SWTJC Powerline Technician Graduation Honors Inaugural Scholarship Recipient and 2024 Graduates

Uvalde, TX, February 2, 2024 - The Spring 2024 SWTJC Powerline Technician Graduation ceremony was held on Feb. 1 at the SWTJC - Tate Auditorium in Uvalde, TX. The event commenced with a warm welcome by SWTJC Workforce Training & Development Director Kristel Sanchez. PHOTOS

Sanchez, SWTJC Dean April Ruhmann, SWTJC Powerline Technician Instructor Rodolfo Ballesteros, SWTJC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Underwood, and SWTJC President Dr. Hector Gonzales presented certificates. The ceremony featured a keynote address by Vice President of Administrative Services Derek Sandoval.

Furthermore, the first-ever Cauy R. Routh Scholarship was awarded by Ballesteros and the Routh family.

Cauy R. Routh was a 2019 graduate of the SWTJC Powerline Technician Program. He went on to work for NorthStar Energy Solutions upon graduating.

Routh passed away on Jan. 9, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas, at 21. His parents, Roy L. Jr and Katherine Routh, began the scholarship to help individuals who want to pursue a career as a powerline technician as their son did.

"Cauy loved being a powerline tech; he was able to rise through the ranks quickly and was a class B technician at the time of his death," said Ballesteros. "His family wants other individuals to do what their son loved to do, and having a scholarship can facilitate that."

Xavier I. Bautista was the recipient of the scholarship. During his speech, he went on to thank the Routh family.

"Thank you for your generosity; it truly means a lot to me. This scholarship will help me create a foundation for my career by allowing me to buy tools," said Bautista. "Your family has truly blessed me more than you know."

The graduation ceremony honored the following graduates: Xavier I. Bautista, Logan C Brown, Inacio R. Castillo, Jonathan Flores, Austin L. Lopez, Colten D. Medrano, Ruben Muñoz, Gerardo Rivera, Armando Rodriguez, Derren L. Rodriguez, Dylan M. Rodriguez, and Jordon R. Taylor.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the graduates and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

The SWTJC Powerline Technician program is a 14-week training course that is available in Uvalde and Eagle Pass. The program comprises ten weeks of linemen-specific classroom and field work and four weeks of truck driver training to prepare for a Class A CDL. To learn more about this program, please visit the college website.