(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Tamara Lair is a first-generation college student who faced many uncertainties and roadblocks throughout her educational journey. Now, as an enrollment coach at Texas State Technical College, she is working to remove some of those barriers for her students.

“I had no know-how on college or the processes,” said the Houston native. “I was expected to go to college, which was the plan, so I had to navigate the journey alone.”

The 41-year-old said she remembers not knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up. All she knew was that she wanted a career in which she could help people.

“My strength is helping others and being there when someone is in need, which is what my degree has allowed me to do,” she said. “It’s just taken some reflection and soul-searching.”

Lair holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Houston.

She also worked in the work-study program at the university and said that is where her interest in working in higher education came to be.  

With her degree, she has been able to work for Meals on Wheels, as an academic advisor for the University of Houston–Victoria, and for an area high school.

“I found I loved helping students get to college or through college,” she said. “To see students you’ve advised and helped persevere is the best feeling.”

And because she worked at a high school before TSTC and was ready to re-enter the higher education arena, she immediately applied when TSTC’s enrollment coach position became available.

“TSTC was really meant to be,” said Lair. “I’ve always been a huge advocate of two-year technical degrees, so I knew this was where I was supposed to be.”

Lair said her goals at TSTC are simple: Connect with students to earn their trust, find the program that best fits their strengths, share her educational journey so that students can see that success is possible, and give students the resources they need to become college graduates with a great-paying career.

“I will do whatever I can in my power to ensure that every student has what he/she needs to be successful,” said Lair. “And it’s so rewarding when I have students return to campus or call me just to say thank you. All I’ve ever wanted is to make a difference in someone’s life.”

To better serve her students, Lair said she is working toward becoming a certified life coach and earning a master’s degree in counseling.

“I feel that holding these two things will allow me to serve students on a broader level,” said Lair. “Students sometimes not only need academic advising, but they also need someone to talk to regarding difficult life situations. And I want to be the person they can come to.”

Lair, who has been with TSTC for nearly a year, said the college is a great place to work because its faculty and staff statewide have become a second family to her and they work toward the same goal: student success.

For more information on TSTC and its programs, visithttps://tstc.edu/programs.

To see job opportunities at TSTC, visithttps://jobs.tstc.edu.

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - On Friday, Jackie Cook joined nearly 100 other Texas State Technical College graduates who received a certificate or an associate degree during the college’s commencement ceremony at the Stafford Centre.

The 31-year-old walked across the stage to receive his associate degree in Cybersecurity Technology as his family and friends witnessed the graduate’s proud moment.

“This is a huge achievement for me,” he said. “It’s a brand-new chapter. I’ve been working toward this for a while now.”

After his first stint in college didn’t go as planned, Cook served in the Army for nine years, with a deployment in Afghanistan.

“College wasn’t going so well, so I enlisted,” he said. “I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps.”

Cook was no stranger to military life. His father served in the military, and the family moved to destinations around the world, including Japan, where Cook was born.

“It was challenging as a child, moving from place to place,” said Cook. “But as I got older, I found the adventure in it, and meeting new people was always the silver lining.”

Although meeting new people and experiencing new places was exciting for Cook, he realized he wanted more stability for his family. In 2018 he decided to leave the military.

That was when TSTC came into the picture.

“I needed to return to school and get an education,” he said. “I needed a new career, and education was the key.”

With an interest in computers and a father who specialized in information technology and encouraged him to pursue a career in the field, Cook found Cybersecurity at TSTC and thought of it as a perfect match.

“I have found that I really enjoy network security processes,” said Cook. “I want to be the person that blocks threats, and TSTC has prepared me for that career.”

He added that although hands-on training and getting to practice what he learns has given him confidence to enter the real world, it has been his instructors’ eagerness to help that has made all the difference.

“Our instructors have been there to help and go above and beyond,” he said. “They ensure that we understand the material and that we are learning skills that will make us marketable to employers.”

