TSTC Industry Job Fair connects students, alumni with 60 prospective employers
(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Activity and excitement recently filled Texas State Technical College’s Industrial Technology Center as hundreds of TSTC students and alumni made connections with nearly 60 companies at the first in-person Industry Job Fair held at the Fort Bend County campus since 2019.
“It’s only getting bigger and better — and a big comeback from COVID-19,” Judy Cox, a TSTC placement coordinator, said of the event. “I’m excited. I get goosebumps just seeing the students and employers interfacing.”
Representatives from the companies that took part in the event set up tables filled with information and swag as they answered questions from attendees, some of whom dressed for the occasion in ties and button-down shirts.
“The companies represented here are a who’s who list in the marketplace,” campus provost Bryan Bowling said. “They come to us knowing the quality product we produce — it’s one of many factors that differentiates TSTC from our competitors. Our industry partners are welcomed with open arms to engage directly with our students.”
That partnership means that, for several of the businesses at the job fair, this event was not their first time on campus. Haley Gurick, a Frito-Lay staffing and capability manager, had visited the Fort Bend County campus alongside other Frito-Lay representatives for an employer spotlight event in February.
“It’s been awesome promoting our industrial maintenance program for all three sectors of our plant in Rosenberg,” Gurick said during the job fair. “There’s a lot of interest in that. Giving students an opportunity to really figure out what they want to do is exciting.”
Mike Agnew, general manager of Equipment Depot, and Matthew Hosein, a regional product support director for Equipment Depot, visited with TSTC Diesel Equipment Technology students in early March. At the job fair, Agnew relished telling more students the story of the company and sharing details about the culture there and its emphasis on training.
Hosein appreciated the opportunity to spread more visibility for Equipment Depot — and to speak with TSTC students immersed in the college’s relevant, hands-on training.
“We’re meeting people who are already advanced and won’t have to start from the bottom up,” he said.
For other companies, like Texas Instruments, the goal of the job fair was to raise awareness of what the organization needs — and the opportunities that TSTC graduates can seize.
“We are working hard at getting the message out that we do need people that have the skills and the talents that (TSTC’s) degree programs are providing,” said Mike Forsman, a site services manager for Texas Instruments.
Myles Davis, an HVAC Technology student, was excited about an internship opportunity at one of the companies with which he interacted during the event.
“I’m in my second semester, and I really care about learning — and getting job experience while at school,” he said. “Obviously, the earlier the better.”
Davis looked forward to the chance to submit his resume and tour the facilities in the coming days, he said.
This is what the job fair is all about, Bowling said.
“Even if they’re not yet in the market for a job, this is an incredible experience and opportunity to flex their soft-skill muscles,” he said.
Learn more about TSTC at tstc.edu.
