(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Rosit Youssef was only 13-years-old when her family moved from Egypt to the United States. She has struggled, but has persevered, and now at age 18, is one of the youngest students in Texas State Technical College’s Cybersecurity program.

“I struggled with being in a new country, but I knew we had to do this for better opportunities and so my sister and I could have a chance at an education and a better life,” she said. “But it was all still so scary.”

Yet, she overcame her biggest obstacle yet – learning English.

“I was already learning English before we left Egypt, so I understood the words, but it was speaking it that gave me problems,” said Youssef.

She quickly caught up to her classmates and ended up excelling in high school, graduating at only 16.

However, that year was unconventional in every aspect for Youssef because of the devastation Hurricane Harvey had brought to the area, her family included.

“We graduated, but without any type of honor roll because all records had been lost in the flooding, but it’s okay, I was just happy that my family and I were safe,” she said.   

The Youssef’s new home was a total loss after the flooding. But what Youssef said she finds miraculous is that they were able to weather the storm safely in that same home, with no food or water.

“It’s been a bumpy road, but we’ve made it and now I’m here at TSTC working toward a career I love,” she said.

It was in 10^th grade, during a TSTC recruitment presentation that Youssef realized Cybersecurity was the path she needed to take.

“I loved the idea of cyber safety and using cyber processes to help companies and individuals stay safe,” said Youssef. “So early on I knew that TSTC was the college for me.”

Youssef’s entire family is in the healthcare field but that didn’t stop her from pursuing her own passion.

“I’ve always wanted to do my own thing and my family has always been supportive,” she said. “And that’s why I’ve been able to succeed.”

Not letting her age be a barrier or excuse, Youssef currently boasts a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, was recently invited to join Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and expects to earn her associate degree in Spring 2020.

What Youssef said she loves about the college and what has made her experience positive is the focus on hands-on learning and the small class size for more one-on-one help. She said this has allowed her to find her niche in the field: Digital Forensics, where she said she’ll get to do good for this world.

“Even right now that I still have some time before graduating I already feel confident that I am ready to enter the workforce because of the practice and experience I’ve been able to get here at TSTC,” she said. “I could not have gotten this type of opportunity anywhere else.”

And as the only woman in her class, Youssef has also been able to take advantage of resources offered to non-traditional students in their field.

She has received some scholarships and has been able to use TSTC’s Lending Library, which has allowed her to borrow, instead of purchase, the books she needs.

“All of this has really saved me and my family money. I’ve only paid a minimal amount for my education,” she said. “I thank TSTC for helping their students in any way they can because now I am not in debt.”

Youssef said she hopes to finish her last semesters strong and help other women also enter the field of cybersecurity.

“This field needs more women and there’s plenty of room,” she said. “I want to encourage other women to pursue their passions without fear or intimidation because technology is advancing and we have to be a part of it.”

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

For more information on TSTC Cybersecurity, visit https://tstc.edu/programs/CyberSecurity.

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - National Manufacturing (MFG) Day is around the corner and Texas State Technical College,

in partnership with the Central Fort Bend Chamber, will be celebrating with a community event.

 MFG Day, traditionally held on the first Friday in October, will be hosted October 4, 2019, from 9 a.m. to noon at the TSTC Brazos Center.

 “This event gives our local students, local manufacturers, and our community an opportunity to

experience TSTC in a unique way as employers will be introduced to a segment of our future workforce,” said TSTC field development officer John Kennedy. “Events such as Manufacturing Day are great for TSTC because they highlight what we do - educate, train and prepare men and women for a great-paying career.”

 MFG Day is an annual event that allows manufacturing facilities and education institutions across the country to open their doors and open more minds to a growing industry that is vital to the economy and to show how 21^st century manufacturers are solving tomorrow’s challenges today.

“With the growth that is anticipated in Fort Bend County within the next five to 10 years, we need to create awareness about the educational opportunities in our area for this industry,” said Kristin Weiss, president and chief executive officer for the Central Fort Bend County Chamber. “And TSTC plays an integral part in our community by helping us build our workforce and keep our workers local. So partnering with TSTC for this event was a no-brainer.”

According to a press release from the Manufacturing Institute and National Association of Manufacturers, last year there were nearly 3,000 MFG events held across North American with more than 80 percent of students saying they became more convinced that manufacturing provides interesting and rewarding careers after attending the events.

“Modern manufacturing environments are commonly thought of as dark, dangerous factories designed for low-skilled workers, but MFG Day addresses this misperception,” the MFG Day press release stated. “Over the next decade, manufacturers will need to fill 4.6 million jobs. These jobs offer long-term career opportunities, high pay and exposure to cutting-edge technology and innovations.”

Kennedy said the event will include TSTC campus tours, a panel of industry specialists and former career and technical education students, and exhibitor visits with 20 industry partners such as CenterPoint Energy, Englebrecht Manufacturing, Frito-Lay, FW Murphy Production Controls, I Build America and Gurecky Manufacturing Services.

 “We are very thankful for our industry partners who have decided to participate in this opportunity and we hope that the students who attend this event will be intrigued by what we offer and decide to continue their education at TSTC after they graduate from high school,” said Kennedy. “Our mantra is ‘Placing more Texans in great-paying jobs,’ and we hope to offer that opportunity when these students are ready.”