And with his student worker position at the Cybersecurity labs, Cook has had the opportunity to learn even more by using his skills to help others in his class.

“Overall, my entire experience at TSTC has prepared me for the future,” Cook said. “And I’m definitely ready for what’s next.”

With several job offers in hand, the husband and father of one said TSTC has changed his life and his family’s life.

“It’s been an interesting journey to say the least. Being in school with a family had its challenges, but we got through it,” he said. “Everything I am doing is for them, and now I’m going to be able to support them and give them a better life.”

Statewide this fall, more than 1,000 TSTC students will receive certificates or associate degrees and join an alumni network that is 100,000 strong.

Cybersecurity Technology is also offered at TSTC’s East Williamson County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas and Waco campuses.

For more information, visit https://www.tstc.edu/programs/CyberSecurity. 

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - The demand for electrical power and controls technicians is high and continuously increasing, which is why Texas State Technical College and its Electrical Power and Controls program are working diligently to produce highly skilled graduates.

“The industry is growing by leaps and bounds around the industrial centers in the Gulf Coast region,” said TSTC Electrical Power and Controls instructor Jonathan Bonkoske. “And with the mix of retirees and employee promotions, the demand will continue to increase.”

To meet that demand and fill a need, students who enroll in TSTC’s Electrical Power and Controls program can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in approximately 18 months.

In the program, students can gain skills such as electrical safety, electrical design and engineering practices, electrical distribution equipment and component testing and evaluation, speed motor control circuit design, programming and troubleshooting, and electrical calculations.

“This highly diverse and well-rounded set of skills and experience will produce a potential employee that can fill different roles within a company,” said Bonkoske.

To learn and practice these skills before entering the workforce, students have access to labs that include industry-standard electrical distribution, transmission, equipment testing, automation, instrumentation motion-control tools, transformers and electrical motors.

“Being familiar and knowledgeable in these different areas gives the students options to select from many career opportunities and does not lock them into a specialty, which increases their hireability,” said Bonkoske. “Our graduates in this area are highly sought-after because of their hands-on skills and directly related work experience gained in the classroom and labs.”

Electrical Power and Controls statewide has a 94% job-placement rate with many of its graduates finding work as an electrical field service technician, electrical maintenance technician, electrical designer, instrumentation technician, automation technician or motion control technician.

Program graduates have found employment with such companies as Burns & McDonnell, Dashiell, Eaton Corporation, Wood Group and Schlumberger.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a person in this field can make, on average, nearly $64,000 per year.

Electrical Power and Controls is also offered at TSTC’s Abilene, East Williamson County, North Texas and Waco campuses. It is part of the college’s Money-Back Guarantee program, which refunds the tuition of participating graduates if they do not find a job in their career field within six months of graduation..

Registration for Spring 2020 is underway.

For more information, visithttps://tstc.edu/programs/ElectricalPowerControls. 

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Joyee Stevenson has returned to her roots in Houston and, in the midst of a career change, she found her calling at Texas State Technical College.

With only a couple of months under her belt at TSTC, the Workforce Training and Continuing Education project manager is already finding that this change was the best decision she could have made.

“I’ve always been an advocate for education,” said Stevenson. “So when I was laid off and I needed to start anew, I decided to combine my past experiences to help others find their dream careers.”

For more than a decade, Stevenson worked as a graphic designer, moving around often to follow job opportunities after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a minor in marketing from the University of South Carolina.

She worked contract and freelance jobs rebranding pharmaceutical companies, and she even had the opportunity to design and advertise for a ramen noodle manufacturer.

“I was infatuated with all aspects of my job,” she said. “The creativity and seeing my ideas and designs come to life kept me going.”

After hitting some bumps in the road as a designer, she returned to South Carolina and worked for a technical college doing graphic design and student recruitment.

“As a single mom, I did what I had to in order to support my daughter,” said Stevenson. “But I never knew that I would enjoy working in higher education so much, that it would spark a career change.”

