(RED OAK, Texas) – Luke Clasby, of Ennis, never planned to attend college, but getting married and expecting a child inspired him to get a degree.
Not only did Clasby enroll in Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Maintenance program, but he found an internship with electric utility company Oncor.
“(The program) was more of a backup plan at first, but then it turned into a full-time plan with a good position,” Clasby said.
Clasby admitted he was nervous going back to school, but in just one semester, his grades proved he had nothing to worry about.
“He is always striving for perfection; anything lower than an A isn’t good enough,” said Joshua Burchett, an Industrial Maintenance instructor at TSTC’s North Texas campus.
Oncor is one of the many companies that participate in TSTC’s employer spotlights, which was how Clasby learned about the company’s paid internships. He accepted a role as an environmental specialist intern during his first semester.
“I would say, at first, I didn’t really believe it with (TSTC) helping us find jobs and them being that dedicated to it, but I would say now, TSTC means opportunity,” Clasby said. “It opened up a lot of doors that weren’t there previously and it happened very quickly.”
For three months, Clasby has been balancing his internship at Oncor with night classes at TSTC. Though his schedule is packed from dawn to dusk, he has all the support he needs.
“I have a teacher that’s very understanding of work schedules, of family life, everything,” he said. “I wake up at 4:30 in the morning and I have an amazing wife that makes me coffee. She trusts that everything I’m doing is for the best.”
Clasby plans to earn his Associate of Applied Science degree from TSTC in December 2027. He said he hopes to continue working for Oncor, have more children, and one day move his family to East Texas.
“I hope I do well so that I can provide the best life for the people around me,” Clasby said.
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.