Driving by TSTC piques interest of former cosmetology school student
By Ben Barkley/TSTC
Driving by Texas State Technical College’s Breckenridge campus caught the attention of MacKenzie Duvall.
Having recently moved to Texas from Washington state to be closer to her grandmother, Duvall said seeing TSTC was an inspiration.
“I was sitting one day getting my hair cut when the stylist told me I should go to cosmetology school. So I did,” Duvall said. “Halfway through my first semester, I decided that it was not for me. I wanted to go back to my original career choice, which is welding.”
That drive by TSTC with her boyfriend, Jack Galer, led to another decision. “I told him that there is a technical school and it offers welding,” Duvall said. “We are going to start classes together.”
Duvall and Galer are in their first semester of TSTC’s Welding Technology program and are pleased with how they have been welcomed to campus.
“I tell Jack every Wednesday that we get to weld tomorrow,” Duvall said of her attitude about studying at TSTC. “The instructors are great. Leroy (Brigman) is very helpful.”
Duvall also credits Stephen Hope, the program team lead for Welding Technology, for their decision to enroll at TSTC. “Stephen gave me a tour of the campus and had me completely convinced to start,” she said. “This has been a great decision.”
Duvall said she began taking welding classes in high school. “My dad has the first plate that I have ever welded,” she said. “From the point I picked up a torch, I have loved it.”
Galer said he did not have much welding experience when he started studying for his certificate of completion. He likes the approach that the instructors bring to the program.
“It is a lot of trial and error for me — that is how I learn,” Galer said. “I know the instructors will be there to help us.”
Duvall said she uses one skill taught at cosmetology school in the welding lab.
“I am not going to stop a project until I have perfected it,” she said.
According to onetonline.org, welders can earn a yearly median salary of more than $48,000 in Texas. Welding jobs were expected to increase 23% between 2020 and 2030 in the state, according to the website.
Visit the TSTC website for more information about the program.
Help support the Breckenridge Texan’s local news coverage mission
The Breckenridge Texan, a non-profit news outlet serving Breckenridge and Stephens County, Texas, has launched its annual NewsMatch fundraising campaign, running through Dec. 31, 2024.
As a non-profit news outlet, the Breckenridge Texan depends on donations, in addition to ad sales, to fund daily operations, including website costs, freelance writers, and basic office expenses. The organization aims to raise $4,000, which could be tripled to $12,000 through various matching programs, including the NewsMatch program and the Rural Partner Fund, which is supported by several major foundations.
Founded in 2017 by journalists Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown, the Breckenridge Texan provides daily local news coverage, weekly newsletters, photo galleries, a community calendar, and obituaries. The outlet serves both local residents and people outside the community seeking information about Breckenridge and Stephens County, including potential new residents and businesses. They chose the non-profit structure to maintain local control of news coverage while minimizing the financial burden on the community.
In addition to regular news coverage, the Breckenridge Texan also offers:
A weekly newsletter that delivers a roundup of recent stories via email every Monday
Photo galleries from local events
A Calendar of Events, which lists upcoming community activities
Local obituaries
And more
Donations can be made through the Breckenridge Texan website’s donate page, the NewsMatch campaign page, or by mail to Breckenridge Texan, P.O. Box 1228, Breckenridge, Texas 76424. The organization operates under the fiscal sponsorship of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), which is the name that will appear on donation billing statements.
If you believe local news is important and love the work we’re doing, please contribute today!
Click here to make a donation.
Thank for your support.
Make a donation
