CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Brock Billeiter, 22, grew up in Kerrville, roughly 65 miles from San Antonio. His mom was a principal, so he comes from a family of educators.
When it came time for Billeiter to choose his career path, he struggled after attending Texas Tech for three years and exploring different majors.
Billeiter decided to move to the Coastal Bend area and enrolled in Del Mar's Diesel Applied Technology program. He connected with Del Mar professors because they provided a more one-on-one curriculum than a traditional four-year university.
"It was a refreshing experience because, going to Lubbock, all of my professors were hard to understand or didn't have time for me. And it's nice to have that small class at Del Mar, and it feels like they really care," said Billeiter.
Billeiter's classmates helped him land an internship at HOLT CAT in Corpus Christi, and for Brock, it was a no-brainer to make the Coastal Bend his home. Brock says he always had the vision of working at HOLT CAT, and after much hard work and dedication, he achieved his goal.
Aaron Horton, Service Manager at HOLT CAT, says the company's partnership with Del Mar College is instrumental in developing young interns.
"We enjoy the interns that we get from them [Del Mar College] because they do have a basic working knowledge of how to work on this machinery. So, what I would say to individuals seeking that path is to be determined and stay focused. It is a long journey. You're going to learn a lot. You're going to have a lot thrown at you. But the benefits outweigh that little struggle at the beginning," said Aaron Horton.
Brock Billeiter currently works in the Heavy Equipment Department at HOLT CAT as a Shop Technician 2 and repairs bulldozers, excavators, loaders, scrapers, and other industrial machinery.
HOLT CAT, located on the city's west side, has clientele from all over the United States, bringing high revenue to the region. A lot of their equipment has been vital in the recent growth and booming expansion of the Coastal Bend.
Leaders like Horton have helped prepare young workers like Billeiter for the real world, allowing them to expand the skills they learned in the classroom, guiding them on the road to success, and helping them thrive.
