Friend’s success leads Klein to TSTC

(SWEETWATER, Texas) – A friend’s career success was all Reid Klein needed to hear about prior to enrolling at Texas State Technical College.

Klein hopes to be another success story when he completes the Electromechanical Technology program this year.

“A friend told me about the Wind Energy Technology program and how he was able to go to school and make good money right after school,” he said. “After hearing about his success, I looked at TSTC and found Electromechanical Technology interesting. I enrolled and am now close to graduating with my Associate of Applied Science degree.”

After touring the campus, Klein said being able to learn from experienced instructors and with the hands-on approach in the labs were all he needed to make the decision.

“This program has so many different job options for me and the other graduates,” he said. “What drew me here was the hands-on approach of learning. I did not want to work somewhere that I would be in the office all day. I like to fix things, and this is the best place for me to learn that trade.”

Instructor Russell Benson said Klein has grown as a person since his first semester.

“Reid has grown into a leader and reminds me a lot of myself at his age,” he said. “He reminds me of the person who if the crowd went one way, he would continue on his path because that is the confident path for him.”

Klein said having an associate degree will put him on track for a well-paying job. According to onetonline.org, the need in Texas for electromechanical and mechatronic technologists and technicians will increase by 13% by 2028. The website states that the median salary for a technician in Texas is $52,010.

“This will put my foot in the door, but I could return to school to further my education,” he said. “There are so many different fields of work I can choose in this career.”

During his time at TSTC, Klein has learned different aspects of electrical systems.

“There are a lot of things we learn in this program,” he said. “One of the most interesting things to me is the robotic vision. The instructors have made this a good environment to learn in for me.”

Klein also appreciates how the instructors put safety first.

“One of the first things we learned was to be safe around our equipment,” he said. “We know if we do something right, it is going to be fun to learn.”

In addition to the Associate of Applied Science degree in Electromechanical Technology, TSTC offers a certificate of completion in Electromechanical Technician. Both are available exclusively at the Sweetwater campus.

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.