(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Students in Environmental Technology at Texas State Technical College now have a new way of sampling, assessing and testing groundwater with two new water wells donated by CRG Texas Environmental Services, Inc. in Rosenberg.

Kevin Casler, co-owner and vice president of CRG Texas said the donation, valued at $20,000, was their way of contributing to the future workforce of the region and the state.

“This donation is beneficial to the community we serve,” said Casler. “These are the kinds of things students will see when they enter the workforce and it’s important to provide that hands-on training.”

These industry-standard water wells were recently installed by CRG Texas and their partners, Evirotech Drilling Services, Xenco Laboratories and AJAX Environmental & Safety Supply on the north side of the Industrial Technology Center on campus.

“I don’t know where to begin in expressing my gratitude for this donation,” said Environmental Technology instructor Yvette Vaughan. “This is going to help give our students the skills needed to solve the environmental problems around us.”

Vaughan said the water wells will allow students to learn the physical skill of retrieving and sampling groundwater, water calculations and water purging and refilling for the most accurate sample.

She added that the video footage taken during the water wells’ installation will also be used for teaching purposes. “This is a

wonderful partnership and opportunity for our students and TSTC,” said Vaughan. “This is going to provide a better educational experience for our students. It’s a wonderful gift that has been bestowed on us.”

Environmental Technology student Vladimir Hidrovo, who expects to graduate in Fall 2020, said he is excited for the new semester because his class will be one of the first to use the water wells for assignments and projects.

“This is something you cannot learn in a book,” he said. “This program is heading in the right direction with this donation and it allows us to connect the dots and better understand what we read.”

He added that he was fortunate enough to see the water well drilling and installation firsthand.

“The installation process puts things into perspective for us,” said Hidrovo. “It was a wonderful experience to see industry professionals at work and to be able to network with them and ask them questions. This exposes us to real-world skills  and makes me even more excited to be pursuing this program.”

Both Casler and Vaughan said they look forward to growing this partnership and working together to produce well-trained and highly skilled graduates to enter the workforce.

“It’s been great working with TSTC and we hope to return to present to the Environmental Technology classes and share our experiences,” said Casler. “And when we have the opportunity to hire we will look to TSTC’s program for qualified candidates.”

Vaughan said she feels fortunate being able to grow this type of partnership for TSTC and her students because its companies like CRG Texas and their partners that expose students to career opportunities and invaluable knowledge.

“There are not enough words to describe how I feel about this donation and industry relationship,” said Vaughan. “I thank them from the bottom of my heart and we look forward to having them back on campus and continuing our work together.”

Environmental Technology is also offered at TSTC’s Breckenridge and Waco campus.

For more information or to register for Fall 2019, visit tstc.edu/programs/EnvironmentalTechnology.

The deadline to register for Fall 2019 is August 23 and the first day of class is August 26.