Former Marine finds niche in TSTC’s Aircraft Airframe Technology program

Tania Valdez is an Aircraft Airframe Technology student at TSTC’s Harlingen campus. (Courtesy: Texas State Technical College/TSTC)

HARLINGEN — The sound of drones soaring overhead was something that Texas State Technical College student Tania Valdez enjoyed when she served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years as an avionics technician.

“My job was to check for any problems on a military aircraft drone that wasn’t working correctly and fix it,” Valdez said.

But becoming a mother necessitated a change.

“I transitioned to civilian life to focus on my family,” she said.

When Valdez’s children started school, it gave her time to pursue a new challenge.

“I wanted to find a connection to my military job because I enjoyed it,” she said. “The Marines I used to work with suggested that I test for the aircraft powerplant Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licenses. I did an online search for avionics technician jobs with military experience. I learned that TSTC offered an aviation maintenance program.”

Now Valdez is studying for an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Airframe Technology at TSTC.

“The assignments were easy for me during the first semester because it’s what I did in the military,” the Mercedes resident said. “We did things such as check the weight and balance of an aircraft and reviewed basic electricity.”

Tania Valdez, an Aircraft Airframe Technology student at TSTC’s Harlingen campus, removes a tire from a Cessna 150 during a recent lab session. (Courtesy: Texas State Technical College/TSTC)

Carlos Rodriguez, one of Valdez’s instructors, said the problem-solving skills that Tania is developing during labs, such as learning about aircraft electrical systems, have enhanced her ability to troubleshoot problems with aircraft.

“That is a highly sought-after skill in the aviation workforce,” he said.

Valdez said she has a specific goal that she is determined to achieve at TSTC.

“I would like to pass my aircraft powerplant FAA licenses and have a job before I graduate,” she said.

According to onetonline.org, aircraft mechanics and service technicians in Texas earn an average of $77,640 a year. The website projected that there would be a 16% increase in the number of such jobs in the state from 2020 to 2030.

TSTC offers Associate of Applied Science degrees and certificates of completion in both Aircraft Airframe Technology and Aircraft Powerplant Technology at its Abilene, Harlingen and Waco campuses.

To learn more about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

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