(MARSHALL, Texas) – Some of Texas State Technical College’s industry partners flocked to the Marshall campus to witness the ribbon-cutting for the new Diesel Power Technologies Center on Tuesday, May 13.
“There’s still more need for what we produce than what we can hold,” Bart Day, provost of TSTC’s Marshall campus, said. “The answer is to grow. The Texas Legislature recognized that need during the 87th session in 2021 and awarded TSTC with over $300 million to do just that. This facility we sit in today is worth about $14.5 million of that investment.”
The 21,720-square-foot center houses $2.6 million worth of training equipment. Several industry partners in attendance, including HOLT CAT and Bagley Tractor & Equipment, contributed equipment to the facility.
The ceremony marked TSTC Chancellor Mike Reeser’s first visit to the new center.
“When I looked at the information published by the (Texas Higher Education) Coordinating Board, our school produces between 40% and 50% of all the diesel technicians in Texas,” Reeser said. “It’s no surprise that the Legislature said they were going to bet on those who have already brought the game.”
Construction and engineering company Kiewit recently partnered with TSTC’s Marshall campus to help meet its growing demand for skilled diesel mechanics. Eric Hornsby, the company’s heavy-haul operations manager, said the amount of training equipment at the new facility is a huge benefit for companies looking to hire TSTC graduates.
“This is a very nice facility,” Hornsby said. “It’s definitely one of the best in the state of Texas and probably in the United States of America.”
Jonathan Acuna, a Diesel Equipment Technology student at the Marshall campus, began his time with the TSTC program in its old building, the Transportation Technology Center. As someone who dreams of being a mechanic, he had nothing but good things to say about the new facility.
“We come in here and look around, and we see big Caterpillar machines and there’s still plenty of room to bring in even bigger machinery,” Acuna said. “The teacher has to slow us down because we want to grab the new big, shiny engines. It makes it more exciting to come here.”
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.