Advisee Spotlight: Jose Velazquez

CareerSpring Advisee Jose Velazquez found himself at a crossroads: stuck deciding between continuing his studies at community college for Construction Management or starting a new chapter at the University of Michigan in Information Science.  

He initially turned to our Education Partner, the Cristo Rey Network for guidance. But it was then that his former school president, Michael Khoury, now Regional Program Manager at CareerSpring recommended that Jose tap into CareerSpring’s Network of Advisors. Jose then set up several meetings, “these conversations gave me the ‘insider knowledge’ I couldn't get from a textbook,” he shared.  

“CareerSpring Advisors helped me realize that I didn't necessarily need a CM degree to enter the field. They shared stories of successful Construction Managers and Superintendents who came from non-CM backgrounds, which gave me the confidence to stick with my Information Analysis track at UM while supplementing it with technical construction courses elsewhere.“

Jose found the intersection between his interests in construction and information science—and he was able to pursue a career pathway he hadn’t considered before. “This advice saved me a lot of time and helped me see how my tech skills could actually be an asset in construction.” 

His consistency in networking not only supported his academic decisions, but led to even more opportunities, “The networking I did on CareerSpring contributed to me securing a Summer 2026 Internship with Walbridge. It turned my ‘Plan B’ into my primary career path and gave me a seat at the table in the construction sector.” 

CareerSpring’s Network of passionate and enthusiastic professionals and Employer Partners oftentimes lead to life-changing conversations.