Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program in Marshall. “One...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Trinity Ortiz, of Harlingen, gained hands-on mechanics knowledge during her teenage years when she assisted her father in his auto shop.  That passion led to her enrolling at Texas State Technical College’s campus in Harlingen and pursuing a certificate of completion in Auto Collision Refinishing.  In the past year, her father and...

(WACO, Texas) – Jonathon Houston, of Killeen, takes pride in his attention to detail, which comes in handy in his field of study. Houston is a fall candidate for graduation for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology at Texas State Technical College in Waco. “I like being hands-on and mechanically inclined;...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Luz Puente is something of a trailblazer. The San Benito resident is currently the sole female student in the Precision Machining Technology program at the Texas State Technical College campus in Harlingen. Before Puente enrolled, she had met with Precision Machining Technology instructors and toured the program. Its state-of-the-art lab equipment, especially...

Texas State Technical College alumnus Philip Saldana’s interest in automotive repair was piqued at a young age. That was the starting point that guided him toward a future career path. Saldana, of Harlingen, earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Auto Collision and Management Technology from TSTC’s Harlingen campus in December 2019. He furthered...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College has received two grants from the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling for Education (TRUE) Institutional Capacity Grants program for workforce training. The money is available through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. TSTC has received $129,987 to support the college’s statewide effort to expand industrial training opportunities by adding...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – After joyless experiences working in retail and restaurants, Joshua Reyes has finally found something he loves: welding. The Rosenberg resident will earn a certificate of completion this semester in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology program. Afterward, he looks to continue his studies and training to complete an Associate of Applied Science...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Valerie Robin, of Austin, grew up learning from her father how to do basic work on cars.  Now she is blazing her own path in Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program at the East Williamson County campus. Robin is the lone female in the program, working toward an associate degree...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) visited Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus Wednesday, March 23, experiencing firsthand the hands-on training that TSTC offers to students. “It’s incredible what TSTC is doing here on the Fort Bend campus and systemwide for our state and our country,” Kolkhorst said. “They are...

(ABILENE, Texas) – More than 200 high school students had the chance to interact with the latest technology during Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Technology Center open house on Friday, March 25. Students discussed career pathways with different instructors and learned about various services provided by TSTC. It was the first in-person open house at...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College is quickly becoming home to state-level welding competitions. The Texas FFA Area IV held its inaugural applied agricultural engineering career development event at TSTC’s Industrial Technology Center in Abilene earlier this month. Organizers said TSTC will continue to host the event on an annual basis. “This is the...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Twenty-one high school seniors committed to attending Texas State Technical College in West Texas during a National CTE (career and technical education) Signing Day ceremony that was held Thursday, April 14, at TSTC’s campus in Abilene. TSTC joined colleges across the country to spotlight students who commit to a technical education. With...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – Trenton Cowart has noticed a trend during his time in Texas State Technical College’s Welding Technology lab. Cowart said before he started the certificate of completion program last August, he had bad habits when it came to welding. He has been losing those habits while improving his skills before entering the workforce....

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Women are gradually changing the perception that driving commercial vehicles is for men only. Neiva Martinez, of Brownsville, is one of those women. She is making an impact in Texas State Technical College’s Workforce Training and Continuing Education Professional Driving Academy as the program’s first-ever female CDL (commercial driver’s license) trainer. “I...

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Maintenance and construction supervisors at Oncor Electric Delivery Co. know that Texas State Technical College provides the company with quality employees. During a recent employer spotlight, Jerry Murphree, a 42-year veteran of the company, told TSTC Electromechanical Technology and Wind Energy Technology students about the company’s benefits and job opportunities. Several students...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas State Technical College hosted Houston City Council member Sallie Alcorn as she toured the Fort Bend County campus and learned about its programs on Monday, Dec. 5. Alcorn was led by TSTC staff through many of the programs that are taught on campus, including Diesel Equipment Technology, Electrical Lineworker and Management...

