Students will be able to design more than buildings when they complete Texas State Technical College’s Drafting and Design program.

Instructor Justin Price said students will have the skills to work in different industries, including the oil and gas industry.

“Our graduates will be well rounded to go into the architectural field or any other field that involves design,” Price said.

One of those areas is the oil and natural gas industry in West Texas. Price said graduates could be employed by companies such as Chevron, Conoco or Kinder Morgan because of TSTC’s advanced pipe and basic pipe curriculum.

“Our graduates will not be specific to just drawing buildings. They will be able to hit the ground running in designing something once they start a job,” Price said.

Drafters will work to put their ideas into a drawing that will detail the size, shape, materials and other specifications needed in a project. Texas employs the second-most drafters in the nation, and Price said there is always a demand in the field.

The TSTC program is offered completely online, and Price said that has helped draw students looking to expand their resume.

“We have seen a steady incline in students in West Texas,” he said. “During this time of COVID-19, the oil and gas industry has been shutting down some of its rigs, so some people are moving to bigger companies.”

Because of the wide range of oil and gas equipment in West Texas, companies need to document where the equipment is located. That is where a drafter comes into the picture.

“Companies have to document so many pieces of equipment a year, and that takes drafters,” Price said. “They are out there documenting what is in the field. We will train our graduates to use various methods to complete that type of project.”

The West Texas program is available through the Abilene, Brownwood and Sweetwater campuses. Price said instructors have been working to move the program completely online for some time, and it was a smooth transition this fall.

“We were geared up to tackle any problems we might encounter so we could be ready to rock this fall,” he said. “Students can complete our program anywhere in the state.”

Students have the option to learn during live online sessions or prerecorded sessions. Price said instructors also use online video services to interact with students.

“We want to keep the students engaged during the program,” he said. 

For more information about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.