Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat, a regent for Texas State Technical College, spoke at a recent groundbreaking ceremony at TSTC-Harlingen.
The ceremony celebrated construction of two new facilities and renovation of one existing building at the Harlingen campus, including space for two programs new to the campus: Diesel Equipment Technology and Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology.
The Automotive Technology and Diesel Equipment Technology programs will share nearly 50,000 square feet in one of the two new buildings, while the Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology program will get a new 12,000-square-foot building of its own. A renovated 87,000-square-foot facility will house the Biomedical Equipment Technology, the Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology and the Wind Energy Technology programs.
Here are Regent Putegnat's remarks in full:
I heard we were turning dirt today. So I ditched the high heels and put on my boots. And I'll tell you what, this is way more comfortable.
But it's so exciting to see such a wonderful crowd. I want to thank you all for coming today. I want to thank Cledia, our leadership team, our amazing TSTC team, our community partners, and elected officials, because all of you played a part in this significant moment today.
Today it's exciting for TSTC. But not only for TSTC, it's exciting for employers. It's exciting for our community and it is exciting for the state of Texas.
As we stand here today, let us remember that while we're here, standing on the site where we will be building training facilities; metaphorically speaking, we are standing on a site where we're going to be building people. We're going to be building talent. We're going to be building dreams, livelihood for families, prosperity for our community and a thriving economy for Texas. So again, thank you so much for being here.
In the manufacturing and logistics industry we speak a lot about the supply chain and how important it is for businesses to thrive. But even more important, is that human talent supply chain. Because without the human talent supply chain we don't have anything else. And here at TSTC, we make sure that we have a robust talent supply chain because that is what helps us with business recruitment, with business retention and with business expansion. And without a skilled workforce, you cannot have economic development and TSTC understands that.
Now, as many of you know, TSTC is different from many other community colleges and universities because we are data-driven, performance-based, student-centered and mission-focused. We look at real time data that we get from industry, from employers, and we focus on what it is that employers need, what jobs are in demand, what skills are in demand, and we use that to then develop training programs that will lead to high paying jobs.
I'll say this, we used to be the best kept secret. But make no mistake, TSTC is getting the attention of the state, getting the attention of employers, of students, of other higher ed institutions, and they're looking at us. They're looking at TSTC's effective performance-based model when it comes to education and training. So, it is an exciting time to be part of the TSTC team.
Time and time again employers tell us that our product, which is our students, are top-notch, highlyqualified, highly skilled students, ready for the job. And the only complaint we get is that we need more TSTC graduates. And so that is why we are here. We are here to respond to the growing demand from employers to have a skilled workforce. We are here to provide more and better opportunities for our students. And we are here to place more Texans in great paying jobs. And together we will accomplish that and so much more.
So thank you all for being here today, for supporting TSTC, your college, and for being part of this great day.
Thank you so much.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was provided by Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat, a member of the Texas State Technical College board of regents, at a groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion project at TSTC Harlingen.
