(WACO, Texas) – Jasmine Watch, of Dallas, graduated in 2021 from Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical Power and Controls. She now works in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for Oncor Electric Delivery, where she is an electrical design associate.
How did you decide to major in Electrical Power and Controls?
Someone close to me had me sit down with their brother-in-law, who was very knowledgeable about different technical programs. He advised me to choose Electrical Power and Controls due to the growth and opportunities. I wanted a career change and chose the program. The faculty were warm, welcoming and proud of their industry. I took that as a sign of things to come.
How did you go about finding your current position?
Oncor has had a pretty solid relationship with TSTC in terms of recruitment. When they announced their interview dates, I signed up as soon as possible. They appreciated my answers, tone and my approach to the mathematical side. I was hired by the distribution design department toward the end of the summer 2021 semester.
What is a typical workday like for you?
Right now I am in training, but typically a designer is assigned jobs either from customer requests or management. You Google and site-check the job in question. From there, you design the facilities, estimate costs and package it for the line crew. It sounds simple enough, but it is a customer service-heavy job and requires constant communication with your superiors and the line crew.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I am learning about connectivity and how that affects design. It is making sure that your design does not disrupt the flow of power, and if it inadvertently does, you correct the issue before it is constructed.
Why should more women pursue the Electrical Power and Controls field?
It is noble work that can bring good pay and friendships. The technicians and engineers are passionate about the industry and have a wealth of wisdom to share.
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical Power and Controls at the Abilene, Fort Bend County, North Texas and Waco campuses.
The Electrical Power and Controls program is part of TSTC’s Money-Back Guarantee. Students in their first semester are eligible to sign up for free with campus Career Services representatives. Students are able to take part in workshops in which they learn about resume writing, interview techniques and other employment skills. Students who are not hired in their field within six months after graduation may be eligible to get a tuition refund for their time at TSTC.
During the month of March, TSTC is honoring women in history and on its campuses who work to make strides in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields every day.
For more information, go to tstc.edu.
