(HUTTO, Texas) – Because tech is booming in Austin, Texas State Technical College is growing its programs to keep pace.
This fall, TSTC’s East Williamson County campus will add Computer Networking and Systems Administration (CNS) to its list of programs offered in Hutto.
Instructors Eric Jackson and Stuart McLennan are getting ready to welcome the new students.
Jackson described the CNS program as preparing students for a hands-on profession that manages hardware and cables, and keeps networks running.
“If you have aspirations to be a network engineer, network operations center analyst or architect, then CNS would be a great fit,” Jackson said.
The program will be offered in three formats: online, performance-based and hybrid. Students will choose which method best fits their needs without sacrificing their learning experience.
“Recorded classes are the same across TSTC, statewide.” McLennan said. “The assigned instructor is still an East Williamson County instructor for grading and questions, even if the (lecture) recording is (done by) someone else.”
Students will be required to build a computer as a lab project during their first semester in the program.
“We have all of the parts the students need for all of the labs on campus, for free. It is up to them if they want to come in and use those resources with live instructors, or would rather buy the parts to do it at home and ask questions through chat,” McClennan said.
A new graduate can expect to work in entry-level tech support positions, such as help desk positions assisting people with email access or internet connection troubles.
The average annual salary for network and computer systems administrators in Texas is $92,360, according to onetonline.org. The website also showed that the need for these specialists in the state was forecast to grow 20% between 2020 and 2030.
Students can choose to pursue an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Networking and Systems Administration, certificates of completion in IT Support Tier 1 and IT Support Tier II, and an advanced technical certificate in Cloud Computing.
Registration continues for the fall semester at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
