(MARSHALL, Texas) – When Navy veteran Kyle Axe started working as a property manager for his aunt and uncle at their real estate company, they encouraged him to pursue a college degree.
“I’ve always been interested in art, and I wanted to make that a career of some kind,” Axe said. “And all the while I’ve always been doing construction jobs or building houses. One day it occurred to me: What if I combined them together?”
Axe enrolled in the Drafting and Design program at Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus, where he plans to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Architectural/Civil Drafting Technology.
Axe said he has discovered a new passion for learning.
“I think a big reward for me is the ability to admit that I don’t know something and be excited by the prospect of not knowing it,” he said. “Because figuring something out and learning new things is very enticing.”
Axe is balancing his education with his work at his aunt and uncle’s company. He said he plans to continue working for them after he graduates.
“I’d like to keep building houses, and with an architectural degree, maybe I could help build houses without having to actually do the labor part,” Axe said with a laugh.
Axe said he believes that TSTC is a good fit for military veterans since it offers technical training.
“I think, coming from the military, a large portion of the people’s jobs are already facilitated for a technical transition,” he said.
According to onetonline.org, architectural and civil drafters earn an average of $58,540 per year in Texas, where the number of such jobs was projected to increase 15% from 2020 to 2030.
Drafting and Design is available at TSTC’s Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas and Waco campuses, as well as online. The program offers several Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates of completion.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