 More than 300 high school juniors and seniors from surrounding school districts, college students, their parents and educators are expected to attend.

They will not only gain knowledge in manufacturing careers, but also learn about the programs TSTC offers that can help them gain employment in the industry.

Attendees will take an in-depth look into programs such as TSTC’s Robotics, Electrical Power and Controls, Industrial Systems Technology and Precision Machining.

To register for the event, contact the Center Fort Bend Chamber at 281-342-5464 or visit, cfbca.org.

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Saving the planet is a top priority on the agendas of many, and the first step at being part of this green movement can be taken at Texas State Technical College.

Environmental Technology is one of the newest programs to be added at the college campus in Fort Bend County, with its first cohort graduating this December.

Environmental Technology instructor Yvette Vaughan said she is excited to be coming up on such a huge milestone knowing that there is a positive job outlook for the program’s graduates.

“There are over 600 environmental technician jobs available for our students to apply for within the Houston area,” she said. “Our program is fairly new and growing, and it is giving students the technical skills needed to make them marketable among employers.”

Environmental Technology is a 20-month or five-semester program, and students will graduate with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Environmental Compliance - Specialization with additional certifications available.

In 20 months, students will learn the skills needed to comply with Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulations, which means that students will be able to generate, identify, transport, treat, remediate and dispose of hazardous waste properly.

In addition, students will also gain knowledge and skills in areas such as environmental sampling plans, storm water pollution prevention plans, sampling techniques, environment management systems, hazardous incident command systems, toxicological effects of chemicals, and pollution prevention.

“The skills our students learn prepare them to enter the workforce with a ‘leg up’ on the competition,” said Vaughan. “Employers are excited to hire our graduates because it reduces the cost of training for their company.”

The training in Environmental Technology is primarily hands-on, and to ensure that students master each skill, the program and its labs are equipped with industry-standard equipment.

Students use an array of sampling equipment and gear that they will see and use when they enter the workforce. They also complete mock hazardous material spill scenarios that allow them to wear personal protection equipment, and get to complete sampling surveys of groundwater wells that were recently donated and installed on campus by CRG Texas Environmental Services Inc.

“This recent donation and the equipment our students have access to equip our students with the skills needed to solve the environmental problems around us,” said Vaughan. “This provides our students with the best educational experience possible.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas is second in employing the highest number of environmental technicians, with a median wage of $47,000 a year.

This means graduates of the Environmental Technology program, according to Vaughan, have the opportunity to find work as environmental field technicians; environmental, health and safety specialists; environmental specialists, coordinators and managers; gas technicians; wastewater/water operators; and environmental consultants.

TSTC program faculty and staff are working closely with local companies that include CRG Texas Environmental Services Inc., NTG Environmental and NSSI to provide internships and entry-level positions for its students and graduates.

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

For more information on the program, visit tstc.edu/programs/EnvironmentalTechnology.

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Texas State Technical College in Fort Bend County is the fastest growing campus statewide and with the Fall 2019 semester around the corner and 600 students already enrolled, growth is happening exponentially.

Campus Provost Randy Wooten said the campus has seen a 20-30 percent growth every semester since its inception into its own campus in Fall 2016.

“This is the community’s campus,” said Wooten. “There are a number of factors that have contributed to our significant growth and it all began with the support we received from the community when we arrived in the area.”

TSTC first began offering technical instruction in Fort Bend County in 2001 as a partnership with Wharton County Junior College, but with $40 million financial support and encouragement from the city of Rosenberg, city of Richmond, Fort Bend County, city of Sugarland, Sprint Waste Services, the George Foundation, the Henderson-Wessendorff Foundation and the Gulf Coast Medical Foundation, TSTC’s expanded into its own campus.

Wooten credits not only community support, but also the campus’ prime location, visibility and access along Southwest Expressway; the 80 acres the campus sits on with room for expansion; and the commitment from the college’s faculty and staff.

“I knew from the start that TSTC would have success in Fort Bend County. We had all of the ingredients to be successful,” said Wooten. “This is our fourth Fall Semester and we’re already looking into building expansions.”

With 10 high-demand programs offered on campus such as Cyber Security, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Electrical Power and Controls, Welding Technology, Electrical Lineworker Technology and Robotic Technology, enrollment sizes are increasing.

“All of the programs offered were selected based on need and wages,” said Wooten. “This is why were poised for great growth. A successful future is in a student’s grasp. We are Texas’ employment agency.”

Wooten added that he also can’t say enough about the faculty and staff who work really hard for every TSTC student’s future.

“We all do what is necessary. We don’t let job descriptions stop us from helping everyone who walks through our doors,” said Wooten. “Because TSTC is for everyone.”

Wooten encourages the community to visit the campus for tours and to take a closer look into TSTC’s programs.

“This campus belongs to everyone. We service traditional (straight out of high school) and non-traditional (older, returning from the workforce) students and many veterans,” he said. “We make the “American Dream’ possible.”

More than 500 students, to date, have graduated with either a certificate or associate degree from TSTC in Fort Bend County.

The campus is on track to serve more than 5,000 students from across the region in the coming years and there are master plans to expand the college into a sprawling six-to-eight building campus.

The deadline to register for Fall 2019 is August 23. The first day of classes is August 26.

To learn more about the programs offered at TSTC, visit tstc.edu/campuses/fortbendco.   

(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.