Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, TX– Texas Southmost College alumnus Ruben Vega credits the college with helping him gain the skills, confidence and work ethic that led to becoming the Director of Human Resources for SteelCoast Company, LLC in Brownsville. His work has now come full circle, as he partners with TSC to build unstoppable teams through training that enhances or teaches new skill sets.
“I was that kid who did not have plans to go to college. In my mind, I was not college material,” said the 50-year-old. “But for someone who had to work early in life, I knew what kind of life I wanted, and college was going to be the key.”
TSC was the perfect place for Vega to gain his footing in higher education, offering the support needed to assist him in managing the many responsibilities he had as a first-generation American and first-generation college student.
“I changed majors, I worked full time and I had a family, not to mention I was the first in my family to ever experience this journey. It was a lot,” he said. “But the reassurance, support and understanding that I received from my instructors helped me persevere, and I ended up continuing my education.”
With the confidence he gained at TSC, Vega went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration and began his two-decade career.
Before working as a human resources director at SteelCoast, one of the largest, technologically advanced reclamation, remediation and recycling firms in North America, he worked in shipbuilding and logistics recruiting skilled craft workers across the country. He quickly learned that collaborative partnerships, like the one SteelCoast has with TSC, was essential to creating jobs and building strong teams.
“TSC allows us to keep our training and jobs local with its impressive training facilities and brand-new equipment,” he said. “The workforce training team at TSC understands industry needs and creates the technical programs that fill our needs. TSC, like SteelCoast, is eager to invest in training for a better tomorrow, and I’m proud to be working closely with a college I call my alma mater.”
Vega said he is grateful for having a rewarding career that he can be proud of, and he hopes that his story serves as an inspiration for others like him. “Throughout my career I’ve been eager to learn and climb the ladder and TSC prepared me to advance as an industry professional,” said Vega. “The success I’ve seen is because I went to college and worked hard. I could have settled, but why settle when success is just around the corner? I feel that many like me, need to be looking at TSC for life-changing careers.”
