(ROSENBERG, Texas) – After spending 28 years in the chemical manufacturing industry as a safety specialist, Hari Pillai was looking for a change of pace. Having taught a few courses on safety while working at UTHealth Houston, he knew he had a passion for teaching.
During his job search, he was pulled toward Texas State Technical College, where recently he started teaching Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance at the Fort Bend County campus.
“One thing that attracted me to TSTC is the practical experience being provided to the students,” Pillai said. “When I went to school, it was all theory, and I didn’t even know what job to apply for upon graduation. That isn’t the case for the kids here.”
Having worked with a number of different companies during his career, Pillai hopes to share that wealth of experience with his students. From identifying hazards to controlling them and keeping employees safe, the lessons he teaches will help shape the future of his students’ careers.
“The most unique aspect of this career field is the responsibility,” Pillai said. “The students here will be going out to protect the employee population. They will be responsible not for machines, but for people.”
Pillai began his career by earning his master’s in environmental technology from the New York Institute of Technology. After moving to Houston in 2005, he began working for oil and gas companies, including Worldwide Oilfield Machine, where he spent nearly a decade as an environmental specialist.
“I found myself at a point in my career where I wanted to teach,” Pillai said. “This job lets me share the wealth of experience I have with the safety officers of the future.”
The average annual salary for occupational health and safety technicians in Texas is $51,230, according to onetonline.org. The website showed that the need for these specialists in the state was forecast to grow 22% between 2020 and 2030.
At TSTC, students can choose to pursue an Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance, and certificates of completion in Occupational Safety and in Environmental Compliance. The program is available at the Abilene, Fort Bend County and Waco campuses.
Registration continues for the fall semester at TSTC. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
