The protagonist of this story is Efrén Villegas Gómez, a Public Accountant from our Alma Mater who, thanks to his dedication and effort, is now leading one of the subsidiaries of one of the world's leading multinational oilfield services companies. This is a clear example of how opportunity and preparation can converge successfully.

All around the world, many Unicauca graduates are bringing honor to the institution where they were educated. However, this time, the spotlight is on the story of Efrén Villegas Gómez. The reason? The multinational company he currently leads offers a series of unmissable opportunities for students interested in experiencing new and highly enriching opportunities. Therefore, to kick off this new academic period with great motivation, we invite you to read this story carefully.

Efrén was born in the city of Cali, but his family moved to the city of Popayán when he was only two years old. He completed his primary education at a small private school called Santa Teresa, and his secondary education at INEM Francisco José de Caldas. By this time, Efrén already had a deep interest in commerce and accounting. 'I am a very persuasive person, and since the age of 14, I decided I was going to be an accountant. That's why I focused on studying Technical Accounting in high school and then preparing for the ICFES exams to get into the University of Cauca,' he proudly states.

Like many stages of life that become unforgettable, Efrén's time at the University of Cauca was a very interesting experience. He started his undergraduate studies at just 15 years old, while his classmates were people between the ages of 30 and 40 who worked during the day and studied at night. Impressive, right? At that time, the only public university that offered the opportunity to study a professional degree at night was our institution, with the Public Accounting Program, providing the possibility for many people to pursue a professional career while continuing their working lives. 'I have been and will always be passionate about my career, and from that moment, I have been convinced that a professional in Public Accounting has all the necessary academic and training credentials to achieve what can be perceived as professional success,' Efrén stated while fondly recalling his university days.

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Thus, thanks to the love for what he decided would be his profession and with very clear goals in his heart, Efrén began to make his way professionally. 'Halfway through my degree, I fell in love with taxes. At 17 or 18 years old, I was already doing accounting for medium-sized companies and handling taxes from all perspectives, including interactions with the DIAN. I entered a specialization in Tax Management at the Universidad Libre de Cali, secured a position as a tax accountant at Grupo Colombina, and later an opportunity arose at my dream company as a Tax Staff at KPMG (Klynveld, Peat, Marwick, and Goerdeler). Feeling that I had achieved this, at 28 or 29, I became disenchanted with taxes and began looking for opportunities in finance. That's when the option to go to Bogotá with Schlumberger arose; a company that welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to move into finance and leave taxes behind to continue pursuing my professional dream,' Efrén recalls.

As you have probably noticed, Efrén knew how to take advantage of all the opportunities life presented to him. After being with SLB for two years, this multinational offered him an international position in Houston, Texas, United States. 'With this, my career returned to taxes, and I spent nearly 15 years in the organization with various global positions, mostly at the Western Hemisphere level. In 2017, I returned to finance as Financial Director of Venezuela, and in 2019, we returned to Colombia for a Western Hemisphere implementation project. This time, I was not only responsible for finance but also took charge of Payroll, Supply Chain, and Logistics. In 2021, a great opportunity arose, not just to handle functional matters but to take responsibility for the organization in a general context, and that's how I assumed my current position as Country Manager here in Colombia,' explained this Unicauca graduate.

It is important to mention that, for Efrén, there are two fundamental elements in his professional development. On one hand, the quality of the education provided by the professors at the University of Cauca, and on the other hand, the effort and passion with which certain challenges are approached. “The limit of my professional development is set by me; the limits are only in the mind. I am my own asset and must invest in that asset. Although the university has a great academic proposal, it does not emphasize bilingualism well, so if I want to enhance myself, I need to understand that a second language is essential for me.”

And if there is something that fills us with hope, it is being able to share good news with the dreamer generations currently studying at our Alma Mater. SLB, the Colombian subsidiary of the multinational oil and gas technology company based in the United States, one of the largest companies in the oilfield services sector, is carrying out a very interesting initiative by opening its doors to those who are in training and want to face real-world challenges, putting into practice everything they have learned.

This company offers a wide range of services, including exploration of oil fields, drilling of wells, and services related to oil and gas production, making it an excellent field for gaining professional experience and expanding growth opportunities. Therefore, Efrén, the current Country Manager of SLB, extends a special invitation to all Unicauca students.

"At the beginning and middle of the year, we open positions for university students from all fields to apply. There is a division in the organization, Global Business Services, that offers internships for those interested in finance processes/transactions, sales & commercial, legal, contracts, procurement, IT, among others. The other division is the operational side, where we also welcome interns who want to work in technical areas, HSE, corporate finance, logistics, and supply chain, among others,' Efrén stated, excited to provide new opportunities to the future professionals from this institution and regional thinkers."

It is worth noting that two of our students have already completed internships at this multinational company, and one of them, María Bustamante, is currently employed there. We already have success stories that serve as inspiration. We encourage you to get involved and stay alert to these opportunities, which are available to everyone. We are fully convinced that your talent, combined with the high academic level provided by Unicauca, will help you achieve all your dreams and transform your lives. From this excellent and supportive university, which works every day to offer you the best opportunities, we hope you do not overlook these challenging but highly rewarding options.

If you are interested in completing your professional internship at such a prestigious multinational, express your interest through the following QR code. Do it now as applications start in April.