(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Dependability, punctuality and independence are values Cynthia Esquivel embraced long before she entered a Texas State Technical College lab.
The lessons she learned from working alongside her father and brothers at different construction jobs inspired her decision to study for an associate’s degree in Building Construction at TSTC’s Harlingen campus.
“The construction field fascinates me, thanks to my father,” Esquivel said. “(He) taught me the importance of being dependable and on time.”
She added that TSTC offered the career pathway she was looking for.
“TSTC is affordable, close to home, and the staff has helped me so I can concentrate on my studies,” she said.
Esquivel said the hands-on training has energized her to learn more about the trade.
“The instructors have taught us the correct ways to use tools and operate equipment,” she said. “An assignment we recently did involved building a base floor.”
Ray Rodriguez, a Building Construction instructor, praised Esquivel’s approach to learning.
“Cynthia thrives in a hands-on environment,” he said. “(She) works safely and collaborates well with her classmates during labs, where safety, quality and productivity are the top expectations in our program.”
The La Villa native said she also overcame one of her educational weaknesses.
“Mathematics has always been a challenge for me,” she said. “Our assignments require plenty of it from precise measurements to verifying elevation.”
Esquivel said her first semester at TSTC has shaped her perspective.
“Learning more about the construction trade has given me a sense of responsibility,” she said. “I developed a passion for this trade and I look forward to growing my skills.”
First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers in Texas earn an average annual salary of $73,420, according to onetonline.org. The number of these positions is forecast to grow by 13% through 2032, the website stated
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Building Construction and a certificate of completion in Building Construction – Craftsman at its Harlingen, Marshall, New Braunfels, Sweetwater and Waco campuses.
Registration for the spring semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.