Hugo A. Sepúlveda 
Mariajose Garza/THE RIDER
UTRGV Career Center staff discussed the importance of maintaining local talent in the Rio Grande Valley and how students and workers can stay competitive in the job market depending on their field.
Keeping local talent in the Valley would allow large companies to come down and relocate and it is not only limited to companies who look for blue-collar workers, but to companies who seek educated professionals, said Ronnie Garcia, associate director for employer relations.
Garcia said he thinks it is “super” important to keep local talent in the Valley to help the economic growth of the region.
He added he “truly believes” students need to follow their passion and explore by themselves.
“Sometimes, that does require them to relocate for a period of time … but I also think it’s important for students not to forget where they’re from,” Garcia said.
The associate director said the job market can be competitive whenever there is more output than input.
“For instance, in technology, you can be a science major and work in health care or business but, oftentimes, those are well-paying jobs and will stay there until they retire,” Garcia said.
He said Zoho, a multinational technology company that sells cloud-based business solutions, has created a large presence in the Valley.
“Now, there are more doors to be open for our technology students, whether it be information systems, data analytics, computer science or computer technology,” Garcia said.
He added the new generation of college graduates is eager to join the workplace but should not forget about professional development as it is important to have experiential learning, such as internships, micro-credentials, micro-interships and job shadowing.
Garcia said he challenges students to step outside of their comfort zone and network with individuals in the field they seek to work.
“I relocated to Austin just because I felt like I wanted to get away from the bubble for a moment and kind of learn and grow,” he said, referring to his experience after graduation from legacy institution University of Texas–Pan American. “I was away from the Rio Grande Valley for six years, and I wanted to come back to make an impact.”
Garcia added every journey is different for every student and encourages students to follow their career goals.
“I also think it’s imperative for our students to get experience where they are able to,” said Tony Leandro, assistant director for career education. “So, if it’s in the Valley, amazing. I definitely think we should strive to continue to support our students here locally.”
Leandro said, in some cases, students will have the opportunity to discover how other areas outside the region are and gain more experience that they can bring back.
“I’m a firm believer in [staying] in the Valley if you’d like to, or you can also get experience and bring that back,” he said. “That’s the only way they were able to grow.”
The job market can be “super competitive” depending on the field, according to the assistant director.
“The School of Nursing can go anywhere from 3,000 applications a year, about roughly, but they’re able to admit 300,” Leandro said. “So, it’s not to say that no student deserves to be in, it’s what the capacity is there for.”
He said continuous self-development is what makes students more competitive in the job market, adding a degree is great, but having professional development, which the Career Center may offer, will make them stand out.
Mariajose Garza/THE RIDER
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