(ABILENE, Texas) – Daniel Diaz is proud of his Industrial Systems students, both past and present.
The Texas State Technical College instructor has seen nearly all of his graduates get jobs in Texas, and he has observed the skills of new students improve as they progress. Diaz is excited about the new students who began this fall and is anticipating good-paying jobs for the next group of graduates.
“If we could get 100 students in here, we could graduate all 100 of them and get them a good job,” he said. “I love what we have with the new group of students that started this semester.”
The new students include some recent high school graduates.
“They are really eager to learn the trades,” Diaz said of the younger students. “Just like all of our other students, I am excited to see what they will do.”
What the students will be learning over the next few months is a variety of trades. Diaz and fellow instructor Terry Steelman are teaching students to work in the industrial maintenance field.
“Everyone needs maintenance, no matter where you are,” he said. “We teach our students what they need to do to be successful in industrial maintenance. We really are the jack-of-all-trades program.”
Students learn the skills needed to repair and maintain hydraulic systems, pneumatic equipment, conveyor systems, and electrical and mechanical controls, as well as learning welding.
Alfred Rodriguez, a current student and TSTC graduate of Diesel Equipment Technology, knew immediately that he wanted to enroll in Industrial Systems.
“I have found something I really like doing, and that is working on equipment,” said Rodriguez, who is working on an Associate of Applied Science degree. “A lot of the things I learned in diesel are carrying over to this program. Industrial Systems is just a little more in-depth when it comes to working on things.”
Diaz said graduates work on every element in a facility, and he constantly sees job postings around the state.
“Everyone needs us when it comes to maintenance,” he said. “We make things go.”
The need for industrial machinery mechanics will increase over the next few years. According to onetonline.org, such positions are expected to grow by 13% in Texas by 2028. The average salary for an industrial machinery mechanic in Texas is $54,980, according to the website.
At its Abilene campus, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Systems – Mechanical Specialization and a certificate of completion in Industrial Systems Mechanic.
Industrial Systems is one of nine programs at TSTC that have money-back guarantees. The college’s commitment to students is simple: If they do not have a job in their field within six months of graduation, they will receive a full refund of their tuition. For more information on the money-back guarantee program, visit https://www.tstc.edu/admissions/tuition/.
For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