(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – More than 200 students representing 40 high schools competed in welding competitions at three Texas State Technical College campuses earlier this month. The popularity of the competitions has grown since they began in 2020. The top seniors at the competitions, which have been held at TSTC campuses in Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater,...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – The Texas State Technical College Workforce Training and Continuing Education Maritime Welding program has helped train students since its inception in 2021. Individuals learn tough technical concepts during an eight-week period to prepare for the Texas workforce, and to alleviate concerns experienced in the welding industry. Students will learn components such as...

(HUTTO, Texas) – Several students from Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County campus attended the Spring 2023 Industry Job Fair on Tuesday, March 21, at TSTC’s Waco campus.  The event was spread out across the Waco campus to include the Col. James T. Connally Aerospace Center, the Industrial Technology Center, and the Murray Watson...

(ABILENE, Texas) – High school welders from North and West Texas recently competed at Texas State Technical College’s Abilene campus for the right to attend the Texas FFA Association’s agricultural and engineering career development championships. TSTC hosted the Texas FFA Area IV event, with the top three teams advancing to the state competition later this...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Highly skilled aircraft technicians are in short supply, and the aviation maintenance program at Texas State Technical College is training students in an effort to meet demand for them across Texas. According to a recent Aviation Technician Education Council Pipeline Report, the pandemic is estimated to have cost the industry at least...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – May is Military Appreciation Month, a good time to let military veterans know that Texas State Technical College can offer them an education to gain the skills they need for good-paying jobs. Dion Sosa, of Harlingen, is furthering his education at TSTC by pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Welding...

(WACO, Texas) – The Viega Roadshow made a stop on Wednesday, May 17, at Texas State Technical College’s Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology program. The roadshow, which began in February in Washington state, has already made Texas stops in Arlington, Austin, Dallas, Lubbock, McAllen and San Antonio. The roadshow is scheduled to run through at least...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – “The Industrial Systems program used to be sold as a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ program. In reality, we are teaching people to be experts in all technical fields.” So said Brian Weakley, lead instructor for the Industrial Systems program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus. Weakley has been teaching the program for...

(ABILENE, Texas) – It was during one of three tours in Iraq that U.S. Army veteran Joshua Hulseman picked up a welding torch for the first time. Now he is working to make welding a second career by studying for a certificate of completion in Welding Technology at Texas State Technical College. “My only experience...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Career Services department hosted three industry panel discussions for TSTC students on Wednesday, May 31. Company representatives spoke to students in the Industrial Systems, Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology programs. The panel discussions were held in the Industrial Technology Center on the Waco campus. Josh Beck, a...

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – With nearly every industry needing some form of machined part, gaining a degree in precision machining can lead to many open doors and high-paying careers. That is precisely what Texas State Technical College’s Precision Machining Technology program is designed to help students achieve. The program is structured to build knowledge from the...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Adrian Nacianceno’s education in Texas State Technical College’s Aviation Maintenance program has led to a promising career as an aircraft airframe and powerplant mechanic. Nacianceno, of Edinburg, developed an interest in the aviation field through a family friend. “Our friend worked as an aircraft mechanic for American Airlines in Fort Worth,” he...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Jesus Herrera will never forget when his young daughter was being treated in the intensive care unit at Valley Baptist Medical Center for a rare medical condition. His daughter improved, and the patient care provided by the nurses inspired Herrera to pursue an education in health care at Texas State Technical College’s...

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s statewide Industrial Systems – Mechanical Specialization program will have an enhanced curriculum beginning in the fall semester starting Monday, Aug. 28. The program has added classes in industrial electricity, print reading, welding and a second class focusing on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for students to take. “The additional...

(WACO, Texas) – Many welders work in challenging conditions. From confined spaces to fumes to light radiation, the workers need to heed federal and state safety guidelines. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 48 deaths and 100 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in 2020 among brazers, solderers and welders in the...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – There is a new generation of motivated women who are gaining the hands-on technical skills to fill vacated welding jobs, and that is what led Haylee Whitt to Texas State Technical College. Whitt, a native of California who now lives in Los Fresnos, has a career goal after she graduates from TSTC’s...

