Employer-led Professional Development Institute
The Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI) is a 6-week program designed for students from all disciplines who are interested in sharpening their professional skills. The program offers students intensive, one-hour workshops led by local and regional employers from corporate, public, and non-profit sectors. Participating students will receive firsthand knowledge from employers about what they look for in their new hires.
The spring 2021 cohort begins on October 11, 2021. All sessions will be virtual and the cohort is limited to 400 students.
Student participants that attend at least eight (8) professional development sessions from the menu of options will receive a $200 service award at the semester's end. Students in the program will have the opportunity to earn an additional $200 award by participating in four (4) bonus engagement activities. These engagement activities are designed to push students outside of their comfort zone in order to grow their professional network, hone their interview skills, and be better positioned for their career path of choice.
EPDI provides students with:
- Hands-on experience to help their career exploration and gain competitive credentials
- A menu of professional development activities to choose from
- Meaningful interaction with employers in specific fields
- Opportunities to network with other students in the cohort
- Engagement activities to develop mentoring relationships with UTEP faculty
- Intellectually and fulfilling career related experiences
- Professional development activities to frame and map career pathways
- Skills to articulate professional and academic experience.
Program Requirements
Mandatory Requirements: Virtual Professional Development Sessions
Student participants that complete the mandatory requirements will receive the $200 service award. Please note, students who have already participated in a previous cohort are not eligible for forthcoming cohorts.
- Register for and attend one kickoff session
- Register for eight (8) virtual professional development sessions from the available menu of options below. All sessions are 60 minutes in length and students must be present for the entire duration of each session.
- Complete a survey after each session
Optional: Bonus Activities
Student participants that complete the optional bonus activities will receive an additional $200 service award. The additional award is only available to students who have completed the eight (8) required sessions.
- Participate in four (4) bonus engagement activities.
To sign up for the Fall 2021 Employer-led Professional Development Institute, click here and enroll in one of the kickoff sessions. Students who sign up for and attend a kickoff session are automatically enrolled into the cohort. Two kickoff sessions will be available on Monday, October 11 from 3:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m and Tuesday, October 12 from 3:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m. Students interested in the program need only to attend one kickoff session.
The EPDI committee is working in collaboration with the following employers:
- UTEP Career Center
- Prudential Financial
- Oracle
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
- Amazon
- Halliburton
- El Paso ProMusica
- City of El Paso
- Microsoft
- Edward Jones
- Borderplex Workforce Solutions
- FBI
- Lockheed Martin
- County of El Paso
- Peace Corps
Edgar Felix
Business Administration in Management, May ’21
Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI) Fall ’20 Cohort
Edgar Felix completed the Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI) in the fall of 2020. He started at UTEP in the fall of 2018 as a Terry Transfer Scholarship recipient, after having completed part of his general studies at El Paso Community College. Edgar is majoring in general management, minoring in marketing, and is pursuing a certification in Enterprise Resource Planning. He plans to graduate in the spring of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
“UTEP has many resources on campus and I encourage students to take advantage of them. As soon as I heard about EPDI, I knew I had to join and hoped it would lead to something after my graduation.”
The Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI) is a six-week program that offers students over a dozen virtual workshops led by local and regional employers from corporate, public, and non-profit sectors. After having filled out a survey during the EPDI workshop entitled, Map Your Career, Edgar was recruited for a full-time position with Oracle – the computer technology corporation that hosted the workshop. “During the interview process, I was well prepared to express all of the skills and advantages that I have gained throughout my student career. I am excited to share that I was offered a full-time position as a Cloud Analyst and will be starting in May.”
Edgar was highly involved in student organizations while attending El Dorado High School, and expressed he wanted to continue giving back while attending UTEP. Upon enrolling at UTEP in 2018, Edgar joined the Terry Scholars Student Organization as an officer, and later served as president from 2019-2020. Between 2018 and 2020, Edgar also served as an intern with numerous employers including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Department of Housing and Residence Life at UTEP, the Student Engagement and Leadership Center at UTEP, and the U.S. House of Representatives where he drafted more than 150 congressional inquiries to federal, state, and local agencies and reported a status to constituents.
