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Imagine a Texas where employers have no trouble finding highly trained professionals to fill key positions in their organizations. Unfortunately, we’re far from that ideal. The harsh truth is top hiring leaders are saying their greatest challenge is recruiting individuals with the future-forward skills they need.
The University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) is actively implementing solutions to address Texas’ talent crisis. UTSA’s “secret sauce” is producing the next generation of skilled, industry-ready professionals to meet the evolving needs of our state’s workforce.
The university has leaned into aligning its educational approach with the needs of San Antonio’s top industries. Students are learning by doing, building on classroom lessons with hands-on experience and stretching their academic foundations to a whole new level of preparedness. The result — Career Ready Roadrunners, ready to lead Texas into the next era of economic advancement.
Here’s how UTSA is doing it.
Degree built for jobs
UTSA’s top 10 degree programs — biology, psychology, kinesiology, cybersecurity, computer science, mechanical engineering, management, marketing, finance and multidisciplinary studies — are intentionally and directly aligned with San Antonio’s top thriving industries. This laser focus translates to graduates who hit the ground running, equipped with skills employers desperately need. And the best part? Ninety-one percent of these “career-ready Roadrunners” stay and work in Texas, directly injecting their talent into the state’s economic engine.
Future-focused programs
UTSA is forecasting Texas employer needs by developing cutting-edge programs to meet the nation’s fastest-growing career trends. With the formation of UTSA’s newest college dedicated to AI, computing, cybersecurity and data science-related degree programs — the only one of its kind in Texas — students will have the opportunity to graduate as experts in these rapidly evolving fields of advanced technologies, ready to tackle jobs that don’t even exist yet! With the college serving more than 6,000 students in its first year, and with a 35%-plus increase in workforce demand for jobs in data science and cybersecurity, this forward-thinking approach ensures Texas remains at the forefront of innovation, not playing catch-up.
Learning by doing
When students learn by doing, they learn differently. UTSA focuses on career-engaged learning to provide experiential learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom. With 1,500-plus internships available for academic credit across 328 classes, these on-the-job experiences are with some of the state’s largest employers, including H-E-B, Spurs Sports and Entertainment, USAA and the City of San Antonio. These hands-on experiences are more than résumé boosters — they’re confidence-builders and gateways to exciting careers.
Continued education for experienced professionals
The journey doesn’t end after graduation. The job market is an evolving beast, and UTSA understands that. A recent study found that the vast majority of human resource leaders believe up to half of their workforce will need advanced skills in the next five years. UTSA’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE) is providing seasoned professionals with short-term training and certificate programs to hone their skills and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. PaCE offers 1,168 classes in high-demand fields like health care, education, information technology, web development and business. In 2023, over 6,000 Texans participated in PaCE programs, arming them with new knowledge to bring into their workplaces to advance the Texas workforce and economy.
The impact is undeniable. UTSA graduates aren’t just filling positions — they’re driving Texas’ economic engine. They’re the innovators, the leaders, the problem-solvers our state needs. UTSA isn’t just a university — it’s a gateway to leveraging the potential of Texans and bolstering the economic future of our great state.
