Fire science cadets show off skills at fire demo

As the semester comes to an end, the Del Mar College Fire Science students held a family day to show their families and communities the techniques they have learned. Program Director Michael Schmitt, Instructor Joe McQuary, and Assistant Instructor James Creek oversaw four groups of five students put blazing fires out of a rusted dumpster and an old vehicle. As flames escaped the top of a large dumpster, the fire science students directed the hose and worked as a team, demonstrating the training they’ve learned during program. Spectators could feel the heat coming off the fire and the water splashing…

From the office to the ambulance

Paramedic student Jesse Gil, 44, has always had a lifelong passion to become a Firefighter-EMT After working as a financial advisor for 16 years, Gil decided to follow his dream. After working in the new career for nearly six years, he decided to continue his education in order to become a paramedic. “I am advancing my skill set from EMT to a paramedic so I can be more beneficial to my team and the patients in the field,” Gil said. Several paramedic students stated the hardest part about the program is not just learning the material but applying it during…

Get in gear with automotive technology

Unlike many labs in Del Mar College, the automotive lab is a large open bay. It is loud, drafty and well-lit with shop lights and sunlight. In this bay,18-year-old Alicia Gutierrez stands out in what is mainly a male-dominated field. She started the semester with two other female students and is the last woman standing in a class full of males. A fear of being over-charged and taken advantage of has led her on the automotive journey. “I’m always going to have a vehicle, and I never want to get used because I’m a woman and I don’t want them…

Aviation Maintenance Technician Program Highlight

             Joseph Zamudio Sanchez wants to aim for the skies, and he’s doing that by following in his father’s footsteps to become an aviation mechanic.                             Sanchez is currently enrolled in the Del Mar College Aviation Maintenance program, the same program his father completed in the 2010s.             “My father went through the [aviation] program 12 to 13 years ago. Seeing him put in the work and talk about it is something I’ve always looked up to him about,” Sanchez said.              Del Mar College has offered the Aviation Maintenance Technician program since the early 2000s and was certified…

Grant gives students a chance for success

As of July 1, Del Mar College is once again offering Adult Education classes for free. For four years beginning in 2014, the college served over 8,000 students with a $6 million Adult Education and Literacy Grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. But in 2018 the grant was not renewed, forcing the college to drop the course. But now, there are two grants that are currently active through Del Mar College. One grant assists with GED preparation, or high school equivalency preparation, along with career training services. The second grant is focused on English Language Learners and English as a…