Foundation laid and tilt walls being raised for TSTC’s new Transportation Center of Excellence

(ROSENBERG, Texas) - Over the past year, Texas State Technical College's Fort Bend County campus has been undergoing a metamorphosis. Behind the existing buildings, construction crews have been hard at work laying the foundation for the new Transportation Center of Excellence.

First announced at a groundbreaking event last November, the building is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2025 semester. It will house an expanded Diesel Equipment Technology program, as well as the addition of both the Automotive Technology and the Auto Collision and Management Technology programs.

And this week, an important step in the construction process occurred: the raising of the tilt walls. These walls consist of wood and rebar that form a frame into which concrete is poured. Once the concrete is set, the walls are tilted up vertically (hence the name), forming the exterior of the building. They are supported by braces until the roof is placed, which ties everything together.

Bryan Bowling, the campus's provost, alerted the staff, faculty and students about the importance of this week of construction.

"From the non-construction perspective, it can feel like they are just moving dirt for months with no real progress," Bowling said. "When the walls go up, it feels like all the hard work of everyone is finally taking shape."

TSTC staff from departments such as Recruitment and Career Services have been involved in raising awareness to both potential students and industry partners of the new programs coming next fall. Bowling said he is careful when talking with industry partners to let them know that these are not completely new programs, but rather ones that are simply new to this TSTC location.

"Folks around here already know who we are and what we do," Bowling said. "Now that the walls are going up, our newest chapter is beginning to feel all the more real."

Spring registration for current TSTC students has begun. For new students, registration begins on Monday, Oct. 28. For more information, visit tstc.edu.