Brothers inspired to master plumbing at TSTC

When winter storm Uri swept across Texas in February 2021, Daniel and Fernando Ochoa were alarmed when the pipes in their parent’s home froze and burst. With no plumbing knowledge to solve the problem themselves – and after a contractor failed to do the job correctly – the experience became a turning point in the brothers lives.

The sound of cracking pipes in the middle of a Texas freeze was not just an emergency for the Ochoa family. It was the moment Daniel and Fernando would be introduced to the beginnings of their future. Fernando was only 14 and Daniel was 19, and like many families in the Rio Grande Valley, they were unprepared for the severity of the storm. Neither the brothers nor their father knew how to repair the damage.

When the pipes finally burst, they lost the ability to shower, flush toilets, wash clothes, or use water for anything else. The family watched helplessly, unable to fix the problem on their own. Their father ultimately paid a significant amount to hire a contractor to repair the pipes and bathroom. But when the job was finished, the family was disappointed with the contractor’s work.

What was supposed to be a simple restoration became something more: a powerful reminder of the value of learning a trade – and being able to do the work themselves.

“After our dad spent that large amount of money, the work didn’t seem right,” Daniel said. “It wasn’t what we expected.”

A College Advisor’s Visit Changed Everything

During high school, Fernando took a welding dual enrollment class through Texas State Technical College (TSTC) at Harlingen High School South. By his senior year, he was carefully considering which trade to pursue in college. That’s when a TSTC admissions advisor visited his school with a message that immediately caught his attention: TSTC’s Harlingen campus would be launching a Plumbing and Pipefitting program in the fall.

Fernando instantly remembered the winter freeze his family had endured. That’s when he knew he would pursue the trade at TSTC.

“I didn’t want my family to go through that again,” Fernando said. “I wanted to understand how plumbing worked and how to fix things the right way.”

Fernando took the next step the following April when he attended the NC3 National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Letter of Intent Signing Day at TSTC’s Harlingen campus. The event brought together high school seniors from across the Rio Grande Valley and beyond to commit to the College. Each senior was awarded a $1,000 scholarship, funded by The TSTC Foundation in collaboration with Harlingen-area businesses, to support tuition for students entering from a CTE dual-enrollment program or committing to TSTC as their college of choice.

Fernando had already completed a TSTC welding dual enrollment class at Harlingen High School South. He believed it was the perfect sign.

“That event just made everything feel real,” Fernando said. “It felt like this was the right college for me to start.”

Two Paths, One Purpose

Before the fall semester began, Fernando convinced his older brother, Daniel, to join him at TSTC’s new student orientation. Fernando wanted to get a closer look at the new Plumbing and Pipefitting program and meet the program’s instructors.

Daniel was immediately drawn in. The state-of-the-art facility, the tools, and the hands-on labs all caught his attention. But it was the program’s two new instructors, Robert Carreon and Alan Raith, who left the strongest impression.

“The knowledge they had amazed me when they spoke about the trade,” Daniel said. “It was great to learn about the projects they have done over the years.”

Daniel decided to enroll in the program as well. What began as Fernando’s suggestion quickly became a brotherly career path. Most importantly, one that they are ready to pursue together.

The brothers are nearing the end of their first semester in the program at TSTC. Daniel is pursuing a certificate of completion, while Fernando is working toward an associate degree.

“Our first semester has been great,” Fernando said. “We’re learning the assignments side-by-side and building our own strengths at the same time.”

The brothers’ ambitions reach beyond graduating from TSTC. Their goal is to gain industry experience, earn the credentials required to earn their master plumber licenses and eventually start a plumbing business together. They envision a company being built on trust, quality work, and integrity.

“People deserve plumbers they can count on,” Daniel said. “We’re learning things our family needed to know during the winter storm. With the knowledge we’ve gained so far, we are fixing the issues in our family’s bathroom.”

With a growing industry need for skilled trades across Texas, the brothers know they are entering a field of opportunity. Their journey has transformed into a career path with purpose and they are ready to make an impact for years to come.

When students complete TSTC’s associate degree in Plumbing and Pipefitting – Journeyman, they become eligible to take the journeyman’s license exam. This typically saves students 8,000 hours of field experience they would need to qualify for the test without the college program.