Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Integrating SACA at Texas State Technical College

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

AGENDA

Who is TSTC?

Why We Chose SACA

Open Enrollment

SACA Upskilling for Industry Partners

SACA To Credit Alignment

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

"Society's measurement of the value of skilled trades has to change. The act of building and fixing things is not just labor—it is the backbone of our economy." Chancellor Mike Reeser

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Who is TSTC?

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

TSTC Timeline

1965 - James Connally Technical Institute

1967 Expanded to Harlingen

1969 - Became Texas State Technical Institute

1991 - Changed to Texas State technical College and incorporated all campuses state wide

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Waco

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Harlingen

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Sweetwater

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Abilene

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Breckenridge

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Brownwood

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Marshall

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Fort Bend County

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North Texas (Red Oak)

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East Williamson County

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New Braunfels

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Denton County - Coming Soon!

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Outcomes-based Funding

• The Texas Workforce Commission tracks the Unemployment Insurance wage records of former TSTC students over a five-year period.

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• The system determines the financial “value added” by comparing the former student’ actual wages to a base wage.

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• The state calculates the direct value-added and indirect value added of these earnings.

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• The total calculated economic value is split 50-50 between the State of Texas and TSTC.

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Essentially this funding model is a commission based on the increased tax revenues generated by our successful alumni!

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Placing more texans in great-paying jobs!

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

The worksite

Collaborative effort between the City of Waco and McLennan County

Highly flexible, industrial training facility in the Waco industrial park

Short-term training, microcredentials and other innovative and relevant training

Programming aligned to Waco/McLennan County industrial demand and economic development priorities

SACA Regional Testing Center

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Our instructors

James blosser

Clayton christensen

Jerry wilkey

Larry griffin

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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So how many students have we trained?

490

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Why we chose sACA

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

TSTC’s Overarching goals: be compellingly different, responsive to texas industry, and driven by quality - while continuing to get stronger

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Shared Mission: TSTC selected SACA because its mission aligns with our commitment to preparing students for high-demand, high-skill careers.

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Hands-On Learning: SACA emphasizes practical, competency-based testing that allows us to teach students to develop real-world skills through hands-on experience.

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Industry-Driven Curriculum: SACA certifications are developed with input from industry leaders, ensuring training reflects current workforce needs and employer expectations.

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Industry 4.0 Readiness: The curriculum developed around the SACA testing prepares students for today's advanced manufacturing environments by focusing on automation, robotics, smart manufacturing, and emerging technologies.

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Employer Recognition: SACA credentials validate technical competencies that are valued by employers and support graduates' workforce readiness.

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Commitment to Quality: Both TSTC and SACA are dedicated to delivering high-quality technical education that equips students with the skills needed to succeed in modern manufacturing careers.

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Open enrollment

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Industrial systems Training

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• Strategic partnership with The Manufacturing Institute and Heroes MAKE America to support workforce development and career readiness

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• Participants can earn seven SACA Silver Certifications, aligned with the high-demand technical skills identified by Central Texas industry partners

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• Cohorts consist of a diverse mix of transitioning military service members and community participants, fostering collaboration and workforce readiness

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Industrial systems Training

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• 97% graduate placement rate for participants completing the intensive 10 week training program

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• Starting in the Fall of 2026, our accelerated training program participants are also entered into our funding formula

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Industrial Automation and manufacturing systems

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• TRUE Grant
• Texas Reskilling and Upskilling Through Education - Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Funded tuition for up to 24 students, 2 robots, weekly gas cards, work boots, and a toolkit worth over $1300.
• 3 Cohorts of Students graduating 23 total from the program
• Industry specified SACA Courses
• 7 Weeks
• Students had the opportunity to obtain SACA Silver Certifications in: C202, C203, C205, C207, C209, C210, and C215

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

What are the stats?

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• 75% identify as a person of color

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• 82% are economically disadvantaged

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• 47% are considered second chance employees

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Mordecai Gonzalez-Rodriguez

• Came from a completely different job field.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Arts but wanted to move into manufacturing
• Promoted within 3 months of starting at the Walmart Milk Processing Plant

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Trevor taravella

• Tried different programs at different colleges but nothing fit
• Referred by his step-father, Pat Curry Texas State Representative
• Now works for PolyGlass
• Signed his offer letter 8/10

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Stephen Tye

• Second chance employee with little work history
• Looking to move into manufacturing and trying to find an opportunity with his felonies
• Now working with a steel mill in near by Temple, TX

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Workforce Solutions Center - Manufacturing Bootcamp

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• 10 students from multiple local ISDs
• Sponsored by The Workforce Solutions Center Heart of Texas
• 4 week training giving students the opportunity to leave with SACA C201 and C202 Silver Certifications

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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SACA Upskilling for industry partners

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Partner companies

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• Sanderson Farms*
• Sherwin Williams*
• Graphic Packaging International
• Swan Hose
• Fallas Automation
• Tesla*
• Electrolit

• Envases
• Holt
• The Reynolds Company
• Acme Brick
• Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area
• Compass Data Centers*

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Sanderson farms

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4 Employees needing upskill training in Industrial Systems

Students completed 7 SACA Certifications over a 6 month period

2 days in class and 3 days OTJ format

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Sherwin williams

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4 Employees needing upskill training in Industrial Systems

SACA Certifications C201 and C208.

Earned over 2 weeks of intensive hands on training

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Rockwell Automation - AAM

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Nearing the close of our first cohort with employees from Graphic Packaging International

Participants have had the opportunity to test for SACA Silver 201, 202, 207, 208, 212, 309 and SACA Gold 201

Courses are running in a 2 week on and 2 week off format

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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tesla

7 SACA Certifications plus additional welding and Robotics training

Training developed by TSTC Subject Matter Experts with both Tesla’s needs and SACA testing in mind

Held at our East Williamson County and New Braunfels Campuses

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Mei - Data Center technician

Students are offered the ability to gain 4 SACA Silver Certifications - C201, C202, C206, and C210

Training developed by TSTC in conjunction with Compass Data Centers

Currently held at our North Texas and Abilene Campuses but may be expanding soon

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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SACA to credit alignment

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

C201

Electrical Systems 1

Manufacturing

CETT 1303

DC Circuits

Advanced Manufacturing

All Degree Plans

CETT 1305

AC Circuits

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

C202

Electric Motor Control Systems

Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing

Industrial Maintenance

ELPT 1341

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Motor Controls

C201

Electrical Systems 1

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

C201

Electrical Systems 1

C205

Sensor

Logic Systems

Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing

Industrial

Maintenance

RBTC 1347

Electro

Mechanical

Devices

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

C201

Electrical Systems 1

C207

Programmable Controller

Systems

Manufacturing

Advanced

Manufacturing

Industrial

Maintenance

INMT 1372

Industrial PLC Installation

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing

Industrial Maintenance

RBTC 1309

Pneumatics

C209

Pneumatics

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

C210

Mechanical Power Systems

Manufacturing

Advanced Manufacturing

Industrial Maintenance

INMT 2303

Pumps, Compressors and Mechanical Drives

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

Coming soon!

• This fall TSTC will begin their AAS - Advanced Manufacturing - Semiconductor specialization.
• This program was developed in collaboration with Texas Instruments, Samsung, and SACA
• This program will begin at our East Williamson County Campus before spreading to other campuses

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

When education and industry move together, everyone wins—students, employers, and our communities. That's the future we're building at TSTC, and we're proud to be building it alongside SACA.

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Alicia Cruz

Clayton Christensen

clayton.christensen@tstc.edu

alicia.cruz@tstc.edu

Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education

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Texas State Technical College

Bridging Workforce Training and Education