(MARSHALL, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Marshall campus is getting ready for the upcoming fall semester, when the college’s Building Construction Technology program will open in East Texas.
David Wines, a Building Construction Technology instructor at the Waco campus for three years, came to TSTC with almost 20 years of residential construction experience. Recently he clarified some common misconceptions about the program and the construction industry itself.
What are some common misconceptions about the Building Construction Technology program?
People don’t realize how much money you can make in the field. I think people think of a construction worker as an hourly laborer, but in the construction field there’s a variety of things you can do.
What kinds of positions are available to the program’s graduates?
There’s a variety of positions. At our job fairs, we have companies that do testing, then you have construction companies where you’re actually out there working. You also have stuff like assistant superintendents, estimators, project engineers — some types of jobs where you’re not actually out in the field.
What are some common misconceptions about the construction industry?
People think that you don’t need any type of education to get started in it. The education helps you start out on a higher level and gives you the opportunity to grow faster. Some think they have to go to a four-year school to make this type of money, but with our program you can make pretty good money in less than two years.
What is the reality of these misconceptions?
I see an opportunity to make a six-digit salary with a two-year degree. The reality is that we have employers contacting us all the time saying they need graduates, they need these workers. I always tell (students) it’s a great time to be a person that wants to work.
How does TSTC’s Building Construction program differ from construction programs offered by other schools?
Everything we do, you’re going to go out there and get your hands on the different tools. You’re going to actually have experience doing it, you’re not just going to look at it. All of us (instructors) have multiple years of experience in the field, and we’re going to give you what we learned in the field, what we know employers are looking for.
Registration for TSTC’s summer and fall semesters is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
