Transferable skills are the central feature of a history degree. So says Samuel DeLeon, who graduated from UH in 2021 with a dual BA in History and Political Science. DeLeon currently works as a project manager for Trio Electric, an electrical contracting company based in Houston. Much of the company’s work is on the construction of hospitals, biosciences buildings, and higher education buildings – including a current project at UH. As project manager, DeLeon ensures that all aspects of a large construction or renovation job work together smoothly.
This is where DeLeon’s history degree comes into play. While he had to learn some of the technical aspects of electrical projects on the job, he uses the fundamentals from his undergraduate degree all the time. Both written and verbal communication skills honed by history classes like Dr. Cathy Patterson’s Stuart Britain capstone are critical to his role, as he often dialogues with project personnel and has to explain protocols or regulatory codes to the workers actually doing the project. His historical training in asking good, pertinent questions also proved key. In fact, it was these skills which helped DeLeon secure his position; his company generally looks for applicants with some engineering background, but he was able to highlight his communication skills and show that he could develop the technical knowledge on the job.
De Leon also notes that a history degree taught him how to do research, which in his job translates to digging into documents to find answers, researching different manufacturing sources for purchasing, and assessing different information sources to support decision-making for the technical experts. As he spends much of his time reading a wide variety of documents closely, he appreciates how a history degree taught him to identify the best sources and to pay attention to “the fine print” to find information critical for a successful project.
The history major skills of adaptability, intellectual agility, and open-mindedness have also served DeLeon in a difficult job market. After finishing his undergraduate degrees in 2021, DeLeon completed an MBA/Master of Healthcare Administration double degree through Texas Women’s University in 2025. He hopes to eventually move into an industry more directly related to his interest in the healthcare field but appreciates how much he is learning in his current role and applying the skills he learned in his BA. Way to go, Samuel!