(WACO, Texas) – Holley Jeffrey, of Waller, is an Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance student at Texas State Technical College’s Waco campus. She is scheduled to graduate later this year.
Jeffrey is also president of the campus chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).
What factored into your decision to attend TSTC?
After attending two other colleges that were not the right fit for me, I wanted to try a technical college that would get me graduated in two years. The environment and the instructors here are so safe and helpful that I went from attending half a semester at the other two colleges to being in my fourth semester at TSTC.
Why did you choose your program of study?
I chose to study Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance because I grew up with a father interested in safety and a mother who loved the environment and keeping the earth clean. Combining these made for a perfect career choice for me as a safety and environmental compliance officer.
What is ASSP?
The ASSP is the safety society for workers in the occupational safety and health fields. The organization is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training.
I became student chapter president in summer 2022. The ASSP student chapter is a great resource for safety students because the ASSP Foundation gives out grants and scholarships, has a community of safety professionals to network with, (and has) SafetyFOCUS meetings and fundraisers we attend.
Why should more women pursue your field of study?
More women should definitely pursue the program. I have been the only female in most of my classes. I am involved in the Women in Safety Excellence Common Interest Group as an ASSP member. The group focuses on women in the safety and compliance field and encourages continuing education, mentoring and networking.
What are your plans after graduation?
I have three agencies and companies I have already applied for. I would love to work for any of the companies and eventually work my way up to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Occupational health and safety specialists in Texas can make a yearly median salary of more than $75,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine website. Among occupational health and safety specialists, more than 70 percent are men and 30 percent are women, according to Zippia.com, a career expert website.
TSTC’s Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance program offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and an occupational skills achievement award.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
