APRIL 30, 2024 — UTSA is a national leader in empowering students for career success and the University Career Center (UCC) is the driving force behind this effort. Through innovative strategies that foster employer-student connections, investments in best-in-class professional development technologies, and a commitment to offering hands-on opportunities, the UCC helps UTSA students imagine, discover, experience and design their future career.
Now, thanks to a gift from longtime employer partner GM Financial, the UCC has transformed part of its front lobby into the Career Lab powered by GM Financial — a dedicated communal space where students can receive guidance on anything related to their professional interests and pursuits. Designed to be inviting and highly interactive, the space will be staffed by career consultants and include laptops for students and alumni to use while they are there.
The career lab builds on the series of lab-style workshops the UCC rolled out earlier this semester as a pilot program. Consultants guide students and alumni as they work on their resumes, explore career options, search for jobs and internships, and learn how to use the many workforce-building tools and resources available to them. Held both in person and virtually, these highly interactive work sessions are giving Roadrunners the chance to improve their professional outcomes by providing dedicated time and space to help them with a variety of strategies to develop their careers.
With this new dedicated lab space, the UCC will be able to dramatically expand the number and frequency of these types of engaging sessions, making its services far more accessible for students at various stages of career exploration, whether they are trying to identify what jobs they can pursue based on their major and interests or seniors gearing up for their first full-time job.
The new Career Lab powered by GM Financial will be available starting May 1 in the UCC’s Main Campus location in the Student Union (SU 2.02.04).
“The Career Lab powered by GM Financial is not just a physical location; it represents a paradigm shift in how UTSA approaches career readiness,” said Mario Vela, UTSA assistant vice provost of career-engaged learning and executive director of the career center. “The Career Lab will provide interactive, experiential learning opportunities that address students’ and alumni’s needs in real time. By offering hands-on workshops and personalized guidance, UTSA aims to empower Roadrunners to confidently navigate their career journeys and pursue their professional aspirations. We are immensely grateful for GM Financial’s ongoing partnership and commitment to supporting UTSA students.”
Wayne Saiz, senior vice president for consumer services at GM Financial, shared enthusiasm for his company’s partnership with UTSA.
“At GM Financial, we believe in our active partnership with UTSA to invest in its students as they continue to produce highly educated workforce-ready graduates within our community,” Saiz said. “The Career Lab Powered by GM Financial represents an opportunity to support UTSA students as they explore, discover and design their own professional journeys. We are proud to partner with UTSA in this endeavor and look forward to seeing the impact it will have on shaping the careers of tomorrow's leaders.”
GM Financial is the financial services division of General Motors and has nearly 10,000 employees around the world. In 2017, the company opened its San Antonio service center and began engaging with UTSA to recruit its students. The partnership has grown over the years, and today GM Financial is one of the UCC’s primary corporate partners, regularly participating in recruiting events and other opportunities to support career development. GM Financial currently employs 38 UTSA students and alumni in San Antonio.
The University Career Center helps Roadrunners discover, pursue and achieve their unique professional goals by offering career and job search tools and resources, including individual counseling, mock interviews, resume reviews and professional networking assistance. It is one of seven units within the UTSA division of Career-Engaged Learning, which is giving students opportunities for experiential learning in the real world to prepare them to be career-ready Roadrunners.
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