“When I received the offer from Oracle, I was prepared to handle that conversation; the EPDI workshops set the foundation for me and I knew what to look for.” While enrolled in EPDI, Edgar participated in the workshop entitled, You Received a Job Offer – Now What? – a session hosted by Halliburton, one of the world’s largest oil field service companies. He shared how interested he was in that workshop as the presenter explained what an offer letter should comprise and reminded students to look for specific items such as benefits. Edgar shared he feels a great sense of relief knowing that he has a job waiting for him after graduation.
Edgar encourages all students to join EPDI. “Not only are you given the resources of networking, but you’re also getting paid to do it.”
How many sessions do I have to complete?
Students accepted into the program are required to complete eight (8) sessions, prior to the last day of the institute.
How long is the program?
The Fall 2021 program runs from October 18 to end of November, 2021.
Who can join the program?
The program is open to all currently enrolled students.
Who should join the program?
Students who are interested in gaining a competitive edge in obtaining internships and employment should apply for this program. The program is also an excellent way to meet faculty mentors and network with local and regional employers.
How do I register for the program?
To sign up for the Fall 2021 cohort, click here and enroll in one of the kickoff sessions. Students who sign up for a kickoff session are automatically enrolled into a cohort. Two kickoff sessions will be available on Monday, October 11, from 3 p.m to 4 p.m. and Tuesday, October 12 from 3 p.m to 4 p.m. Students interested in the program need only attend one kickoff session.
When will I know if I was accepted into the program?
Students who register and attend a kickoff session are automatically enrolled into the program. The program is limited to 200 students each semester, and enrollment is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
How do I register for each professional development session?
The menu of professional development sessions is available here. Register for each session by clicking on "Register". Students will be prompted to log in with their UTEP credentials.
How do I keep track of the sessions that I have attended?
All Professional Devlopment sessions will avaialable in Job Mine exclusively for EPDI students.
Can I attend more sessions than the eight (8) that are required?
Yes, students in the program can attend as many sessions as they would like. Students must meet the program requirements to receive the service award.
I want to connect with an employer that hosted an institute, how can I do that?
Please contact the EPDI Coordinator, at employer-led-institute@utep.edu.
There is another professional development workshop on campus that I want to attend, will that count toward this program?
Students in the program are required to choose EPDI sessions in Job Mine. However, students can propose a bonus activity, as long as it verifiable. Please contact employer-led-institute@utep.edu to propose a bonus activity.
When will I receive my service award?
Students who have completed the program requirements will receive their service award at the end of the semester.
Will the service award impact my financial eligibility?
The service award will not interfere with students’ financial aid eligibility.
What is a bonus activity?
A bonus activity is an opportunity to recieve a bonus service award of $200, students must complete four or more bonus activities and submit the required verification by November 23, 2021. In order to be eligible for this additional $200 award, students must also have completed the eight workshops describd above. Engagement activities are not mandatory but highly encouraged.
A bonus activity is an opportunity to recieve a bonus service award of $200, students must complete four or more bonus activities and submit the required verification by November 23, 2021. In order to be eligible for this additional $200 award, students must also have completed the eight workshops describd above. Engagement activities are not mandatory but highly encouraged.
Engagement Activities
Optional Activities - Pick Three
- Get your Resumé Reviewed by UTEP Career Center Staff
- Complete a Career Advising Session with a Career Center Staff Member
- Participate in a Community Service Activity
- Update or Create Your LinkedIn Account
- Earn a LinkedIn Learning Certification
- Complete InterviewStream and have it reviewed by the Career Center
Employer Led Professional Development Institute Coordinator
Bachelor of Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resource Management
amgomez11@utep.edu