With her brother in Texas and retired parents who were also ready to move, Stevenson decided to relocate to be closer to family and find better opportunities.

“My mom always told me I would thrive in higher education, but I was stubborn,” she said. “It turns out she was right.”

Stevenson said that soon after she arrived in Houston she noticed the new TSTC campus under construction in Rosenberg and immediately imagined herself working there.

“I’m so glad to be part of the TSTC family,” she said. “I immediately connected with college faculty and staff. It feels like home.”

Stevenson works closely with TSTC industry partners to provide training and opportunities for advancement for their employees.

“We connect with local companies because we feel training is important for everyone and everywhere,” said Stevenson. “What we do affects companies, individuals and families for generations to come.”

Stevenson said she sees a lot of herself in some of the students. Life as a single mom has not been easy. But with a great support system, she has gone far -- and she hopes she can offer support to others as well.

“I share my experiences with students; there are no secrets to success,” she said. “I want to share my experiences and knowledge with others so that they can find success too.”

She added that she sees herself growing with TSTC, climbing the ladder but never forgetting what she is advocating for: education.

For more information on the services offered by TSTC Workforce Training and Continuing Education, visit https://tstc.edu/workforce/contact.

With a second chance at life, Carranza Bankston has joined the Texas State Technical College family as an employee and a Cybersecurity student.

It’s only been a few months since the 34-year-old, single mother had a stroke that left her bedridden for two months induced by Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks the nerves.

“I’ve always been the traveler, the daughter that moves away to find adventure, so when I had my stroke I was far from my family,” said Bankston. “I knew it was time to move home and that’s when TSTC came into play.”

While on bed rest, the Richmond native began her job search, and working in the food industry for much of her life, she knew the TSTC Café cook position was the right fit.

“I had already applied to TSTC for several other positions, but this one was the one that was meant to be,” she said. “And I was able to move back home.”

Bankston’s food industry experience ranges from restaurant management to catering business owner. She even began culinary school, but put it on hold at age 22 when she became pregnant with her daughter.  

Her catering business “Jacasians” is Jamaican food with an American twist, and has seen success in the wedding and large-event arena.

“I’ve been working since I was 15 so I’m no stranger to hard work,” said Bankston. “And even though cooking has always been my passion, I also worked in technical support for a couple of major companies, and that’s why I decided to return to school for cybersecurity.”

With support from her mother and daughter to return to school, Bankston enrolled in Cybersecurity’s online program and expects to earn her associate degree in Spring 2021.

She said she is blessed to have a job she loves and a program that is flexible, allowing her to balance work and life.

“TSTC has exceeded my expectations as an employee and student,” she said. “I love the help, the friendliness and family-like atmosphere. I feel right at home.”

She added that her favorite part of being TSTC’s Café cook is serving people and making them smile, because with everything she has had to overcome she knows the importance of not taking life for granted.

“Everything I do, I do with my daughter in mind. I want her to see that no matter the trials and tribulations, you can still accomplish your dreams,” she said. “And that’s what I’m doing here at TSTC, moving forward with my goals so I can make my dreams come true.”

Bankston plans on continuing to travel around the United States, adding Mexico to the list soon, maybe even Italy in the future.

And while her ultimate goal is to own a successful restaurant, she said she is going to work hard in first, completing Cybersecurity and second, getting a government or state job that will allow her to use the skills she learns.

“With this degree I have the opportunity to start a new career in numerous areas. It really opens doors,” she said. “And although there are and will be obstacles to overcome, I can’t wait to put all – restaurant and cybersecurity – skills together to become a leader in my industries.”

Cybersecurity is offered online or at TSTC’s Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Waco and East Williamson County campuses. And, beginning Fall 2020, Cybersecurity Technology will be one of the Performance-Based Education programs offered at TSTC. PBE allows students the flexibility to move through the program at their own pace. 

For more information, visithttps://tstc.edu/programs/Cybersecurity.