(MARSHALL, Texas) – Darrell Godfrey will be the one of the faces of Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Construction program in Marshall.
The Custer City, Oklahoma native was originally planning to become a teacher before starting a career as an electrician. Now, he has moved from TSTC’s Waco campus to Marshall, where the newest program will begin this fall.
“I worked for the same guy for 20 years,” he said. “I went to work for him while I was trying to finish up my college education, but once I finished, I was making more money than what a teacher made in Oklahoma, so I stayed with it and it proved to be a great career.”
Most of Godfrey’s career consisted of wiring barns, but he also gained experience wiring other facilities, including fire stations and hospitals.
When his employer retired, Godfrey’s friend suggested he reignite his old passion for teaching. That was when he discovered TSTC where he has been teaching for nearly three years. With his experience, Godfrey knows the importance of training the next generation of electricians.
“The older ones are retiring, and there’s not enough young ones filling our place,” he said. “We really need journeymen and guys that are going to come in and stick with it. It’s pretty important to the state of Texas to keep moving forward.”
Godfrey said he is happy to be living in Marshall, a city that reminds him of his life in Oklahoma. He has already made several plans to bring the Electrical Construction program to life.
“The electricians that are hiring in Marshall and the surrounding area are going to get a skilled worker that actually knows how to put in a plug, how to put in a switch,” he said. “They’re going to have less training because we’ve already trained them and that’s going to help the workforce.”
Nathan Cleveland, the associate provost of TSTC’s Marshall campus, said having someone with Godfrey’s credentials is essential to the growth of the program.
“He brings a level of knowledge, perspective and hands-on understanding that directly benefits our students,” Cleveland said. “Having instructors who have truly worked in the field helps better prepare our students for the expectations and realities of the workforce.”
Registration for the fall semester at TSTC is underway. For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.