371 | Bootstraps and Bootcamps: New Mexico’s Pathways Into Tech with Rudy Parra
Rudy Parra is a Mechatronics & Lab Technician at GridFlow, where he supports the development of next-generation lithium-sulfur flow batteries. He specializes in IoT integration, rapid prototyping, and lab operations, helping bridge the gap between R&D and real-world energy solutions. With a background in robotics and automation, Rudy is passionate about building systems that are efficient, scalable, and safe for the grid of tomorrow.
This episode is sponsored by the coaching company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider a Strategy Session if you can use support growing your impact business.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Transcript of New Mexico’s Pathways Into Tech - Interview with Rudy Parra
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You can read the full transcript of this episode here
3 Key Takeaways in New Mexico’s Pathways Into Tech - Interview with Rudy Parra
1. Nontraditional Paths Are Viable Gateways into Tech
Rudy Parra’s journey highlights how nontraditional students—particularly those from community colleges, bootcamps, and first-generation backgrounds—can find powerful opportunities in tech without the “straight shot” four-year degree. The availability of accessible training, practical bootcamps, and internships breaks down barriers and helps students pivot toward hands-on, real-world tech careers.
“I was never the, like, 4.0 valedictorian. I was never that straight shot student. I would consider myself a C average student. And... I realized that I need to work more in my education, and I felt like I wasn't ready enough for for UNM. And so I went to CNM, and I was like, well, let me just start there.”
2. Community and Networking are Critical for Breaking In and Moving Up
Rudy underscores the essential role that involvement in clubs, networking events, and sector-specific groups plays in gaining experience, meeting mentors, and accessing real opportunities. Consistent participation in meetups, hackathons, and organizations like Tequería and NM Climate accelerates both personal and professional growth.
“...getting yourself involved. And I think that's what helped me as CNN provided me not only the education to obtain my CIS degree, but it provided me outlets because I knew that, yes, I was working for that degree, but I knew what was important. And that is building myself within the community to find more things to do, you know? And that is that's what ultimately got me here to this day...”
3. New Mexico’s Tech Ecosystem is Growing—And It’s Everyone’s Opportunity
The episode illustrates that New Mexico is building an accessible, innovative tech ecosystem, with multi-day events like Atomic 66 and active support structures for diverse communities. These collaborative efforts are not only bringing together tech founders, talent, and investors, but also highlighting the state's rising presence in climate and advanced energy sectors—making it possible for newcomers to quickly become leaders and contributors.
“And we do have a community, and we do have some movements of tech start ups. But what we don't have is a hub for us to get together and share all of these things in the state of New Mexico. And I think a good circle way back is Atomic 66. And and I think that's one of the ways how we're trying to do that is creating more events like these where it's saying, hey. You know, you don't have to just be in a tech startup... this should just be an outlet of this is what I have and this is what I wanna show.”