by Eddie Pompa
Mission not yet complete, but it’s one step closer.
The Rose M. Avalos Pathways in Technology Early College High (P-TECH) School in Houston, Texas, is the home of a nondestructive testing (NDT) program that started in 2019 and is now preparing to graduate its first class of students in spring 2023.
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The journey of this inaugural Class of 2023 began over a decade ago when two gentlemen first spoke about NDT as a viable option that the Aldine Independent School District (ISD) should consider as part of their skilled trade program. These two men were Jerry Fulin and Robert Thomas.
Fulin, an ASNT Fellow, is a longtime member of ASNT and advocate for the NDT industry. He served a term on the ASNT Board of Directors from 2011–2014 and served on the board of the Greater Houston Section as well. At the time of the initial meeting, Thomas was the Program Director for Career & Business Partnerships for Aldine ISD.
Fulin explained the NDT industry’s workforce needs to Thomas and offered to help in introducing NDT into the school district’s P-TECH program. The benefits would be twofold: NDT would not only provide another STEM opportunity for Houston-area students, but also would provide the NDT industry with a pipeline of young technicians ready to work.
Thomas’ first attempt to get the NDT program into the school was met with a “No, not at this time”—which meant there was a chance. Five years later, Thomas was finally able to convince Aldine ISD to include NDT into the curriculum at a new satellite P-TECH location, the Rose M. Avalos P-TECH School. Because of the collaborative effort, of Aldine ISD and Lone Star College (a Houston-area community college with seven branches) in 2019 Avalos P-TECH was built next to the East Aldine branch of Lone Star College. Students enrolled in the NDT program walk to the Lone Star campus—literally next door—to get theory and hands-on education hours that meet SNT-TC-1A recommended practice hours. Classroom training is offered in ultrasonic testing, liquid penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing, radiographic testing, and eddy current testing, along with courses on radiation safety, metallurgy, and many others.
In May 2023, the first class of students will graduate with their NDT classroom certificates in hand, eager to work in a field filled with opportunities to learn, grow, and serve to make the world a safer place. I had the opportunity to speak with many of the students in the Class of 2023 when the Greater Houston Section hosted the group at a meeting and found them to be very engaged and interested in having alternative career choices.
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The continued growth of this program is in capable hands with Robert Thomas and Yrayda Lopez-Silva of Aldine ISD. The P-TECH program includes many skilled trade options to Aldine students, and with the Aldine ISD Career Guidance team, they hope to provide a pipeline of promising students to Houston-area NDT service companies, manufactures, and suppliers.
Thanks to everyone at Aldine ISD, Lone Star College, and others who have given of themselves to make this program a success. Without the ongoing efforts, preparation, and dedication toward helping young students find career paths that suit their interests, we would lose out on potential NDT talent. As a member of the ASNT Advocacy Committee, this program brings me great joy and I look forward to supporting this program and its students for years to come.
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Q&A with Robert L. Thomas, Aldine Independent School District
What is your background?
I’ve been with the Aldine ISD for many years. I have been in my current role [Program Manager, Career & Technical Education, P-TECH] since January 2023. Before that, I was the Program Director for Career & Business Partnerships for almost nine years and Program Director of Business Education Partnerships from 1998–2011. In between, I was an instructor at Eisenhower High School in aerospace/aviation technology for a few years. My wife is a mechanical engineer in aerospace, so I had some knowledge of NDT. (Thomas is also the Board Chair for Olevia Community Development Corp., which is a nonprofit dedicated to providing support services for 18-year-olds aging out of the Texas foster system.)
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What was key to making this happen?
Persistence, supported by data detailing future labor needs and the potential earnings of NDT techs.
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How can we duplicate it?
This was part of a state-funded skilled trades program across Texas.
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Who was involved?
Started via a conversation with ASNT member Jerry Fulin regarding the need for a pipeline of inspectors for various industrial sectors in the Houston area, including petrochemical, aviation, material manufacturers, etc.
Initial pitch to Aldine ISD was met with a no (based on the request to build a 2400 capacity school dedicated to skilled trades). Eventually, a 1500 [capacity] school was built. Later, satellite locations like Avalos were built to tie in trades like NDT.
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What’s the future of the program?
Potentially we will build another school, or associate ourselves with a larger organization like ASNT, to provide a pipeline of students into a North Houston satellite location.
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Eddie Pompa is an ASNT NDT Level III (MT, PT, RT, UT) in Pearland, Texas.
Group photo courtesy of Eddie Pompa.
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For more information on Rose M. Avalos P-TECH School and other NDT schools, read “New Pathways to NDT: 21st Century Technical Education Connects High School Students to Real-World Career,” from the September 2021 issue of Materials Evaluation and reprinted on ASNT Pulse. (Access to the ME archive is free to ASNT members.)
The ASNT NDT educational directory and information on NDT career pathways are available on the ASNT website (asnt.org).
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