TSTC Alumni Return to Build $72M Facility for the Next Generation of Skilled Trades

Five Texas State Technical College graduates came back to their alma mater, this time as builders. Together, they helped deliver TSTC’s new $72 million Construction Technologies Center, a 120,000-square-foot facility where the next wave of trades professionals is now training.

The building opened to students in February.

The RO Alumni on the Project

At the peak of construction, five TSTC alumni were part of the RO team:

• Seth Blanchard, Project Manager, TSTC Class of 2016
• James Stefka Jr., Assistant Project Manager, TSTC Class of 2016
• Ulises Camacho, Field Foreman, TSTC Class of 2018
• William Holmes III, Quality Manager, TSTC Class of 2020
• Daniel Sprinkle, Project Engineer, TSTC Class of 2024

A Centralized Hub for Hands-On Learning

The Construction Technologies Center brings together programs that were previously scattered across campus, including Building Construction Technology, Electrical Construction, HVAC Technology, Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology, and Solar Energy Technology. Consolidating them under one roof gives students access to more equipment, more cross-program collaboration, and a learning environment that mirrors how trades actually work together on a job site.

Inside the Build

The 120,000-square-foot facility was designed around the work it would house. The scope included high-bay shop and lab space for each trade program, classrooms and instructor areas, tool and material storage, and dedicated zones for hands-on training across electrical, HVAC, plumbing, solar, and building construction. The layout was planned to let students move between disciplines the same way trades coordinate in the field.

Personal Connections to the Work

For Seth Blanchard, the project hit close to home. He graduated from TSTC in 2016, and his mother is also an alum. “This place means a lot to my family,” Blanchard said. “TSTC helped launch my career, so getting the chance to come back and build the facility where the next generation will learn these trades is something really special.”

Daniel Sprinkle joined the project as an intern while still a student and was hired full-time as a project engineer after graduation. “Being part of this team while I was still a student was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Sprinkle said. “Walking through it now and seeing students learning here, it’s pretty amazing knowing we helped create that opportunity.”

Beyond the Build

The project reflects a broader partnership between RO and TSTC focused on strengthening the skilled trades pipeline across Texas. Beyond constructing the facility, RO leaders are working with TSTC to help shape curriculum so students leave with the skills today’s job sites demand.

Demand for skilled trades continues to outpace supply across Texas and the U.S., and workforce development has become a growing priority for contractors and educators alike.

“At RO, we talk about building a better Texas, and that starts with investing in the people who will build it,” said Braylon Byford, Director of RO Waco. “TSTC is preparing the skilled workforce our industry depends on, and seeing their graduates come back to campus to help build this facility makes the project especially meaningful.”

Want to build with us? Explore careers at RO

See more from this project: TSTC Construction Technologies Center