Introduction to Technical Education
Edward Wilds said he worked various low-pay jobs. But he didn’t find work that fit him, until he saw HVAC workers at a FedEx building in Hutchins. The work looked fun, and paid well, so the Palmer native wanted to try that.
Wilds went on to enroll with the HVAC technology program at Texas State Technical College‘s North Texas campus in Red Oak. He’s planning to receive his HVAC technician certification next year, so the 25-year-old recently attended the campus’ first-ever job fair.
“Growing up in school, I’ve not really been good at paperwork and homework and schoolwork. I learn a lot with my hands. I’m a hands-on learner. I’d say that that’s the best part about learning at TSTC,” Wilds told The Dallas Morning News.
Technical Education and Job Opportunities
Texas State Technical College is a system of public two-year campuses where students can obtain technical and workforce training credentials in fields for electricians, plumbers and construction workers, among other occupations.
Job fairs for TSTC’s North Texas students typically occur at the campus in Waco. But the Red Oak site held its own event with over 30 companies after the campus expanded to more than 500 students, said Marcus Balch, provost of TSTC’s North Texas campus.
Balch told The News many students were excited to network with companies in their own backyard, creating a “festive, celebratory kind of day.”
Marcus Balch, provost of Texas State Technical College’s North Texas campus, left, shakes hands with Greg Elliott of JLL during a job fair at the college’s North Texas campus, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Red Oak.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
Workforce Development in Texas
Workforce development is a major priority in Texas as the state works to build upon its standing as the world’s eighth-largest economy.
Approximately 48% of Texas jobs require postsecondary skills training, but only 30% of Texas workers possess those qualifications, according to a report from the Texas Workforce Commission’s Labor Market Information Department.
By 2031, 63% of Texas jobs will require education beyond high school, according to a report by Georgetown University. That’s due in part to population growth, especially in North Texas, which is expected to grow from over 7.9 million residents to more than 9.1 million by 2035, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Leo Ruiz of Prism Electric, background left, talks with students of Texas State Technical College during a job fair as his colleague David King shakes hands with a student at the college’s North Texas campus, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Red Oak.
Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer
Job Fair and Career Opportunities
The job fair highlighted critical workforce needs in several industries, including semiconductors, health care and data centers.
Leo Ruiz is an account manager for Prism Electric, an electrical contracting company that works across health care, commercial, industrial and data center sectors. He told The News the state technical college creates students who understand complex systems and instrumentation.
“We still have individuals that have graduated” from Texas State Technical College, Ruiz said.
Conclusion
Workforce development advocates consider Texas State Technical College a longtime champion for job-seekers. According to the college system, the college’s job placement rate exceeds 90%.
“As far as what type of training [graduates] want to pursue
