(MARSHALL, Texas) – After working in swimming pool maintenance for almost 18 years, Johnathan Gaither discovered the Automation and Controls Technology program at Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus.
“I kind of came to a crossroads where I felt like I just wanted a change in career,” he said. “I enjoyed what I did, but I started my business over three different times, which is quite challenging and takes time. I thought it would be cool to program robots and possibly travel as a career.”
Gaither found that his experience in everything from electronic controllers to hydraulics to mechanical pumps provided him with a natural advantage after he enrolled in the program. He said returning to school at his age feels a bit intimidating, especially when surrounded by students who came to TSTC right out of high school.
“There are times you think, ‘What am I doing?’” Gaither said. “But that doesn’t last long. A lot of the time, it’s having the courage to keep on learning and going through and coming out the other side with a better perspective.”
Douglas Clark, an Automation and Controls Technology instructor at TSTC’s Marshall campus, has taken notice of Gaither’s learning capacity, calling him a standout student.
“Johnathan is serious about his education,” Clark said. “He is ready for class week after week and eager to learn. He is serious when he needs to be and lighthearted when not. He is not afraid to ask questions or for help in lectures and labs. I wish every student had these same qualities.”
Gaither balances his time between TSTC’s Automation and Controls program and a student worker position at the Marshall campus’s admissions building. He plans to receive his Associate of Applied Science degree in May 2026.
“TSTC means an opportunity to get an education that is a foundation for the rest of my life,” Gaither said.
According to onetonline.org, electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians earn an average of $59,940 per year in Texas, where the number of such jobs was projected to increase 12% from 2020 to 2030.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
