(MARSHALL, Texas) – A conversation with an integrator opened Brice Trejo’s eyes to the world of automation, inspiring him to enroll in Texas State Technical College’s Automation and Controls program to take his three-year maintenance career in a new direction.
“I wanted more responsibility; I wanted to be more involved with the machines,” he said.
Trejo, of Lindale, said the new concepts he is learning can sometimes be difficult to grasp, but his confidence in his future job prospects has increased. He currently balances his studies while he raises three children and works part-time in Tyler.
“My wife and kids, they understand what I’m trying to do, so that makes it easier,” Trejo said. “Right now, (TSTC) means a lot to me. It means a better future for myself and being able to provide for my family.”
Troy Powledge, an Automation and Controls instructor at TSTC’s Marshall campus, called Trejo an inquisitive and engaged student who always goes the extra mile.
“Brice is an exceptional student with an insatiable desire to learn,” Powledge said. “He is the first to class and the last to leave and always has very deep and insightful questions. Brice usually enhances each lab he completes with additional components to further engrain his knowledge of the material.”
Trejo plans to earn his associate degree in TSTC’s Automation and Controls program next year. When asked about career prospects, he said he is interested in becoming an integrator like the one who inspired him.
“I like working in different places with different machines,” Trejo said. “You’re not just waiting for a machine to break; you’re going to the problem. That’s what I would prefer the most.”
According to onetonline.org, robotics technicians earn a median salary of $64,450 in Texas, where the number of these jobs was projected to grow 4% between 2022 and 2032.
For more information, go to tstc.edu.