Technical Training Aids recently hired Alec Mendoza, a KTECH graduate, as our newest field service technician. The KTECH program, started by Kids to Love, provides individuals in foster care and veterans with the skills and hands-on technical training to build a career in advanced manufacturing.

Kids to Love founder Lee Marshall realized the need for skilled employees in advanced manufacturing and mechatronics, but the lack of collegiate partners that could deliver the necessary training left her looking for another solution. She partnered with TTA to build the KTECH Mechatronics lab, to include state-of-the-art training equipment for advanced manufacturing.

Read more about this partnership and the launch of the KTECH lab here! 

We talked with Alec to hear more about his experience with the KTECH program and share how that led to his position with Technical Training Aids!

Finding the Right Fit

Before his time in the KTECH program, Alec worked in downtown Huntsville as a personal assistant while attending school at UAH. Dr. Ken Rivenbark, Alec’s boss, is a KTECH Ambassador and is a good friend of founder Lee Marshall. 

During this time, Alec was enrolled in the engineering program at UAH but was not actively attending school. When Ken recommended the KTECH program to him, it sounded like a good fit for his current interests. He figured it was worth giving a shot and signed up for the program.

Alec’s Experience in the KTECH Training Program

The program begins with a week of classwork, primarily focused on a math review. Students in the KTECH training program come from diverse backgrounds, and Alec’s class included students fresh out of high school, those who had some college experience, and a few students who hadn’t been in school for several years. 

After the initial classwork, the program is made up of four quarters focused on hands-on training in different areas. The courses include developing skills in electrical components and circuits, mechanical drives and electrical (AC/DC) motors, fluid dynamics, and PLC programming. 

All of the content in these courses equips students to take and pass the SIEMENS Certification, a globally recognized technical credential. The KTECH program was explicitly designed to help students pass this exam and uses a majority of hands-on lab work to provide the problem-solving and troubleshooting skills to help them succeed in industry careers. 

Finding His Passion

As he went through the program, Alec felt reassured that although the KTECH program was designed inclusively, everybody was different and had a different path forward. “I didn’t know for sure if I wanted to be an engineer. I was chasing this degree, but I wasn’t putting everything I had into it. I had been encouraged that the pay and job security were good, but I just wasn’t passionate about it.”

But his time in engineering did teach him several important things. “I knew I had an aptitude for math and science. Those were my strengths. I found that I could use these strengths in the KTECH program. I was passionate about problem-solving and troubleshooting, a core element of engineering, but I discovered their relevance in this program, and it showed me that there was another path.” Alec was able to take his strengths and passions from engineering and transition into a better path for his skills and goals. 

This realization brought Alec one step closer to his career at TTA. 

The Right Connections

Alec expressed his gratitude for Dorothy Havens, Director of Workforce Development, and her role in helping the students identify what interests them the most. She helps the students get connected with the KTECH Ambassadors and other industry partners to broaden their horizons for career opportunities. 

Alec was at one of these KTECH Ambassador meetings when he met Travis Croon, President of Technical Training Aids. 

“I was speaking at the event that night. I shared my story and some of how I was unsure about what I wanted to do. Travis went after me and jokingly said that I stole his speech. It turned out that we came from a similar background and had a lot in common.”

Later that year, as Alec was nearing the end of the program, Dorothy asked him where he would like to work. “The first person that came to my mind was Travis, and so that’s what I told her. I hadn’t really planned that. It was just instinctive. Travis had made an impression on me as someone I would like to work for.”

Travis had been looking for an opportunity to bring a KTECH graduate to his company, and Alec was a great fit. 

Becoming a Field Service Technician 

Alec is currently finishing up his training to be a field service technician as he gets more into his role with TTA. He is looking forward to the chance to build relationships with customers as he goes out and services the equipment. 

“I think what I’m looking forward to most in my career at TTA is being able to build that sense of ‘family.’ I’ve had jobs in the past that because of my relationship with my coworkers and team, it didn’t feel so much like going to work. I am looking forward to building deeper relationships with my coworkers and getting to know them on a personal level. I also think this makes us better, as we become reliable and accountable to each other. It builds a sense of trust that I believe is often taken for granted.”

Advice for KTECH Students

Since his experience with the KTECH program was nothing short of worthwhile, Alec is happy to recommend the training program to anyone who might be interested. 

“It pays off. It didn’t feel like going to school, but that didn’t mean it was easy. You have to work hard, but the program is designed so that the effort you put in will pay off greatly.”

When asked if he had any advice for students currently in the KTECH program, Alec said, “Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself. You never know who you’re going to meet and what doors will open up just because you told someone your name. Don’t be afraid to meet new people, and make a good impression on as many people as you can!”

We are always inspired by what the KTECH program does for future professionals, and we are thrilled to have Alec on our team. We look forward to his future at Technical Training Aids! 

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