(SWEETWATER, Texas) – Texas State Technical College has a goal of helping military veterans transition into the workforce.
Two such veterans are completing their final semester in TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program this semester and are ready to get into the field.
U.S. Navy veteran Curtis Kelley, of Austin, worked as an electrician while serving our country and is working toward an associate degree. He found TSTC’s program while searching online for colleges with wind energy programs.
“I was looking at different trade schools and came across TSTC, and it hit me to look at it even more,” he said. “I have really enjoyed the program, and I am really excited to be back in the lab.”
Kelley said veterans should look into the programs at TSTC.
“TSTC is a great school if veterans are looking to follow a similar path they had in the service,” he said. “If it is not something you may not know about, TSTC has programs worth looking at.”
While Kelley has not put out job feelers at this time, he knows the instructors are the best contacts to have.
“They know this industry and will help us when the time comes to find a job,” he said.
U.S. Air Force veteran Lawrence Bowman said he always had an interest in how wind turbines work. He also found TSTC through an internet search.
“I picked TSTC because of the hands-on approach it offered,” he said. “I knew there would be a lot of online work, but it was the work in the labs that grabbed my attention.”
Like Kelley, Bowman, who is originally from Pennsylvania, said he would recommend TSTC to fellow veterans.
“TSTC is a fast-track school and will get you back in the field,” he said. “I know some veterans do not want to spend four years in school, so this is perfect.”
Bowman also said many veterans with mechanical backgrounds would benefit from TSTC’s programs.
“People who work in this field will find a program that fits their style,” he said.
Bowman said he does not have a preference of where he finds a job after earning his associate degree.
“Being in the Air Force, I am used to moving around. I could end up overseas, but we have to see what happens,” he said.
For more information on how TSTC can help veterans, visit https://tstc.edu/veterans.
