The power of collaboration, mentoring, and creative recruiting
We’ve heard a lot about the brain drain in El Paso. We have a real problem keeping educated minds from leaving the area for greener pastures. But what does “greener” really mean?
- A starting salary that will help pay off student debt?
- Opportunity to grow and move into lucrative positions?
- Affordable cost of living?
I would argue that all of these important considerations can be satisfied right here. There are some great IT jobs in El Paso (not to mention the great cost of living), but there are also some issues we need to address as tech employers. It’s high time we tackle this problem head-on.
But first, why do students and graduates have the perception that they need to leave the Borderland to find solid, meaningful IT employment?
The Reasons Tech Leaders Leave El Paso
Frankly there are several reasons young IT talent is hemorrhaging out of El Paso. Even though there are some great opportunities and IT jobs in El Paso, tech leaders need to realize that we’re not promoting or sustaining ourselves like we should.
First off, the Borderland has a bad reputation for bouncing between technological ventures and failing to focus on one area of excellence. We’re desperately in need of an exportable product that we can collectively excel in as a region. Sharp young graduates feel the lack of promise and assume there are no career-worthy IT jobs in El Paso.
Secondly, Texas as a whole isn’t great at attaining venture capital, so local startups fall to goliaths like American Airlines and ExxonMobil. We’ve historically attracted major companies and built a big-corporation-oriented economy. For the millennial generation, meaningful work (aka, not turning the cogs of big corporations) is one of the driving forces in choosing employment.
It’s vital that independent El Paso tech employers realize we need to collaborate and invest in nurturing our local talent. Kevin Stevens, a provocative voice in the conversation about Texas’s role in the IT world, submits that our area struggles to gain a foothold in the tech world largely because we fail to mentor and collaborate. Ouch.
Collaborating on one (or a few) areas of technological focus, and investing in recruiting and mentoring local talent can propel us into the national IT scene. We’re finding that one of the keys to recruiting and mentoring young tech leaders is learning more about the millennial generation and what their goals and needs are.
Psst: There are great IT jobs in El Paso
Even though it’s clear we have a journey ahead of us as a region, there are some great opportunities for graduates and IT jobs in El Paso already. And what a perfect time to get a foot in the door of a Texas-sized world of possibility.
We’ve got several burgeoning IT hubs waiting for dedicated young talent to put down roots and help bring El Paso’s technology into the national spotlight. One of the fields that gives El Paso a shot at the world’s tech stage is 3D printing. You can take classes and encourage students to seek out internships in 3D printing in El Paso. This is just one of many great opportunities available through our universities — and there’s also a wealth of knowledge and experience available through our military IT employers.
Prudential El Paso is another unsung source of IT jobs in El Paso. They have some high-paying back office operations that certainly rival those of out-of-state employers.
And, of course, Varay is always eager to mentor and grow local talent! As a local company with a strong reputation, we strive to offer our team members meaningful work and the tools they need to excel in their skills and passions.
Varay’s role in keeping meaningful IT jobs in El Paso
El Paso matters to us. It’s where we live, work, and raise our families.
As technologists, we’re always asking ourselves (and our peers): “What are we producing that we can export so we can keep good people in well-paying jobs in the area?” and “How can we mentor and invest in our team members better?”
That’s why you’re seeing posts like this from Varay.
We’re dedicated to initiating conversations that will help propel El Paso (and the rest of Texas) forward in IT, and keep bright young minds here where they grow along with us.
View Varay’s current IT opportunities, or click below to continue the conversation about creating a more collaborative, mentoring IT environment in Texas.
