TSTC unveils new Abilene facility during grand opening ceremony

TSTC officials, along with Texas state Rep. Stan Lambert, cut the ribbon to open the college’s Power and Mechanical Center in Abilene on Thursday, Sept. 11. (Photo courtesy of TSTC)

Texas State Technical College lit up the Abilene night on Thursday, Sept. 11, during the grand opening celebration of its Power and Mechanical Center.

Mike Reeser, TSTC’s chancellor and CEO, said the college’s mission has not changed over its 60-year history and the new Abilene facility will continue the legacy of placing more Texans in great-paying jobs.

“We have focused on the critical things that make us prosper in Texas,” Reeser said. “With this building, it is yet another example of Texas investing in itself.”

TSTC was allocated funding through the Capital Construction Assistance Projects under Senate Bill 52 during the 87th Texas legislative session in 2021 for the building, which cost more than $35 million. The college is offering the Diesel Equipment, Electrical Lineworker and Management, HVAC, and Plumbing and Pipefitting programs at the facility.

“We are here tonight to train skilled workers, which will create a prosperous Texas,” said Andy Weaver, provost of the West Texas campuses.

Jay Wesson, TSTC’s senior vice president of expansion planning and construction, said the Abilene project, along with expansion and construction around the state, will benefit all of Texas.

“Together, we are building a bright future for our students and our communities,” he said.

Texas state Rep. Stan Lambert, R-Abilene, who is retiring at the end of his current term, was proud of the facility’s design.

“I am already looking at my second career — diesel mechanics,” he said during the ceremony that was held in the Diesel Equipment lab. “We, as a state, are proud of what (TSTC) has accomplished.”

Following the ceremony, Lambert joined TSTC’s leadership team in cutting the ribbon to the facility, which included lighting the exterior entranceway for the first time.

To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.