HARLINGEN – This school year, the GEAR UP program shifted resources and are set to focus on student success in college and beyond.

Many college students are looking forward to graduating and will soon enter the workforce.

But you can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty around at Texas State Technical College. Students need a can-do attitude at the Harlingen campus.

Trade careers are all around from welding, mechatronics, and construction.

“They have tremendous technical jobs and programs here that are putting kids at $60,000, $70,000, $90,000, some six figures,” said STEM education specialist for GEAR UP, Kristopher McKinney.

The associate's degree takes five semesters. After completion, students get to walk away with an education and rigorous experience under their belt.

McKinney says it's “the education they need to better themselves for the workforce, for a career, so they can go on and support themselves and eventually a family.”

Rick Herrera, interim provost with TSTC, highlights the difference in instruction the campus offers to better prepare their students for after graduation.

“You will find that the majority, if not all of our instructors came straight out of the industry. So when they teach, they're talking from experience and not from a textbook,” said Herrera.

Thousands of students attend TSTC Harlingen, amongst those are GEAR UP graduates.

Over the next month, we’ll showcase Kimberly Muniz, Jose Garcia and Gustavo Antonio as they learn the ropes for the jobs of the future.