Texas Border Business
WESLACO, Texas – By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
Dr. Carlos Margo of the Center for Advanced Training and Apprenticeship said South Texas College’s new avionics technician program will offer separate training paths for high school students and adults, preparing participants for careers in aviation maintenance and electronics.
Speaking during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new program at Weslaco Midvalley Airport, Margo outlined the curriculum’s structure, developed through a partnership among South Texas College, the City of Weslaco, Hidalgo County Precinct 1, and the airport.
Margo said the program fills a regional gap in aviation education. “I did realize how a single program existed in South Texas,” he said, referring to the lack of comparable avionics training opportunities in the region.
According to Margo, the program will include two tracks, one designed for high school students and another for adults seeking certification.
“What I would like to envision is if you’re a junior, you can enter this program,” Margo said. “It’s 335 hours finished by the time you’re a senior, and you graduate, and you can step right into a high-paying job program.”
Margo said high school students will complete coursework through South Texas College’s Mid Valley campus and gain hands-on experience at Weslaco Midvalley Airport by working directly with aircraft.
The curriculum will begin with foundational instruction in avionics, followed by coursework in system installation, testing, and communications equipment. Students will then move to hands-on instruction involving aviation electronic systems and communications components.
“The second year would include more hands-on instruction here at the airport,” Margo said, adding that students will receive training in operational testing of aviation electronic systems.
The final phase of the program will include advanced component repair and coursework focused on Federal Aviation Administration regulations and certification.
Margo said that adults entering the program will be able to complete training in 5 to 6 months and prepare for employment in aviation and related industries.
“Not only in working on aircraft, but also working on spacecraft and other industries,” Margo said.
Margo also announced the addition of two industry-recognized certifications to the curriculum. Students who complete the program will be prepared to test for the General Radiotelephone Operator License issued by the Federal Communications Commission and an IPC certification focused on electronics manufacturing and assembly standards.
“We decided to add the following two certifications,” Margo said, explaining that both credentials are tied to aviation maintenance and electronics systems.
Margo said South Texas College recruited an instructor with more than 10 years of aviation maintenance experience and more than a decade of teaching in higher education to support the program.
He also credited South Texas College staff and Hidalgo County resources for helping develop the initiative, which he said took about a year to plan.
“We want to make sure that the students are getting a rigorous, relevant training program that’s up to date,” Margo said.
Officials at the event said information tables were available for students and adults interested in enrolling in the program.
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