(ABILENE, Texas) – Texas State Technical College honored its first cohort of 12 Big Country residents Thursday during a graduation ceremony for the newly established Mechanical, Electrical and Information (MEI) Data Center Operator program.
The ceremony was held at TSTC’s Industrial Technology Center, where the students recently completed an intensive 15-week training curriculum designed to prepare them for the rapidly growing data center industry.
Christine Banyas, a graduate and resident of Clyde, credited the program’s instructors for helping students navigate the fast-paced coursework.
“There are some great instructors,” Banyas said. “They break everything down well, especially with the high speed of the classes. They will not let you get lost in the weeds.”
Fellow graduate Jessie Bargas, who has spent 15 years working in the wind energy sector, noted that the program perfectly complemented his existing technical background.
“This entire process filled in the gaps of what I have been doing in the turbine,” Bargas said.
According to TSTC Chancellor and CEO Mike Reeser, the specialized MEI class was created as a direct response to feedback from industry employers.
“We listen carefully to the employers and train for them,” Reeser said. “Having a great job in a great community with a great company – that is the Texas miracle.”
Cindy Evans, TSTC’s director of Accelerated Training Solutions, thanked the inaugural class for pioneering the program. “You all took a chance on us,” Evans said. “We stay ahead because of our industry partners.”
The celebration also featured a major milestone announcement for the college’s future. Representatives from Google presented a $3.6 million statewide investment to The TSTC Foundation, to develop the new MEI Data Center Academy in Abilene and to provide scholarships in skilled trades initiatives through 2029. The academy will be built at TSTC’s U.S. Highway 80 campus and is scheduled to open in 2027.
The funding is provided through the STAR Promise, an initiative aimed at strengthening skilled trades training infrastructure in the communities that Google calls home.
“We are excited to partner with TSTC in elevating learning and career opportunities in West Texas,” said Haley Stuteville, Google’s community and workforce development manager in Abilene. “Tonight is about celebrating you, and the path you are forging forward for your communities. You have shown that when global infrastructure pairs up with West Texas talent and local educational partners, there is absolutely nothing our communities can’t achieve.”
Stuteville added that the graduates are earning critical credentials to thrive in a booming digital economy, ensuring that local families benefit directly from incoming regional opportunities.
Brandon Scott Thomas, TSTC’s senior development officer, described the collaborative journey toward building the academy as “amazing.” He noted that the concept was inspired by a benchmark trip to a Virginia college to observe their data center training framework.
“I have loved every minute of this journey because of the Google team,” Thomas said. “It all started with a trip to a Virginia college and how they train for the data centers. We came back with big dreams. They are now a reality.”
Registration is open for the fall semester. For more information, visit TSTC.edu.