TSTC program prepares students for occupational safety careers in any industry

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Almost any industry, from retail and medical to construction and manufacturing, needs to comply with safety and environmental standards. These standards help protect people as well as the earth from dangerous situations and materials.

The Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance program at Texas State Technical College provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a career in this important field.

One such student, Luke Awton, a native of Rosenberg, is working toward his certificate of completion in the program and hopes to graduate before the end of the year.

“Some of my counselors and friends recommended (TSTC),” he said. “I think employees should be treated well, and this course helps highlight that, which is why I chose it.”

Awton has grown to love both the college and the program, describing both as the best education he has ever received. While currently he is not looking for a specific job, he does want to find one that he enjoys going to each day, a goal that he believes is possible.

Andrea Skinner-Creeks, lead instructor of the program at the Fort Bend County campus, seconds that belief.

“My students don’t have trouble landing jobs,” Skinner-Creeks said. “There is no specific industry they have to go into. This course is enough to earn a job for the rest of your life.”

The versatility of applicable career paths after graduation is one of the selling points of the program. Because every industry has safety standards and compliance requirements, the choice is open for students to find what they want to do most.

“I pitch this program from the perspective a lot of people don’t think of,” Skinner-Creeks said. “What if it was you or your son or daughter working in an unsafe work environment? This program helps you learn how to stay safe.”

TSTC offers Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance at its Abilene, Fort Bend County and Waco locations. An Associate of Applied Science degree and certificates of completion are available.

Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, visit tstc.edu.