(MARSHALL, Texas) – Armed with a degree in Industrial Maintenance from Texas State Technical College, Esley Vega shifted from the logging industry to a career as a field service technician with Prolec GE Waukesha.
“Most of the time kids follow in their dad’s footsteps. I followed in my son’s,” Vega said. “We actually work for the same company. We got the same degree and everything.”
Vega dropped out of high school at 15 and got a job in the logging industry to help his single mother provide for their family. Twenty-five years later, he was persuaded to enroll at TSTC’s Marshall campus after earning his General Education Development (GED) diploma.
“I wasn’t really planning on going to college, but my son talked me into it,” Vega said. “I was just planning on getting my GED and finding a (new) job in logging or something, but I saw the money was different and I wanted to get something better.”
Though the logging industry gave him a lot of mechanical experience, Vega said he still had a lot to learn in the Industrial Maintenance program. Both his and his instructors’ knowledge combined helped him earn a 4.0 grade point average and his Associate of Applied Science degree from TSTC.
“I know (Vega) will go far in this industry because he was always asking the right questions, and backing it up with hard work,” said John Fondren, an Industrial Maintenance instructor at TSTC’s Marshall campus.
Vega said he has wanted to work for Prolec GE Waukesha, a power transformer manufacturer, since his son was hired four years ago. Now, he travels across the United States installing substation transformers for the company.
“I’m 42, so it’s rewarding for me being able to keep up with the younger guys and learn new stuff at the same time,” Vega said.
During his time in the logging industry, Vega was often a right-hand to the foreman. In the future, he hopes to work his way up to a supervisor role for Prolec.
“To me, (TSTC) means a second chance at life,” Vega said.
According to onetonline.org, industrial machinery mechanics earn a median annual salary of $61,590 in Texas, where the number of jobs was projected to grow 27% between 2022 and 2032.
Industrial Maintenance is available at TSTC’s Abilene, Fort Bend County, Marshall, New Braunfels, North Texas, Waco and Williamson County campuses. The program offers two associate degrees and two certificates of completion.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.