Meet the Team
What is Career Readiness?
Career readiness is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college-educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.
For new college graduates, career readiness is key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce. Career readiness is the foundation upon which a successful career is launched. Career readiness is, quite simply, the new career currency.
For higher education, career readiness provides a framework for addressing career-related goals and outcomes of curricular and extracurricular activities, regardless of the student’s field of study. For employers, career readiness plays an important role in sourcing talent, providing a means of identifying key skills and abilities across all job functions; similarly, career readiness offers employers a framework for developing talent through internship and other experiential education programs.
Career Readiness Competencies
There are eight career readiness competencies, each of which can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. Review a definition of each competency below as well as download supplemental materials to support and incorporate into your initiatives.
- Career and Self-Development
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Equity and Inclusion
- Leadership
- Professionalism
- Teamwork
- Technology
Come meet our Career Services team to help you get started on your career planning and building those essential competencies (pdf) TODAY!
Reprinted courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers
Profiles and Contact Information


Karla Lara
Career Advisor
This Advisor assists students in professional documents, personality, and career assessment, resume review, cover letter review, mock interviewing, career counseling and Handshake profile completion.
School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering; School of Health Professions; College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
kglara@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 805-5829

Laura Varela
Career Advisor
This Advisor assists students in professional documents, personality, and career assessment, resume review, cover letter review, mock interviewing, career counseling and Handshake profile completion.
H-E-B School of Business and Administration; Dreeben School of Education; School of Media and Design
lvarela@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 283-5014
TBD
Internship Coordinator
The Internship Coordinator assists in carrying out the mission of the Office of Career Services to foster relationships with campus departments and external employers to enhance internship job and career opportunities during the student lifecycle and beyond.
careers@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 829-3932
Cameron Rodgers
Peer Career Coach
The Peer Career Coach assists students in all academic colleges with professional documents, resume review, cover letter review, LinkedIn and Handshake profile completion.
careers@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 832-5692
TBD
Peer Career Coach
The Peer Career Coach assists students in all academic colleges with professional documents, resume review, cover letter review, LinkedIn and Handshake profile completion.
careers@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 832-5692
Priscila Vaquera Aguilar
Media and Communications Student Assistant
careers@uiwtx.edu
Phone: (210) 829-3931