(RED OAK, Texas) – Vincent Dubose, of Glenn Heights, graduated from Texas State Technical College’s Electrical Power and Controls program in 2025. The U.S. Navy veteran returned to the North Texas campus to be part of the MEI (Mechanical, Electrical and Information Technology) Data Center Pathway program’s third cohort.
“I wanted to do something more closely related to live electricity,” he said. “I was just searching and I happened to stumble upon the program. (The data center industry) is becoming a big thing, so I want to get in on that.”
Dubose worked as an electrician during his 22 years in the Navy, and his first college experience was at TSTC. He described the Electrical Power and Controls program as a refresher.
“I like that you get to touch on all of the different specialties in the electrical field, and you get to decide which route you want to take,” he said. “To actually go through the program, stick with it to the end, and be able to walk across the stage as a 44-year-old guy with a college degree, that felt really good.”
The students in the MEI program dived into hands-on work and have already earned their OSHA 10 certifications. However, even with all of his accomplishments, Dubose takes the most pride in watching his teenage sons mature and possibly follow in his footsteps. His oldest son is interested in a technical career and his youngest son wants to be an electrical engineer.
Dubose is on track to receive his certificate of completion in December. He is looking forward to fulfilling Texas’ need for skilled workers and said TSTC has everything a person needs to do the same.
“TSTC, to me, means a hub of knowledge and skills,” he said. “If you’re looking for a job, especially in the tech field and skilled trades, TSTC is the place to go. It’s like a one-stop shop.”
For more information, go to tstc.edu.