Dallas College

Student Experience: Leonardo Figueroa

“I started the HVAC program because I wanted to understand my job better — I was already working in the field. I was able to perfect some of the skills I needed for my job, especially in welding and soldering, which I was having some trouble with.

“The program was excellent, and I learned a lot. For instance, I had absolutely no knowledge of electrical systems, and now I feel pretty comfortable with them. My instructors — especially Ivory Armstead, Chris Colquitt and (adjunct instructor) Keith Bilbry — really pushed me. It’s a program I’ve already recommended to several people. 

“I’d like to get a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering someday. Working in the HVAC business has gotten my foot in the door, and I’d like to stay with it, just at a higher educational level. 

“The best part of earning my associate degree is that I get job offers at least once a month because of the training I now have. It’s nice to know that I can get a job anywhere. And by having that associate degree, I’ve been able to double my income.

” Leonardo Figueroa earned an associate degree in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology in May 2008. A graduate of Ferris High School in Ferris, Texas, he has worked as a pipefitter for seven years for Refrigeration Design Technology.


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Alonzo Adams

Alonzo L. Adams

Self-Employed Mechanic Adjunct Automotive Technology Faculty Cedar Valley
“I was eager to learn, and the Diesel program really excited me. The more I learned, the more I realize it’s not so hard. All of my instructors have been knowledgeable; any questions I had for them, they were pretty much able to answer everything. These are great courses if you want to work on diesel engines.”
Automotive, Automotive Technology, Automotive Technology - Diesel and Heavy Equipment
Rafael Merren

Rafael Merren

Owner/Operator Grump’s Rod Shop
“It’s great to have intelligent capabilities, but if you don’t have the skillsets to back them up, what’s the point of going out into the real world? If you have a practical skill, you can always put bread on the table.”
Auto Body Technology
Kathryn Jaeger

Kathryn Jaeger

Technician, Trophy Nissan of Mesquite
“People look at a car and open the hood and see all the hoses and connections, and maybe think, ‘I am never going to figure this out.' Then you learn the basic concepts, and it’s more simplistic than you would think.”
Automotive Technology
Doug Jochum

Doug Jochum

Art Teacher Skyline High School
“The students here are also attentive and helpful — I found out right away that there’s a group of them who have been here a while and who will chip in to help you do anything you don’t understand or help hold something you’re working on. I think that attitude is a reflection of the teaching here as well.”
Welding

Leonardo Figueroa
Pipefitter Refrigeration Design Technology
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
School of Manufacturing and Industrial Technology
Updated July 22, 2026