(HARLINGEN, Texas) – U.S. Army veteran Gavin Almeida spent eight years working as a mechanic at Fort Cavazos in Killeen, Fort Campbell in Kentucky, and overseas in Korea and Romania, which led him to pursue an automotive education at Texas State Technical College.
“I was introduced to automotive repair at a young age by my father, who has worked as a mechanic in New York,” Almeida said. “The first thing (he) taught me was how to patch a hole in a tire.”
After his transition to civilian life, Almeida began searching for a job to provide for his family.
“I did an online search for some transportation companies that had a job posting for a mechanic,” he said. “I proceeded to take an aptitude test for one company and learned that my automotive knowledge needed improvement. My brother-in-law suggested I consider pursuing the Automotive Technology program at TSTC.”
Now Almeida is studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in the program at TSTC’s Harlingen campus.
“I’m learning the same things I did in the military, but about civilian automobiles,” he said. “Following the steps I read on a computer to diagnose a vehicle has been challenging, but I’m adapting.”
Students who enroll in the Automotive Technology program this fall will benefit from an expanded curriculum with new resources, which will give them an advantage while they prepare for careers as automotive technicians in the workforce.
Instructor Leo Tamez said the program can tailor its lessons to help students like Almeida who have previous automotive experience.
“Gavin can build on his existing skills while he’s introduced to the latest tools and systems that are being used in the industry,” Tamez said.
Almeida said his goal is to have a well-rounded skill set.
“I want to be proficient in several areas on a professional level,” he said.
The need for qualified automotive service technicians and mechanics is expected to grow in Texas over the next several years. According to onetonline.org, Texas employs more than 55,000 of these technicians around the state, and that number was forecast to top 61,000 by 2030. The average annual salary for a technician in the state is $46,800.
In Automotive Technology, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and several certificates of completion at the Harlingen, Sweetwater and Waco campuses. It will be available at the Fort Bend County campus this fall.
To learn more about TSTC’s Automotive Technology program, go to tstc.edu/automotive.
