(ABILENE, Texas) – They picked up notepads, pens and stress relievers. But for more than 260 Texas State Technical College students, they left with something more important: industry contact information.
Representatives from more than 60 industries, including digital transformation, health care, manufacturing, power and construction, technical services and transportation, attended the spring Industry Job Fair on Tuesday, March 18, at the Industrial Technology Center in Abilene. Students from TSTC’s four West Texas campuses were happy with who they were able to talk to.
“This has been a really helpful event for me,” Josh Diaz, a Welding Technology student in Brownwood, said. “The people are very talkative, which has given me other ideas about possible careers after welding.”
His classmate, Stevie Ramirez, found one such career that he might pursue.
“I am surprised by the number of HVAC jobs there are and how in demand they can be,” he said. “After I finish my time in welding, I could look at that as a second career.”
Industry representatives said the students presented themselves in a professional manner.
“Everyone who has visited our booth has been genuinely interested in what we have to offer,” Ely Mize, of waste solutions company Republic Services, said.
Lewis Rodarte, a talent acquisition specialist at Shannon Medical Center, saw a common trait among the students.
“They are all enthusiastic about the profession they have chosen,” he said. “We have been to multiple job fairs, and the students here know what they want to do as a career.”
TSTC’s Career Services department organizes the job fairs in the fall and spring semesters for the college’s alumni and students. Many students work with that team to prepare resumes and learn job interview skills. Students are able to showcase those skills during the job fair.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
