brown wood Sebastian Constantia found his career path after touring Texas State Tech.
As a senior at Early High School, Constantia made sure to stop by the welding technology lab during her class's tour of the Brownwood plant. He wanted to enroll in this program immediately and is currently studying to get his certificate.
“I came to the open house and toured the welding shop,” he said in a news release. “That's when I decided I wanted to come here. I fell in love with his welding at TSTC.”
Constantia admitted that she thought the university program would be difficult, but changed her mind after learning from her instructor, Salvador Marquez.
“The monkeys make the course fun,” he said. “He talks to us about the industry and how important it is to pass the corporate welding exam.”
During the spring semester, Constantia and her classmates were learning proper tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.
“I like the movement and flow of TIG welding because you have to use both hands,” he said. “It felt good to hit the arc for the first time. Once you get going and understand what you're doing, it's easy. It took me about five tries to realize I could do it.”
Constantia said he is looking forward to learning more about layout and manufacturing as he completes the certification program. He plans to graduate this summer.
Marquez said Constantia is one of the quieter students, but that doesn't mean she stays in the lab.
“He has a great work ethic that keeps him busy,” he said in a release. “His desire to learn every day makes him easy to work with as an instructor.”
Constantia said she hopes more people will watch TSTC and learn proper welding techniques. In addition to lab time, he said there are other benefits the university offers.
“Our campus is like a big family. We've had people help us with financial aid and resumes as well,” he said. “Everyone on campus wants to work with you to help you feel safe and successful.”
According to onetonline.org, the median annual salary for welders in Texas is over $48,000. Welding jobs in the state are expected to grow by 23% between 2020 and 2030, according to the website.
Welding Technology is one of nine programs with TSTC's money-back guarantee. The university's commitment to participating students is simple. If you do not find a job in your field within six months of graduation, your tuition will be fully refunded. For more information, visit tstc.edu/mbg.
For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.
