Students discuss decision to attend TSTC

(RED OAK, Texas) – Two Texas State Technical College students in North Texas recently voiced why they made the choice to attend a technical college. 

Third-semester HVAC Technology student Timothy Williams said that when he was growing up, he had watched his father work hands-on jobs, and so technical school had always been a consideration.

Williams said he attended a community college for a short period of time before realizing that it was not the right fit for him.

“The schoolwork just didn’t fit me,” he said. “Once I found out it wasn’t for me, then I chose (TSTC). And it’s actually more engaging and more hands-on and more understandable for me.”

The flexibility is the aspect of TSTC that Williams said he liked the most, especially while working.

“It doesn’t matter if I work at night or if I work during the day, I can still come to school,” he said. “That’s the best thing that has helped.”

Third-semester Welding Technology student Stephanie Aguilar has a similar story. 

Aguilar said she attended community college but found it hard to keep motivated while taking classes that had little to do with what she was interested in. She said that with TSTC’s degree options, she has been able to focus on learning skills for the career she wants.

“We have multiple options here,” she said. “There’s the associate option if you want to pursue that while you’re doing regular welding classes, or you can just do welding. To me, it’s a good balance because it’s not overwhelming.”

Aguilar encouraged others who aren’t sure about college to consider TSTC.

“I hear like a lot of kids always say, ‘College isn’t for me, college isn’t for me,’ and they go straight into a job, but then they feel like they’ve reached a level where they can’t move up because of the schooling part,” she said. “(TSTC) is a great alternative.”

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