(HUTTO, Texas) – While some people in Texas spend 100-degree days by the pool, many Texas State Technical College students spend those days training for industry conditions in advanced courses.
“Every course offered at TSTC’s Williamson County campus during this summer session is an advanced course,” said Kay Lehman, program team lead for HVAC Technology and Welding Technology at the campus. “The students will push their skills further with more focused instruction and realistic conditions to better prepare them for their industries.”
Seth Leger is pursuing a certificate of completion in HVAC Technology at TSTC’s Williamson County campus. He said he treats the program like a second job.
“I’ve been here every day of the first week,” Leger said. “I plan to be in the lab every class day for the summer to stay on top of the work and build my skills.”
Paulina Maldonado returned to the Welding Technology program for the summer session after a semester break. She said the break was based on the curriculum and the skills she wanted to focus on.
“I wanted to do the Advanced Processes specialization, and it wasn’t offered in the spring, so I took the semester off,” she said. “I’m excited to be back, and it feels great to be welding again, even if it is 100 degrees.”
Brandon Cernosek, a Welding Technology instructor, said the welding lab is realistic training for a jobsite.
“The lab temperature is the same as the high temperature for the day,” Cernosek said. “When the students work in the field, there won’t be air conditioning to make things comfortable when it’s hot outside.”
TSTC’s Williamson County campus hosts six programs: Advanced Machining Technology – Industrial Systems, Computer Networking and Systems Administration, Cybersecurity, HVAC Technology, Precision Machining Technology and Welding Technology. The campus is in Hutto at the East Williamson County Higher Education Center.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.