(HARLINGEN, Texas) – After spending years working atop wind turbines and inside their nacelles, Marcelo Davila realized that he wanted more than just to maintain the machines — he was driven by a curiosity to truly understand how they function.
“I’ve enjoyed tinkering with objects since I was young and as an adult,” he said. “When I worked on the nacelles of wind turbines at my previous job, my interest grew more. A nacelle is considered the ‘brain’ of a wind turbine. It holds the elements that convert wind into electrical energy. I found out some younger guys who live in my neighborhood are taking classes in the Wind Energy Technology program at Texas State Technical College. I decided to sign up as well.”
Davila, who is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in the Wind Energy program, said his transition to the college has been worthwhile.
“Our instructors are teaching us how to troubleshoot, understand proper wiring connections and write schematics,” he said.
Mario Sanchez is one of Davila’s instructors at TSTC.
“Marcelo’s prior experience working with nacelles gave him a better understanding of how a wind turbine operates,” he said. “With his training at TSTC, he’s taken those skills to the next level.”
Davila said he has one goal in particular that he wants to accomplish in the renewable energy field.
“I would like to become a supervisor one day,” he said. “This goal is not just for me. It’s also for my children so they can have a better future. I’m blessed by what the college has been able to do for me.”
According to onetonline.org, the need for wind turbine service technicians in Texas was forecast to increase 64% from 2022 to 2032. The average annual salary for a technician in the state is $61,790, according to the website.
TSTC’s Wind Energy program offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and a certificate of completion at the Harlingen and Sweetwater campuses.
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.