(BRECKENRIDGE, Texas) – Since his junior year at Breckenridge High School, Thomas Dittmar has been planning a career as a welder.
“I knew then that I wanted to learn a trade,” the Texas State Technical College Welding Technology graduate said.
Dittmar received a certificate of completion during last month’s commencement and plans to move to Abilene to begin his career.
“Thomas has been committed to getting better,” said Jacob Gonzales, one of Dittmar’s instructors at the Breckenridge campus. “He has always been determined to get the job done correctly.”
Dittmar said his instructors, Gonzales and Leroy Brigman, pushed him to become a better welder.
“Jacob knows what he is talking about when it comes to welding, and Leroy is an amazing person to be an instructor,” he said.
Dittmar said the instructors offered him advice while also helping him improve his skills.
“I was able to learn a lot of new techniques that I did not know anything about,” he said.
One of those techniques was one that focuses on a certain type of material.
“I did not know how to properly do pipe welding,” he said. “I think now that I have some practice in, I am pretty decent at it.”
To help himself, Dittmar spent extra time in the lab honing his craft.
“I know that I cannot be late to class, but I also like to come in on my off days and get in some extra work,” he said. “What I have liked the most is meeting people from Breckenridge that I did not know before.”
While Dittmar said he is still searching for a job, he said eventually he would like to open his own business. He credits TSTC’s Career Services department for preparing him for the job search.
“They work well with all of us to know what to expect during the job interview,” he said.
According to onetonline.org, welders can earn a yearly median salary of more than $49,000 in Texas. Welding jobs were expected to increase 11% between 2022 and 2032 in the state, according to the website.
Registration for TSTC’s summer and fall semesters is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.