Austin, College Station companies hold information sessions for TSTC students

(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College students recently had the chance to hear from representatives of two companies and learn about their employment needs.

TSTC Electrical Power and Controls students met with staff from McCord Engineering Inc. of College Station and Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS). Students in the Instrumentation Technology and Robotics and Industrial Controls Technology programs also met with the SAS representatives.

“Companies coming to campus show our students the different opportunities they have upon graduation and allow them the ability to decipher what it is they want out of a career,” said Alicia Cruz, director of TSTC’s Career Services department at the Waco campus. “They get to hear the ins and outs of what life is like in the field and make informed decisions.”

David Witte, vice president of McCord Engineering, which also has offices in Burnet and Georgetown, said the company needs engineering technicians to assist with electrical design for clients. The technicians would work alongside the company’s engineering staff.

Witte said it is challenging to find people who have knowledge of electrical power systems, electrical codes and computer-aided design.

Witte, a graduate of TSTC’s Electrical Power and Controls program himself, said the students who have gone on to work for the company have been successful in their careers.

Staff from SAS talked about the new semiconductor facility under construction in Taylor. The plant is scheduled to open for production in late 2024. SAS has a need to hire 2,000 workers initially for the Taylor site, which will make third-generation 4nanometer chips.

David Herrera, a senior recruiter at SAS, said visits like the one to TSTC help build relationships.

“I enjoy the technical training they (the students) are getting,” he said.

Colton Russell, of Teague, is a TSTC Robotics and Industrial Controls Technology student scheduled to graduate in 2024. He attended the SAS information session to learn about the company’s work.

“I’m looking for a good company to start with and to continue my education with,” Russell said.

Registration for TSTC’s spring semester has begun. For more information, go to tstc.edu.