(SWEETWATER, Texas) – When Thomas Hall walks across the stage at the Texas State Technical College fall commencement on Dec. 5, he plans to take with him a lifetime of memories from his time at the school.
Hall is a candidate for graduation with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electromechanical Technology.
“You hear it all the time, but it is true — people in West Texas are so nice,” he said. “I learned a lot, and I am glad I came to school in Sweetwater.”
Hall, who is originally from Granger, said he was researching TSTC’s Wind Energy Technology program when he noticed the Electromechanical Technology tab on the college’s website.
“I scheduled a tour and was ready to begin,” he said.
Hall said many of his instructors, including Arnoldo Soto, have left a positive impression on him. When asked what his best experiences in the program were, several came to mind.
“I really enjoyed the industrial automation troubleshooting class with Gary Blake,” he said. “He would always find a way to mess with us to make the assignment harder. That made all of us better at troubleshooting.”
Another was the camaraderie after class.
“We would hang around and talk to Arnoldo and other instructors,” he said. “You would not get that at many colleges. TSTC is proud of its style of teaching students. It is like a family environment.”
Hall said he made lifelong friends with his classmates, who will also graduate this semester.
“It was very competitive,” he said. “We all tried to be the fastest and best. It helped us improve our skills. We wanted to be successful together.”
Hall offered incoming students some advice.
“First, keep up with the work,” he said. “Secondly, come in with an open mind because everyone on campus wants you to succeed.”
Soto, who is now the program team lead for Electromechanical Technology, spent time teaching Hall and sees him as someone who will succeed.
“Thomas is the true leader of this class,” Soto said.
Hall said after he graduates his plan is to return to the family ranch in Granger to operate it alongside his older brothers.
“I want to further my career in agriculture,” he said. “My brothers said I will be doing all of the electrical work and troubleshooting for them.”
Soto said Hall will be successful through the skills he has learned at TSTC.
“I know that he will do well in this career if he decides to leave his family’s ranching business,” he said.
According to onetonline.org, the need for electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in Texas was forecast to increase 14% between 2020 and 2030. The website stated that the median salary for these technicians in the state is $64,220.
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and certificates of completion in Electromechanical Technology exclusively at the Sweetwater campus.
Registration for TSTC’s spring semester is underway. To learn more, visit tstc.edu.
