New Electrical Power and Controls instructor brings years of experience to TSTC

(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Texas State Technical College prides itself on instructors with years of practical experience and industry knowledge in their fields.

One of the college’s newest instructors in its Electrical Power and Controls program, Ismael Diabate, fits that bill exactly.

Diabate worked in the electrical industry for more than 10 years. He started his formal education in Minnesota, double majoring in industrial controls and electronics. He graduated in 2007 and began working in electrical drafting design. He eventually moved to North Carolina.

“It was in North Carolina, around 2011, when I started working in the factory,” Diabate said. “It was much more hands-on experience than what I was doing before.”

He describes his passion for the field as beginning long before his education and work in the industry.

“I’ve always liked this field,” Diabate said. “When I was growing up, most everything around me was broken, so you were always trying to fix it. We’d take two broken bikes to make one good one.”

He found TSTC through a former co-worker who knew of the college. The co-worker had reached out to Diabate, knowing that he had the degree and experience needed for the job.

“With teaching, you learn twice,” Diabate said. “In today’s industry, technology is changing on a daily basis. The best way to be aware of that is through teaching.”

Even though he is new to the teaching profession, his industry experience of training new hires and recruits will serve him well as an instructor.

“Working in the field, I spent the last five or six years training new hires,” Diabate said. “Everywhere I worked I’d set a benchmark for myself and use that to train new hires and make the job easier for them. Teaching is much the same.”

He began work at TSTC around the start of June but will not start teaching until the fall semester.

“I’m bringing my curiosity with me into teaching,” Diabate said. “Working in the industry, troubleshooting requires all of your senses to find a problem. I’m hoping to teach the students that.”

According to onetonline.org, electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians in Texas can earn a median salary of $62,970 a year. The website projected that there would be a 14% increase in the number of such jobs in the state from 2020 to 2030.

TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical Power and Controls at the Abilene, Fort Bend County, North Texas and Waco campuses.

The program is one of nine Money-Back Guarantee programs in which tuition is refunded if the participating graduate has not found employment in their field of study within six months of graduation.

Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.