TSTC Instrumentation Technology students confident in job market

(WACO, Texas) – Michael Mims, of Big Spring, already has a job that he will start after he walks across the stage at Texas State Technical College’s graduation ceremony in May.

Mims is a candidate for graduation for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Instrumentation Technology. He has accepted an automation specialist position at Texas Automation Systems in Grand Prairie.

“It took a little bit of time (for employers) to get back with me,” Mims said. “After three weeks, I had a ton of people calling me back.”

He said graduates with instrumentation degrees have the flexibility to work in several industries, including chemical production, water treatment, and oil and gas.

Heath Martin, lead instructor in TSTC’s Instrumentation Technology program, said he is proud of the 100 percent job placement rate for graduates in the last three semesters. The program is expected to have 11 graduates for the spring semester.

“I expect every one of these guys to have a job or an offer by graduation,” Martin said.

He said companies are contacting the program looking for multiple numbers of graduates at a time to hire. Martin said some of the companies that have hired past graduates include Citgo, INEOS Group Ltd., Prime Controls, and S&B Engineers.

“It speaks to the quality of the students and the program,” he said.

Nicholas Lang, of Robinson, is scheduled to graduate in May with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Instrumentation Technology. He said his father, who works in the instrumentation field in Corpus Christi, has been an influence in his future career choice.

Lang recently attended TSTC’s Spring 2023 Industry Job Fair on the Waco campus and said he asked companies interested in Instrumentation Technology graduates about the work they did. He said he learned that a lot of the companies were looking for design experience. Meanwhile, he said he has sent out about 40 resumes in the last few days to companies with job openings.

“I want to try to get in there and learn everything,” he said about his future workplace.

Alejandro Recendez, of Round Rock, is scheduled to graduate in the summer with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Instrumentation Technology. He came to TSTC after having worked in electrical construction and learned about the instrumentation field after befriending workers at Samsung Austin Semiconductor.

Recendez said he has had three job interviews so far. He said he wants to begin as an instrumentation technician and gain experience to move later into program design or management.

Recendez said students interested in the instrumentation field should not be afraid of hands-on work.

“Just be curious and be open to learn about new stuff,” he said.

Calibration and instrumentation technicians in Texas make an average yearly salary of more than $55,000, according to Zippia.com, a career expert website. There will be a need for more than 12,700 calibration technologists and technicians in Texas in 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET OnLine website. 

TSTC’s Spring 2023 Commencement will be at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, at the BASE at Extraco Events Center at 4401 Bosque Blvd. in Waco.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.