Texas State Technical College Waco Officials Meet to Discuss Partnership and Programs
Texas State Technical College (TSTC) Waco officials met Friday January 19, 2007 at the Taylor Economic Development Corporation to discuss possible career and technology programs that may be introduced to East Williamson County through a partnership with Temple College at Taylor and the East Williamson County Higher Education project.

TSTC is celebrating 40 years of providing top-quality technical education for Texas and Texans. The college is nationally recognized for the number and quality of our technology graduates. TSTC Waco offers more than 100 technical associate's degree and certificate programs literally providing you with a world of technology at your fingertips.

Mr. Fred Khozein, Vice President for Student Services and several of TSTC Waco department chairs representing a variety of career and technology programs described the meeting as rewarding.

The focus of the meeting was to network with representatives from Taylor and Hutto school districts, Taylor and Hutto Economic Development Corporation along with agencies such as the Rural Capital Area Workforce Board and the Williamson County Probation Department as well as business interest such as the Capital Area Rural Transportation Service (CARTS).

We need to determine how we can meet the education and workforce needs of East Williamson County and once that need has been identified then TSTC Waco officials indicated they can implement the identified program or programs and meet those needs whether the program requires an AAS degree, certificate or a “fast-tract” skills development.

S. Chuck McCarter, Executive Director of the East Williamson County Higher Education Project said “inviting in TSTC Waco to become a partner in East Williamson County is an important number in the multi-institutional equation. There are credit and non-credit career and technology programs that Temple College does not offer and probably will never offer. By inviting TSTC Waco into Temple College’s service area through this partnership the educational and workforce opportunities really expand. This is truly win-win for East Williamson County”.

Superintendents, Dr. Bruce Scott, of Taylor and Dr. David Borrer of Hutto both shared from their perspective districts the need to partner to career and technology programs. The programs are very expensive and not cost-effective for one District to do alone. By pooling our resources and using TSTC Waco’s programs students have a much broader range of educational opportunities and may receive both high school and college credit.

Dr. John Nelson and Mr. Jim Aanstoos both discussed the need to create new employment opportunities in Hutto and Taylor through the attraction, expansion and retention of commercial, manufacturing and industrial employers. How do you do that? Provide a highly skilled and quality workforce.

Programs currently under consideration are industrial Materials/Maintenance, Advanced Manufacturing and Transportation Technology. Also high on the needs list is a large enough location that would accommodate the selected program(s).