(WACO, Texas) – Almost 400 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus received associate degrees and certificates of completion at TSTC’s Fall 2023 Commencement held Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the BASE at Extraco Events Center in Waco. Jeffrey Williams, an instructor in the Industrial Systems program, said he was happy to have one of...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – More than 600 high school students and visitors toured Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus during TechXperience Day on Thursday, Feb. 29, to learn more about the technical career pathways and state-of-the-art technologies that the college offers. The participating schools included some from Donna, Edinburg, La Joya, McAllen, Mission, Monte Alto, Palmview,...

(MARSHALL, Texas) – Gladewater resident and single father Blake Edwards had a special request for senior enrollment coach Jason Beach when applying to attend Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus. “What I asked Jason for was the hardest program with the biggest potential,” Edwards said. “I was just looking for something to get me in...

(HUTTO, Texas) – More than 60 graduates from Texas State Technical College’s East Williamson County location received associate degrees or certificates of completion at TSTC’s Spring 2024 Commencement held Monday, April 22, at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Round Rock. “This is the most exciting graduation ceremony I have ever been part of in my...

  (HARLINGEN, Texas) – Some Texas State Technical College students from the Harlingen location medaled at the recent 2024 SkillsUSA Texas Postsecondary State Leadership and Skills Conference in Houston. Winning gold medals were Allison Agundiz, of Donna, in Welding Sculpture; Mohamed Deyab, of Harlingen, in Sheet Metal; Rene Garay Jr., of Brownsville, Matthew Muniz, of...

(WACO, Texas) – Several career and technical education counselors and teachers from throughout Texas learned about technical programs at Texas State Technical College’s second annual TECHcelerate conference held June 10-11 and 13-14. The conference’s purpose was to show how TSTC fits into building a strong Texas workforce. “I hope they take back basically to the...

(WACO, Texas) – Bill Martin and his son, Zander, see a lot of each other. The Martins live in Killeen and commute together to the Welding Technology program at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. They are both pursuing certificates of completion and are scheduled to graduate in August. “It makes it a lot easier,”...

(BROWNWOOD, Texas) – The nervousness began to disappear as Texas State Technical College students recently sharpened their interview skills. For the first time in several years, TSTC’s Career Services department hosted an Interview Practicum for students at the Brownwood campus. Local industry partners joined TSTC staff members in conducting practice interviews with students in the...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Eric Gonzalez, a Mechatronics Technology student at Texas State Technical College, recently began an internship with HGG Profiling Equipment Inc. in Houston. According to HGG Profiling Equipment’s website, hgg-group.com, the company designs and builds 3D profiling machines for a manufacturing process that uses advanced technology to cut three-dimensional forms on metal pipes,...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College honored 128 graduates during the Summer 2024 Commencement at the Abilene Convention Center on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Graduates from the Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood and Sweetwater campuses were awarded Associate of Applied Science degrees or certificates of completion by Andy Weaver, provost of the West Texas campuses. “Each of...

(RED OAK, Texas) – Some employees of Indiana-based Lippert Components Inc., which has locations in Texas, recently finished four weeks of workforce training at Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus. The 10-member cohort learned how to perform metal inert gas welding and flux core arc welding to test for 1G plate certification endorsed by...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Texas State Technical College and the South Texas Independent School District’s Science Academy in Mercedes have partnered to offer a dual credit program in Welding Technology. Classes, which are taught at the high school, started this semester. “The dual credit program pairs well with our hands-on approach to the engineering program of...

(ABILENE, Texas) – Construction of Texas State Technical College’s newest facility at Abilene’s Industrial Technology Center is on schedule. Bobby Copelin, TSTC’s construction project manager for campus expansion planning and construction, said plans are for the new campus building to be ready for students when the Fall 2025 semester begins. The new facility will house...

(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Brenda Valdez Prosise wanted a career change, and she found that pathway at Texas State Technical College. “I used to work in the accounting field and moved up doing several jobs, such as a clerk, data entry, bookkeeping, staff accountant and an escrow officer, for more than 20 years,” Valdez Prosise said....

(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Industry Job Fair is a time for current students to connect with employers. For two employers, it was time for them to give back to TSTC. Aaron Chavarria and Xavier Gomez, both 2016 TSTC graduates, spent Tuesday, Oct. 8, talking to current students about employment opportunities. Chavarria graduated...