(HARLINGEN, Texas) – The architectural drafting and design classes that Arumi Hernandez took at Harlingen High School sparked her interest in continuing the same career pathway at Texas State Technical College.
“I was intrigued by the assignments we did, which were different designs of buildings,” she said of her high school classes. “I wanted to expand my knowledge and learn more.”
Now Hernandez is studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology at TSTC’s Harlingen campus.
“I’ve enjoyed the challenge that each software program offers because my degree plan encompasses civil, mechanical and architectural design,” she said. “The program has definitely prepared me for what I can expect in the drafting field.”
Miguel Loya is one of Hernandez’s instructors at TSTC.
“Arumi has been working with the piping software program Plant 3D,” he said. “It’s a complex program, and she has adapted to it very well. It will work to her advantage in the workforce.”
Hernandez talked about a recent assignment that was particularly challenging.
“Our instructors asked us to design a commercial two-story building,” she said. “I had to figure out which flooring and which structure type to use to ensure it would be stable for the second floor. The instructors made sure I understood the correct placement for a plumbing wall, how to design a staircase in relation to the floor, and the proper location for an elevator in alignment with the floor. I appreciate their guidance because it made sense after I completed it.”
According to onetonline.org, architectural and civil drafters earn an average salary of $58,540 in Texas, where the number of such jobs was projected to increase 15% between 2020 and 2030.
In Drafting and Design, TSTC offers Associate of Applied Science degrees in Architectural/Civil Drafting Technology, Architectural Design and Engineering Graphics Technology, and Engineering Graphics and Design Technology, as well as several certificates of completion.
Registration continues for the spring semester at TSTC. To learn more, go to tstc.edu.
