to ask questions — Fig 2. “There is never a dumb question,” she said. Pliant’s classmate, Annie Briggs, who is in her second semester, said a recent highlight for her was when GTAW finally clicked. “I ran a bead that was really good (at least for the first half) and even though I was not able to maintain that same quality throughout the entire bead, I was happy and encouraged that I was making very good progress from where I had started.” Instructors The welding program has 11 instructors on staff. Jose Melendez, department chair, is a homegrown talent — a 2005 TSTC graduate who returned to teach after working in the field. In fact, many of the instructors at TSTC are graduates of the program. Mark Watson, who specializes in automated and manual GTAW on stainless steel and aluminum, graduated in 2011. Raleigh Derks worked with pressure vessels in Bryan, Tex., before returning to TSTC as an instructor. Ash Yezak, another graduate, has taught at TSTC for 12 years. John Schrader graduated from TSTC in 1972 and has been a CWI since 1989. Bob White passed his last TSTC class in 1969, and has been working for the school for 39 years. Chris Herrera, Garrett Martin, Brandon Jones, and Travis Hill round out the TSTC graduate to-instructor teaching staff, and Chelsey Morris joins the group from Shasta College in Redding, Calif. — Fig. 3. “The program has provided me with a very networked and supportive community, Briggs said. “I feel that I could go to any instructor and they would help me with whatever question I have. They are there to help us be the best that we can be and work very hard to provide the opportunities for us to do so. It is an environment I am happy to be a part of.” AWS Educational Institution Instructor Chelsey Morris advises the AWS student chapter at TSTCWaco. She encourages each student to get involved with AWS. “I know Fig. 2 — Instructor Chelsey Morris directing Student Steve Catilla during a laboratory class. AWS got me to where I am and I want to give that tool to each of my students,” Morris said. Briggs pointed to the AWS student THE AMERICAN WELDER chapter as a highlight of her experience in the welding program. “I was able to meet former AWS president Nancy Cole, and I became involved in DECEMBER 2015 / WELDING JOURNAL 85
Welding Journal | December 2015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above