{"id":214516,"date":"2025-08-11T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T17:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cetys.mx\/noticias\/?p=214516"},"modified":"2025-07-24T16:44:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T23:44:33","slug":"columna-cetys-graduate-exodus-why-mexicali-is-losing-its-brightest-minds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cetys.mx\/noticias\/columna-cetys-graduate-exodus-why-mexicali-is-losing-its-brightest-minds\/","title":{"rendered":"Columna | CETYS graduate exodus: Why Mexicali is losing its brightest minds?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Doyeop Kim, Hannah Uribe<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

As graduation nears, many CETYS University students already have one foot out the door \u2014 not just from campus, but from Mexicali itself. Our recent survey of 55 senior-year students reveals a growing exodus of young professionals in search of better pay, career advancement, and quality of life elsewhere. Despite receiving quality education locally, these future leaders see limited opportunities in their home city. Why does Mexicali fail to retain the very talent it helped shape? What would make them stay? This research shines a spotlight on a silent but serious crisis: the loss of local human capital that could shape Mexicali\u2019s future \u2014 if it doesn\u2019t walk away first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Young, Gifted\u2014and Already Leaving\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

As graduation season arrives, most CETYS Universidad students should be celebrating achievements, taking photos in their caps and gowns, and making plans to contribute to their hometown\u2019s future. But our recent study tells a different story\u2014one of quiet departure. Many of Mexicali\u2019s most talented university students are not just leaving campus. They\u2019re preparing to leave the city for good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our team surveyed 55 final-year students across different programs at CETYS to understand their career intentions and how they view Mexicali as a place to live and work. What we found was both revealing and concerning: over 70% of respondents said they intend to seek employment outside of Mexicali after graduation. Some are eyeing larger Mexican cities like Guadalajara, Monterrey, or Mexico City. Others are looking even farther north\u2014toward the United States.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are these young professionals, many of whom have received quality education and support in Mexicali, so eager to leave?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s Pushing Them Away?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The reasons, while complex, center on three main themes: limited career opportunities, low salaries, and quality of life.\u00a0 First, many students feel that Mexicali\u2019s job market is narrow and favors technical or industrial careers, leaving little room for those in fields like international business, marketing, design, or data science. \u201cIt feels like if you\u2019re not in manufacturing, your options here are really limited,\u201done student wrote in the survey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, wages were a common concern. Even students who want to stay close to family said that salaries in Mexicali were simply not competitive. \u201cI\u2019d love to stay, but I also want to be independent\u2014 and the jobs I\u2019m finding here don\u2019t make that realistic,\u201danother respondent shared. Lastly, lifestyle matters. Some students noted that cities with better public transportation, cultural offerings, and international connectivity felt more aligned with their personal and professional goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Our Data Shows<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accordingtooursurvey:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n