Women show prowess in Computer Programming Technology at TSTC

ROSENBERG — In university, Phyllis Hollingshead was learning to grow to be a instructor when her own trainer opened a door to laptop programming.

“I realized it was this rational course of action you go by means of of telling the pc what to do,” she recalled. “It’s interesting — you can handle that equipment. I would’ve thought it was mystical and tricky to do, but it wasn’t as tough as I imagined it would be.”

Hollingshead has been an teacher in Texas State Specialized College’s Computer system Programming Know-how system for 16 years.

“Back when I was in university, I was the only woman in that class,” she remembered. “One of the instructors held telling me I was in a man’s industry. I held reminding him that women of all ages assisted commence this.”

Hollingshead encourages future students to give laptop programming a shot — as does her colleague, Susie Watkins.

“I sense like anybody can do everything they want as very long as they place their thoughts to it,” Watkins said.

Watkins has taught at TSTC for nearly 22 years. Prior to training, she well balanced getting her levels with doing the job and raising her daughter. She grew to become interested in laptop or computer programming many thanks to online video online games and her father’s operate on old personal computers at Fort Hood.

Watkins was also the only girl in her classes.

“It was not a significant offer,” she stated. “No one gave me any grief. They (the other students) have been generally asking me for assist.”

Alexis Fisher, a Waco resident who is presently training in TSTC’s Computer system Programming Technological know-how application, also grew to become fascinated in the area mainly because of online video video games, which she has been taking part in given that the age of 2.

But alternatively of gaming, Fisher located her enthusiasm in computer software growth.

“I’d like to go into software program enhancement because that industry is increasing more than gaming,” she stated. “And it is generally wonderful to have the choice to do both just one because I’ll have the diploma for it.”

Nevertheless she is a single of several gals in her lessons, Fisher has not recognized a variance.

“I have not experienced any problems,” she said. “It’s been fairly superior, and I do not get addressed any in a different way by instructors or other students. We get our applications done and go.”

For Jazmin Hernandez, of Harlingen, TSTC’s Personal computer Programming Engineering method satisfies her curiosity in her tech support posture — and offers her success any time she sees accomplishment in an assignment.

“I really want to get a fantastic task, but I want to transfer forward with pc science,” Hernandez reported. “I really want to go for computer software engineer. That’s my primary target.”

Hernandez encourages future college students to give the software a check out to see whether or not they like it — and to commit the time and persistence they have to have to study and grow.

Her drive? Her daughters.

“My oldest daughter — she’s 7 — she usually tells me, ‘Oh, you’re so clever, Mom. Research — I want you to move,’” Hernandez claimed. “It’s adorable. She’s very encouraging.”

And if her daughters may possibly determine 1 day to pursue a profession in this field?

“It would be brilliant,” Hernandez explained.

In Texas, computer programmers can make an typical annual income of $91,830, in accordance to onetonline.org.

TSTC presents an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Programming Technological know-how with entirely online training. The program’s Effectiveness-Based mostly Training method affords students the flexibility to immediate their personal discovering, concentrating on mastering competencies.

In the course of the month of March, TSTC is honoring gals in background and on its campuses who function to make strides in the STEM (science, know-how, engineering and arithmetic) fields each day.

Discover extra about TSTC at tstc.edu.